Westmead Public School promoted in India but plans for second school in suburb stall
Migration agents are promoting Westmead Public School overseas despite its soaring enrolment figures and the State Government failing to provide an update on a second primary school for the suburb.
Migration agents are promoting Westmead Public School overseas despite its soaring enrolment figures and the State Government failing to provide an update on a second primary school for the suburb.
Under last year’s State Budget, the government pledged a new primary school in Westmead in an effort to alleviate the strain on Westmead Public — the state’s largest government primary school with 1619 students.
There are 43 classrooms and 21 demountables and 54 more students this year compared with last year. The largest grades are 1, 2 and 3 with up to 270 students in each.
But despite no updates on a site for a new school, sources said Westmead Public School’s solid reputation was being used to lure workers in India, who are also being enticed by Wentworthville and Westmead’s thriving subcontinental communities.
Granville state Labor MP Julie Finn confirmed she was aware migration agencies were promoting the school abroad.
She raised the school’s overcrowding problems in Parliament last month but there was no fresh information.
“It’s challenging,’’ she said.
“There’s not a lot of space in Westmead but it is really needed. The school is bursting at the seams. They’re using so much space for demountables. Seven years ago there was only 900 students.”
Ms Finn hoped a new school for Westmead would not be multi-storey.
“I hope not because it is a primary school and I’d like to see them have a playground but the biggest concern is to get one built, not how many storeys.”
Under catchment changes this year, kindergarten children who live north of Westmead Hospital are no longer accepted into Westmead Public but attend O’Connell Street Public School at Parramatta while construction on a school is under way.
Westmead Public School principal David Jenkins was unsure that overseas promotions were fuelling enrolment figures.
“I’ve heard myths or rumours but no one said ‘This is fair dinkum’,’’ he said.
“As part of the enrolment process, we talk to every family and I’ll often say ‘Why did you pick Westmead?’ and more often than not it’s a combination of things. They’ll say ‘It’s close to transport, it was recommended to us when were doing research’.”
Mr Jenkins said 70 per cent of the school’s students had Indian heritage.
Fiona Price, whose son attends Westmead Public School, said overcrowding underlined the need for the government to build more schools in Sydney.
“It’s a massive international city,’’ she said.
“It’s going to attract people from all over the world anyway and they need to build more schools and not wait this long.”
The Education Department deflected the Advertiser’s questions about an update for a second school, only referring to the government’s school infrastructure website that said “a new primary school in Westmead will be prioritised for planning”.
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