Wayville’s Annesley Junior School fights back from near closure in 2011
IT was one of Adelaide’s most prestigious private schools before falling on hard times several years ago, but now Annesley is again building up its numbers and reputation.
ANNESLEY Junior School has bounced back from near closure, now boasting 52 primary enrolments.
And principal Cherylyn Skewes is confident the school will, within five years, again have the number of students it did back before enrolments collapsed.
There were just 23 girls enrolled at the Wayville school end of 2011, when the kindergarten to Year 12 Annesley College transformed into the coeducational early learning to Year 6 Annesley Junior School.
“It’s a dramatic growth and you can really see it in the playground,” Ms Skewes said.
“Ninety-eight per cent of our growth is from word of mouth — it’s really getting out there.
“People say ‘I’ve heard from other parents and we want to have a look’.”
The school had 410 students in 2010, a figure Ms Skewes says it can eclipse by 2020.
For now, there are three classes — one Reception, one Year 1 and one Year 2-6 — and a second Reception class will be added in July.
There are also 150 children aged 2-4 at the Early Learning Centre.
“We’ve had the situation where families have left at the end of the Early Learning Centre and gone to other schools — both independent and public — and come back to us,” Ms Skewes said.
“We know we’re delivering really good education.”
The school has lowered its fees, from $14,100 in 2011 for a Year 6 student to $8200 this year, but Ms Skewes said most families were attracted by a “values education” and the “small-class experience”.
Kristin Alford kept her three daughters at Annesley through the transition.
She said the small classes meant more attention for her girls.
“It’s been quite hard and tumultuous but now things have started to grow and build we’ve been happy there,” Dr Alford said.
“It’s a great community and we’re happy to see it grow again.”
After a planned merger with Pulteney Grammar School fell through in 2010, Pulteney board chairman Richard O’Dea said Annesley’s collapse in enrolments was because it was more expensive than similar schools and poorly marketed.
He said the school offered too many scholarships and rebates, undermining its ability to finance itself.