Freshwater Senior Campus: 600 students stage noisy walk out to protest plan to add years 7-10

There has been a dramatic twist in the campaign by students and parents to halt plans to add years 7 to 10 to the Freshwater Senior Campus. It cames just after 600 students protested the expansion.

There has been a dramatic twist in the campaign by students and parents to halt plans to add years 7 to 10 to the Freshwater Senior Campus.

The timeline for its transformation to a full high school — years 7 through to 12 — has now been extended by a year.

Education Department officials confirmed the extension late on Friday afternoon, just hours after 600 students staged a noisy protest agiant the expansion, by walking out of class.

“The updated timeframe will now see Years 7 and 8 start at Freshwater in 2027, and Years 7-12 from 2028,” according to a statement released by the department.

But one parent told this masthead that the “fight will continue regardless”.

More than 600 students at the Freshwater Senior Campus walked off out of class at 10am on Friday protesting the Education Department's decision to turn it into a Yr 7-12 school. Picture: Brendan Read

“The time extension is great, but the job is only half done”.

The partial backflip also comes as a renewed call went out for donations to fund a legal challenge to totally reverse the decision to add years 7 to 10 to “Freshy”.

The noisy protest, which included a march along Harbord Rd, lasted about an hour. Picture: Brendan Read

Students called for community support. Picture: Brendan Read

A plea for crowdsourced cash continues becasue parents are upset at Education Minister Prue Car’s announcement in December that the campus will expand as part of the Labor Government election commitment to give parents more access to co-ed schools.

Angry parents say an Education Department survey last year on the future of northern beaches’ high school, which included a question on whether Freshwater Senior Campus (FSC) should expand to years 7-12, was inadequate.

Parents, carers and the wider community were also asked to comment on whether the same-sex Mackellar Girls and Balgowlah Boys high schools should become coeducational. That proposal will not go ahead.

Now, they want to raise at least $20,000 to fund a legal challenge against what they describe as the Education Department’s flawed consultation process.

The school, on Harbord Rd, is one of five campuses in the Northern Beaches Secondary College. Students from the other four campuses have the option of completing their senior studies at their existing campus or enrolling in FSC.

“Despite Freshwater’s overwhelming success as a senior school, taxpayer money is being wasted on a plan to dismantle something that isn’t broken, – while other local high schools desperately need upgrades,” according the fundraising page. More that $10,000 has already been donated.

Parents argue that they enrolled their children into the school because it was focused on senior students and helping them get the best HSC results possible across a wide range of subjects.

Freshwater Senior Campus students say their HSC studies will be disrupted. Picture: Brendan Read

The senior students are not happy with younger students being added to their campus. Picture: Brendan Read

The protest march surged across Harbord Rd. Picture: Brendan Read

Freshwater Senior Campus fear building work will disrupt their studies. Picture: Brendan Read

“Freshy” students on the march. Picture: Brendan Read

They are also concerned that building renovate work to expand the school — years 7 and 9 will be added to the school in 2026 — will disrupt class work and study.

Mother Katrina Sloane, whose Year 11 daughter Aysha helped organise the protest, said she felt “blindsided” by the decision.

“When she enrolled, Aysha was so excited about coming to the campus, knowing that it was for seniors only,” she said.

“Then, after we weren’t consulted, we heard in December that the school will be taking in Years 7 to 10.

Year 11 student Aysha Sloane, with a megaphone, revs up the rally. Picture: Brendan Read

The students walked out at 10am. Picture: Brendan Read

The students chanted “Save our school”. Picture: Brendan Read

“We want the plan to be paused until the current year 11 students can complete the HSC, then a full and proper consultation process can begin.”

The department states on Froday that the “longer transition will allow the current student cohort to complete their senior schooling and provide more time for parents to plan for their children’s schooling.

“During this time the school facilities will be upgraded and teachers will plan for implementing the 7-12 curriculum.

“The longer implementation timeline considers feedback from existing students and their families around the transition timeframe, while still respecting the outcome of the consultation.”