Wilkins Public School P&C: ‘We need our classrooms back’
The campaign to save Globe preschool has taken a new turn with parents from Wilkins Public School making an impassioned plea to get their classrooms back.
Inner West
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PARENTS at Wilkins Public School have made an impassioned plea for the return of four classrooms currently occupied by Globe preschool.
The council-run preschool faces an uncertain future as the lease it holds over the Marrickville school’s classrooms will expire at the end of next year.
The surging population has seen student numbers at the school jump 54 per cent in a decade with seven demountables added to the school to cope with the influx.
P & C representative Veronica Mayson said the Department of Education had told them to expect another 10 to 15 students — half a class — of growth each year.
Furthermore, settlement is due to begin mid next year on the 220-apartment Marrick & Co development on the old hospital site.
On Tuesday, Inner West Counicl resolved to again write to Education Minister Rob Stokes “strongly opposing the closure” of Globe and to request the Department come up with potential alternative sites.
Ms Mayson said the P & C would continue to support the Save Globe Wilkins campaign to keep the 50-place centre operating but said it was wrong for the council to “push their responsibility onto the Department of Education”.
“It’s a council-run preschool so we urge the council to investigate other suitable locations.
“The council were given notice at the end of 2014 so they have had four years to find an alternative site.”
Ms Mayson added the Council was paying just $320 per week to lease the classrooms, staffroom, breakout space and bathroom facilities — well below market rent.
The school also foots the bill for the preschool’s water, gas, electricity, rubbish disposal and building maintenance.
“The Department have advised the cost to Wilkins to accommodate their students in the demountables is approximately $10,000 per building per annum, meaning the school can save $40,000 a year once the lease expires,” she said.
The P & C provided pictures showing the cramped conditions inside the demountables — which are right under the flight path — for year five and six students.
Concerns raised by teachers include there being no breakout space for children who are working in smaller groups on projects or for those needing extra help.
On Tuesday students did school work in an undercover walkway as the outdoor lunch tables had been soaked by rain.
One of the school’s seven demountables is used as a music room while the others are used by year five and six students with between 29 and 31 pupils crammed into each of them.
Independent Councillor and deputy mayor Vic Macri said Globe families were going to be left with nowhere to go despite council being given “five years notice”.
Cr Macri suggested the Marrickville Library located below the Town Hall should be investigated as a potential new home for the preschool when the library moves to the Marrick & Co site, which the council is developing in partnership with Mirvac.
He said this will coincide with the expiration of Globe’s lease.
A Department of Education spokesman said the school will need the classrooms back from 2020 “to meet the needs of the growing local community”.
“The NSW Government understands the importance of accessible preschool facilities to support local families,” he said.
“The Department of Education is actively working with the school principal and Inner West Council to investigate a new location for a preschool. This includes considering whether a preschool can operate on the school site while also addressing the needs of the school.”
Globe parent Stephanie Colls said “staying at the school would be great”.
“In terms of early childhood education, co-location in a primary school has been proven to produce the best outcomes for kids,” she said.
“We’d love to see co-location maintained.
“We want the school to have all the infrastructure they need and that’s one of the reasons we’re advocating for the State Government to have appropriate funding for the primary school because we understand there is enrolment pressure and they need more infrastructure.”
The council had planned to move Globe to where the May Murray early learning centre is and then move May Murray to the new long daycare centre at Steel Park.
But it ditched that plan when May Murray parents fought the proposal, with the support of parents from Globe.
A council staff member told the meeting staff hadn’t been worried the lease wouldn’t been renewed because of its “continual renewal” previously.
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said: “I’m certain it’s the position of everyone here that there can’t be a solution that leaves Wilkins Public School with a shortage of classroom space.”
But he urged the Department and Mr Stokes to “at least have the courtesy” to reply to his letters about the issue so they know where they stand.
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