KEY POINTS:
Parents spend almost $500 a year on a primary school child's education, research has found.
The Council for Educational Research's three-yearly survey of primary schools found the costs of "free" education included school donations, activity fees, trips, uniforms, fundraising, stationery and transport.
On average, the cost was $489 a child a year - up from $471 in the previous survey, three years ago.
This year's study found school funding was parents' biggest worry about primary schools - 53 per cent of respondents cited it as a concern, compared with 47 per cent in 2003.
All but 5 per cent of principals who responded said they did not have enough money to meet the needs of their schools.
The Government ordered a review of schools' operational funding and a boost is expected in next year's Budget.
Other big issues for parents in the survey were retaining good teachers, the amount of support given by parents and the community to schools, and students' achievement.
Researchers surveyed 10 per cent of primary schools in June and approached a quarter of parents at each. Principals, teachers and school trustees also took part.
The Council for Educational Research's chief researcher, Cathy Wylie, said the findings showed primary schools were largely positive places, and many had reported gains in student performance.
Dr Wylie said positive trends included teachers increasingly working together.
But she said it also appeared many schools were having to run "on a lot of long work hours and passion for kids".
