Northern Beaches schools: Fastest growing schools list
The latest data has revealed five schools on the northern beaches have increased by more than 100 per cent in the last five years. See our list here.
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A principal from one of the peninsula’s fastest growing schools says it has become more popular because hipster parents want their kids to mix with other cultures.
Brookvale Public School is the second fastest growing primary school on the beaches after Dee Why Public.
It’s one of five schools on the northern beaches that has doubled in the past five years.
Principal Beverley Maunder said a lot of people moving to Australia from overseas end up in Brookvale because accommodation is cheaper than most other areas on the peninsula.
Added to that, parents moving from hipster areas like Newtown and Marrickville with young kids are looking for a school with pupils from a mix of cultures.
“People are starting to value cultural diversity,” Ms Maunder said.
“Dee Why and Brookvale schools are the only ones that really fit that bill.”
She said around 40 per cent of the school’s families came from non-English backgrounds, although all the children speak English.
Ms Maunder said they have children from India, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as South Africa and many European countries including England and Scandinavia.
She said when she started nine years ago there were 152 pupils, now there are 340.
Ms Maunder said she had also noticed a growing trend of parents looking to send their children to local schools, rather than Catholic or schools further afield.
“We strongly encourage that because it builds strength in the community and the primary school becomes the focus point,” she said.
The suburb has also seen an increase in new units.
An analysis of federal government data from 2013 to 2018 found that Brookvale Public was the second fastest growing public primary school on peninsula after Dee Why.
It grew by 100.6 per cent over five years. Dee Why Public grew by 105.4 per cent.
The fastest growing high school was Narrabeen Sports High, which has a sports program running alongside a normal academic program and great facilities, including an all-weather pitch.
It saw an 118 per cent increase in pupils over the last five years.
Northern Beaches Secondary College Balgowlah Boys Campus was the second fastest growing high school and saw a 66.3 per cent change.
It has become popular due to its academic success, with some of the best results in HSC English in the state.
FASTEST GROWTH SCHOOLS: 2013 TO 2018
Farmhouse Montessori School: 250.0 per cent change
Barrenjoey Montessori School: 134.8 per cent change
Narrabeen Sports High School: 118.8 per cent change
Dee Why Public School: 105.4 per cent change
Brookvale Public School: 100.6 per cent change
Northern Beaches Secondary College Balgowlah Boys Campus: 66.3 per cent change
German International School Sydney: 61.4 per cent change
The Beach School: 60.0 per cent change
Kinma School: 50.0 per cent change
A.G.B.U. Alexander Primary School: 48.5 per cent change