Overcrowding crisis hits Blacktown schools as population in the region soars

MORE than a dozen schools in the Blacktown district are at capacity, with classrooms “packed to the rafters” in an overcrowding crisis likely to worsen as the population grows.

Schools in Blacktown are at capacity.

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MORE than a dozen schools in the Blacktown district are at capacity, with classrooms “packed to the rafters” in an overcrowding crisis likely to worsen as the population grows.

Documents obtained under freedom-of-information laws show many of the state’s schools are already full-to-bursting, just as the department braces for a major surge in enrolments in the coming decade.

Comparing the number of teachers to classrooms, a measure used by the department to measure a school’s capacity, 15 schools across the Blacktown region are operating at 100 per cent capacity or more including three special needs schools.

The most overcrowded schools are Coreen Public School at Blacktown (110 per cent), William Rose School (107 per cent) at Seven Hills and Blacktown South Public School (103 per cent capacity).

Blacktown labor state MP John Robertson.

An extra four schools are bordering breaking point at 93 per cent capacity or more.

Blacktown state Labor MP John Robertson said some schools in his electorate were so full they were forced to teach children outside.

“We’ve got demountables planted all over the place,” he said. “It’s not a long-term solution.

“The Blacktown local government area is predicted to have an extra 300,000 people in the next decade and we’ve got a government not investing enough money in building more classrooms.”

Opposition education spokesman Jihad Dib said classrooms were packed to the rafters with some schools across the state at more than 300 per cent capacity.

But an Education Department spokesman said a 100 per cent ‘utilisation’ rate did not mean a school could not take any more students.

“It means that all of the school’s teaching spaces are being used,” he said.

Premier Mike Baird last week announced 40 more classrooms would be built at five schools across western Sydney, but none of them were in Blacktown.

Education Minister Adrian Piccoli promised more than 160 new classrooms for Sydney’s west and $130 million in funding.

Opposition leader Luke Foley said the announcement was a “drop in the ocean” on what was needed to ease overcrowding and provide capacity for future growth.

Packed classrooms

OVER CAPACITY

Blacktown South Public School, (103 per cent) Coreen Public School (110 per cent), Blacktown

William Rose School (107 per cent), Seven Hills

AT CAPACITY

Blacktown North Public

Marayong South Public

Quakers Hill Public

Seven Hills Public

Walters Rd Public, Blacktown

Seven Hills North Public School

Vardys Rd Public School, Kings Langley

Hambledon Public, Quakers Hill

Parklea Public School

Quakers Hill East Public

NEARING CAPACITY

Barnier Public, Quakers Hill (97%)

Marayong Heights Public (93%)

Mitchell High School, Blacktown (94%)