Kelvin Grove State College reveals enrolment overhaul to cope with rising numbers

Brisbane’s biggest school is set to scrap allowing siblings of current students and the children of staff to automatically enrol, citing increasing capacity pressure.

BRISBANE’S biggest school Kelvin Grove State College is set to scrap allowing siblings of current students and the children of staff to automatically enrol, citing increasing capacity pressure.

A dramatic overhaul to the school’s current enrolment plan was sent to parents late Friday afternoon, outlining the changes which could force families to send siblings to multiple schools or try their luck on a waiting list if they move outside the catchment.

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Students (from left) Lucy Kelly, Claudia Czerniawski, Aashay Tidke and Millie Williams at Kelvin Grove State College with executive principal Llew Paulger. The school has proposed dramatic changes to its enrolment policy to cope with a surge in enrolments. Picture: David Clark

Executive principal Llew Paulger told parents the proposed changes, which would come into effect March next year, were a consequence of the school’s infrastructure needs which were “acute and long term”.

He said the school had been working with the Department of Education to address the school’s capacity issues over the past four years, during which time student numbers had surged from about 2340 pupils in 2015 to more than 3300 this year.

The school’s out-of-catchment enrolment capacity is up to 250 students, and includes students eligible for a “program of excellence” offered by the school.

Kelvin Grove State College student Claudia Czerniawski with executive principal Llew Paulger. Picture: David Clark

“The key proposed changes are in relation to the removal of automatic enrolment of siblings of students already enrolled at the College, who now live outside the catchment area, and the automatic enrolment of children of staff members,” Mr Paulger said.

“In this process, there have been many discussions about the ultimate size of the College and what was a reasonable total capacity for the site.”

The school’s catchment boundary for senior students was also set to “evolve” to accommodate the new Fortitude Valley State Secondary College, which is set to open next year with Year 7 students.

New catchment boundary maps for beyond 2020 have not yet been released.

Children who were part of the previous catchment area before any changes will be given priority with regards to out-of-catchment enrolments, if they resided in the area before May 3 of this year.

A draft of the changes sent to parents cited “significant infrastructure pressure” as one of the reasons why they were needed, and that “changes need to be made to stabilise the College enrolment numbers”.

“The proposed changes to the Enrolment Management Plan will impact on siblings of existing out-of-catchment students and children of staff members,” it stated.

“Parents may choose to add the names of other children in the family to a waiting list and these children will only be accepted if there is available capacity.

“It should be noted that the facilities of the College are under significant pressure and there will be very limited capacity to accept out-of-catchment-enrolments”.