Springbank Secondary College to remain open following review

Hundreds of submissions from parents have won their children’s school a reprieve, with the State Government declaring it will not only stay open but also receive a big funding injection.

• Springbank has only seven per cent of the students within its zone
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People power has won in the fight to save a suburban high school in Adelaide’s inner south.

Springbank Secondary College will remain open following a three month review by the State Government.

As part of the State Government’s decision to keep the school open, it will become an unzoned school, with its existing zone to be incorporated into the nearby Unley High School zone from next year.

Under the changes, Springbank’s unzoned status means it can accept enrolments from anywhere in the state, similar to nearby Urrbrae Agricultural High School and Mitcham Girls High School.

It will also receive a $10 million investment in school infrastructure.

Education Minister John Gardner said close to 300 community submissions to the review were received.

“Our priority has always been to ensure that current and future generations of students in these suburbs have access to high-quality public education,” he said.

“Submissions to the review – and to me personally since the review was announced – have made two things very clear. The first is that the overwhelming majority of families in the area would prefer to have a guaranteed place at Unley High School, as their preferred comprehensive style public school.

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“Secondly it is very clear that there is a smaller, but significant, group of families in the local and broader community who particularly value the culture at Springbank Secondary College, and want the educational approach it offers to be available for their children too.”

Unley High School’s expanded zone will be supported by existing building works, due to be completed in time for Year 7s commencing at high school in 2022. The intake will expand the capacity of the school from around 1200 to at least 1700.

The State Government initiated a review into Springbank’s future in March following falling enrolments in recent years.

Danielle Duffield, who led a campaign to save the school, celebrated Thursday’s announcement.

“We saved the school!” she said after the announcement.

Mr Gardner said there was “very little, if any, support for the existing arrangement of Springbank maintaining its current zone”.