How many South Australian schools are at capacity? The Education Department can’t tell us, so we can’t tell you

THE Education Department has been accused of failing to plan for the future needs of population growth areas by not keeping accurate records of the enrolment capacities of its own schools.

1/4/16. Rose Park Primary School Pic: Keryn Stevens

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THE Education Department has been accused of failing to plan for the future needs of population growth areas by not keeping accurate records of the enrolment capacities of its own schools.

The Advertiser asked for the current capacity of every school to compare with enrolment data, after it was revealed last week that Rose Park Primary was freezing enrolments and Mark Oliphant College was capping its Reception intake.

The department could not provide the figures.

However, it insisted it followed thorough planning procedures that were in line with interstate practices.

Rough capacity figures are kept for each school based on formulas dividing the total amount of covered space available by a specified area required per student. But they are not accurate enough to be made public as they do not take into account changes made by principals, such as reconfiguring teaching areas or using them for other purposes, while the total available area used in the calculations included non-teaching spaces such as corridors.

Executive director for infrastructure Ross Treadwell said when a school approached its rough limit, principals and local education directors worked with the department to produce a detailed analysis of how it was using its space.

“They will start having conversations about capacity management, whether that’s about (enforcing their) zoning or additional accommodation,” Mr Treadwell said. Capacities could often be easily lifted through simple measures such as upping usage of specialist subject areas, he said.

Opposition education spokesman John Gardner said it was “remarkable” that no accurate register was kept.

“It’s quite clear that there’s a whole series of examples of showing a failure to do any long-term planning,” he said.

Mr Treadwell said the department had “got its handle” on enrolment issues, working with the Planning Department on demographic analysis and doing feasibility studies for potential new schools in both the northern and southern suburbs, plus an “asset masterplan” based on the State Government’s 30-year plan for Adelaide.

The SA Secondary Principals Association said schools approached the department when they faced enrolment pressures in “a self-regulatory system that seems to work”.

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