Schools renting out space to pay for teachers Location, location: Orange Grove market. Schools are being forced to fund basic resources such as extra teachers and pay for power bills from the money they raise from renting out their classrooms and playgrounds out of hours. Bondi Beach Public, Glebe Public, and Orange Grove Public have all managed to hire extra teachers and support staff out of the $100,000-plus income they get from renting their school grounds to popular weekend markets, the Department of Education confirmed. Other schools such as Rozelle Public, Brookvale Public, Allambie Heights Public, Homebush Boys High and the Forest High, which make similar amounts from leasing out their classrooms, halls, sports facilities and grounds to community groups, use the money to pay for literary, numeracy, music and welfare programs, technology and school maintenance. Australian Primary Principals Association president Norm Hart said a school's location, facilities and the "entrepreneurship" of its leadership team determined how much income it could generate. "There's a bit of location, location, location involved," he said. If you happen to be in the right spot, you can have a bit of a windfall. But while some schools earn tens of thousands a year renting their facilities to sports groups, church groups, community college classes and care services, other schools struggle to make any money. Main Arm Upper Public School, north-west of Mullumbimby, made $5 from letting a community group use its photocopier in 2011. The money "went into the school's general budget," a departmental spokesman said. Mr Hart said many schools let community groups use their facilities free. They want people to use their facilities because it cements that community relationship. It also decreases the chance of vandalism occurring out of hours," he said. Orange Grove Public principal Karen Jamieson said the increasing popularity of the organic market held in the playground every Saturday had enabled the school to hire an extra classroom teacher for the past six years. "It benefits the whole school - we've got an additional teacher for playground duty, an additional person for the children, and it means across the school we can reduce class sizes," she said. Orange Grove made $100,693.20 in 2011 from leasing its grounds to the markets, a car space to a music bus, classrooms for after-school art classes, and the hall for community college tap dance and African drumming classes. When the community college was headquartered at Orange Grove, it contributed to the school's $50,000 electricity bill (less than half of which is covered by the department). The school also makes facilities available for free to local community groups. An Education Department spokesperson said schools are valuable community assets, which should be available for community use when not required for school purposes. NSW government schools are staffed according to a statewide staffing formula. The formula ensures the fair allocation of staff across NSW by the appointment of teachers according to the number of students enrolled at each school, and by the appointment of additional staff when a school has students with additional needs. Schools may choose to hire additional teachers," the department said.