The King’s School has launched a review into the handling of payments from St Patrick’s College, Strathfield, for the rental of props for a School of Rock musical, after the Australian Business Number on the invoice was found to belong to an individual rather than the school.
St Patrick’s College staged The Next Generation School of Rock, The Musical in May at the Bryan Brown Theatre in Bankstown. According to school sources with knowledge of the arrangement, the props and stage sets owned by King’s were rented for an agreed fee of $1000. When St Patrick’s prepared to pay the invoice, staff noticed the ABN belonged to an individual.
“The King’s School paid for the sets to be made, yet he is personally profiting from hiring them out,” school staff said.
In response to questions, a King’s spokesman said: “The school has established policies and procedures governing the use of school property and the handling of school funds. The circumstances surrounding the matters raised will be reviewed, and it is inappropriate to comment further while that process is under way.”
A spokesman for St Patrick’s College said: “Earlier this year, St Patrick’s College rented props for use in the college musical. The college processed payment for the rental based on an invoice and supporting documentation provided to the college.”
The King’s School, the oldest boys’ school in Australia, recently raised its year 12 fees to $52,380 for 2027. The school has faced a string of controversies in recent years, including its headmaster’s departure at the beginning of 2026 after an investigation into allegations, and previous findings that a planned plunge pool would be an improper use of school money and that business-class flights would need to be repaid after they were found to be an improper use of school funds.
It is not known when the King’s review will be complete.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The review adds another layer of scrutiny over financial governance at one of Australia’s most prominent private schools, which has previously been found to have misused school funds.
- The suggestion that an individual may have profited personally from school assets raises questions about internal controls and the oversight of staff handling school property.
- The incident unfolds against a backdrop of rising private school fees and public debate over the value and accountability of independent education.
Background
The King’s School, founded in 1831, is Australia’s oldest independent boys’ school, located in Parramatta, Sydney. The school's former headmaster, Tony George, departed at the start of 2026 after an investigation into an allegation he struck a student. In 2023, a government investigation found the school improperly used funds to construct a plunge pool at the headmaster's residence, and another investigation required the repayment of business-class flights taken by George's wife.
Key Perspectives
School sources (unauthorised to speak publicly): claim the school paid for the construction of the stage sets, and that an individual is now personally profiting from hiring them out, noting the invoice’s ABN belonged to the individual.
King's School spokesman: states the school has established policies and procedures for the use of school property and funds, and that a review of the circumstances is underway, making further comment inappropriate.
St Patrick's College spokesman: confirms the college rented props for its musical earlier this year and processed payment based on an invoice and supporting documentation provided to it.
What to Watch
- The completion and outcome of the King’s School internal review.
- Whether the staff member or individual involved is identified and what consequences follow.
- Potential response from the New South Wales education regulator, given the school’s recent history of findings of improper fund use.
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe King’s School has launched a review over the School of Rock prop payment.The Age - Latest News: “The King’s School has launched a review into payments relating to a production of a School of Rock musical in which its props were rented out to another Sydney boys’ school.”
- SupportedThe rental invoice was for $1000 and had an ABN belonging to an individual, not the school.The Age - Latest News: “The school used the props and stage sets owned by King’s for an agreed fee of $1000, according to school sources with knowledge of the situation but unauthorised to speak publicly. But when it came time for St Patrick’s to pay the invoice, school staff noticed the ABN belonged to an individual, not the King’s School.”
- Partly supportedSchool staff said, “The King’s School paid for the sets to be made, yet he is personally profiting from hiring them out.”The Age - Latest News: ““The King’s School paid for the sets to be made, yet he is personally profiting from hiring them out,” they said.”
- SupportedSt Patrick’s staged The Next Generation School of Rock – The Musical in May at the Bryan Brown Theatre and Function Centre in Bankstown.The Age - Latest News: “The drama started earlier this year when St Patrick’s at Strathfield put on its production of The Next Generation School of Rock – The Musical at the Bryan Brown Theatre and Function Centre in Bankstown in May.”
- SupportedThe King’s School spokesperson said the school has policies governing school property and funds, and that the circumstances would be reviewed.The Age - Latest News: ““The school has established policies and procedures governing the use of school property and the handling of school funds. “The circumstances surrounding the matters raised will be reviewed, and it is inappropriate to comment further while that process is under way.””
- SupportedSt Patrick’s College said it rented props for its musical and processed payment based on an invoice and supporting documentation.The Age - Latest News: ““Earlier this year, St Patrick’s College rented props for use in the college musical. “The college processed payment for the rental based on an invoice and supporting documentation provided to the college.””
- SupportedThe King’s School is the oldest boys’ school in Australia.The Age - Latest News: “The King’s School is the oldest boys’ school in Australia”
- SupportedThe school raised year 12 fees to $52,380 for 2027.The Age - Latest News: “recently raised fees to $52,380 for year 12 in 2027.”
- SupportedThe headmaster departed at the beginning of 2026 after an investigation into allegations.The Age - Latest News: “including the departure of its headmaster at the beginning of this year. Tony George’s departure followed an investigation into allegations”
- SupportedA planned plunge pool was found to be an improper use of school money, and business-class flights would need to be repaid after being found an improper use of school funds.The Age - Latest News: “a government investigation found it would be an improper use of the school’s money. Another 2023 investigation found business-class flights taken by George’s wife to an elite British rowing regatta would need to be repaid, after it was found to be an improper use of school funds”
- SupportedIt is not known when the King’s review will be complete.The Age - Latest News: “It is not known when the King’s review will be complete.”