Strong NAPLAN results underpinning demand at Parkside, Linden Park and Burnside primary schools

The principals of some of our most-popular public primary schools say location, strong academic results and high overseas interest are underpinning surging demand for spots.

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The principals of some of our most-popular public primary schools say location, strong academic results and high overseas interest are underpinning surging demand for spots.

Parkside, Linden Park and Burnside primary school now have enrolment caps and capacity-management plans — three of only 10 schools across the Adelaide metropolitan area to have formal plans to manage demand.

Parkside principal Suzie Sangster said her school’s NAPLAN performances were underpinning demand, with interest high among families moving to SA from overseas, particularly from Asia.

Recent analysis of NAPLAN data by The Advertiser showed Parkside ranked in the top five schools in SA for students achieving above-average results in the annual national literacy and numeracy tests. Linden Park and Burnside also ranked highly.

Parents were also planning for the future, Ms Sangster said, moving into the area to ensure their children a spot at Glenunga International High.

“If you live in this zone, you’re in the Glenunga High zone,” Ms Sangster said.

“People from overseas and interstate look at the package.

“It’s become a very popular area.”

Parkside Primary School parents William and Linda Sawers with Oscar, 9, and Olivia, 11. Picture: AAP/Roy VanDerVegt

The creation of a new building last year — to cater for 120 students in years 3, 5, 6 and 7 — had eased overcrowding.

“When I first started there were 11 classes” Ms Sangster said.

“With two new buildings, we’ve gone from 11 to 15, which is capacity.”

Deb O’Neil, who has been principal at Linden Park Primary for the past 18 months, said her school had been forced to create a capacity-management plan to cap enrolments at 960.

She said nearby Rose Park Primary and JB Cleland Kindergarten were also under “enrolment pressure”, with no room for growth at her Hay Rd campus.

“There has been increasing pressure not only at Linden Park but a large number of schools around us, and preschools, for enrolments,” Ms O’Neil said.

“Linden Park and the schools around us have a good reputation (and) it is a lovely school to be at.”

This year, the school had 120 Reception students.

But Ms O’Neil said there was “a lot more interest than that”.

She said plenty of major development and increased housing density was also underpinning the growth.

Meanwhile, Ms Sangster said, even with the level of growth, her school had not lost its “community feel”.

“There’s a lot of family involvement in the school,” she said.

One of those families is the Sawers.

Dad Will Sawers is one of many hands-on parents who have helped contribute to improving the school, including creating a new garden bed at the front of the Robsart St campus.

He said Parkside benefited from an all-hands-on-deck approach.

“It’s for the betterment of the community,” Mr Sawers said.

SCHOOLS WITH CAPACITY MANAGEMENT PLANS

Parkside Primary

Linden Park Primary

Burnside Primary

Felixstow Community School

Walkerville Primary

East Marden Primary, Campbelltown

North Adelaide Primary

Paringa Park Primary, Brighton

Glenelg Primary

Mawson Lakes School