Crowded schools and demountables: Western Sydney given ‘C’ grade in report card

Education in Western Sydney produces some our smartest thinkers but one thing is letting the region down. Find out how the region’s schools performed in the Western Sydney report card.

It is home to the state’s some of the smartest kids, but Western Sydney is just average when it comes to education because so many schools have been shunted with dozens of demountables.

The region only got a C grade on its mid term report card delivered by the Centre for Western Sydney this week, with report authors urging the government to take more action to reduce overcrowding in schools.

“While acknowledging the major increase in school building and upgrade activity, the majority of Mid-Term Report Card respondents felt the NSW Government’s schools infrastructure program is not keeping pace with Western Sydney’s growth,” the report said.

“Many also observed that not enough is being done to address widening inequality between the region’s schools.”

According to Government data, of the 31 schools given the most demountables in the state, 22 out of those schools are in Western Sydney.

The includes schools like Picton High which has 66 demountables, Carlingford West Public which has 46 and Girraween Public which has 36.

Alpha Omega College in Auburn is one of Western Sydney’s top performing schools.

While the Education Department defended its record on spending in the region, Labor education spokeswoman Prue Car said new schools had not kept pace with the rapid development.

“Under the Liberals, too many new areas are lumped with overcrowded schools or still don’t have a school at all,” Ms Car said.

“In Gledswood Hills, the school was full in less than a year, with 20 demountables now on the playground. At Jordan Springs it was only 6 months before the new school filled and demountables took over.”

A Department of Education spokesman said 49 new and upgraded schools had been delivered to the region since 2011.

Demountable classrooms at Oran Park Public School. Photo: James Gourley/The Daily Telegraph

“Over $2 billion is being invested in Western Sydney school projects. In the past two years alone, more than 30 new and upgraded schools have been delivered in the Greater Western Sydney area,” he said.

He also said the airconditioning in schools project was on track and 151 schools would be airconditioned by 2023.

Despite infrastructure problems, Western Sydney is home to the smartest students in the state, including at academic powerhouse James Ruse Agricultural High School which has topped the HSC for the past 25 years.

Other schools like Alpha Omega Senior College in Auburn is giving it a run for its money after it ratcheted up the league tables from a rank of 335th in 2012 to 55th in the state last year.

Alpha Omega’s Chris Papadopoulo with students from left Amani Allam, Amir Issa, Yassmin Lyamani, and Mohammed Elmourad. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The independent non-denominational school does not have a uniform. Year 8 student Mohammed Elmourad, 13, said the strong relationships between students and teachers was different to his previous school.

“I feel like you can understand more because you’re closer to the teacher. If you need help you can ask them on the spot or email them and you will get a response on the same day,” he said.

Deputy principal Wesam Krayem said the school did not have a uniform because they wanted to treat students like adults from day one.

“It is very important even from Year 7 that they realise that they’re not little kids, they have responsibilities, they’re their own person,” he said.

“High school is meant to be a preparation for the real world and that is how the real world is, you don’t conform to a uniform out there.”