Penrith Selective High School data reveals 84 per cent of students travelling from outside of LGA

A shockingly low number of students at a western Sydney selective school are local residents – new data has revealed – with students travelling up to 45 km each way to access the school.

Penrith High School, source: Google

An eyewatering percentage of students enrolled at a selective high school in western Sydney come from outside the local government area, it can be revealed.

Data shown exclusively to Penrith Press, reveal only 13 per cent of students enrolled at Penrith High School were recorded as living within the local government area, with 84 per cent of them coming from 93 different suburbs.

Enrolment figures, from the last day of term 1 on April 8, found out the highest percentage of students were coming from the Ponds, located 34 kilometres away. While 5% of the students were recorded as having postcodes in Baulkham Hills, 45 km away.

While NSW Department of Education no longer publish minimum entry scores for each school, 2021 records indicate Penrith High School entry scores were lower than 12 other selective schools in metropolitan Sydney, including James Ruse, Baulkham Hills and North Sydney Boys and Girls High School.

The figures come amid frustration from local parents, who feel their children are being pushed out by non-local families paying for expensive tutoring and taking advantage of the lower entry score.

Sydney parents are paying up to $20,000 a year to ensure their children get into selective schools.

With students required to sit the entrance exam at their first preference school, one local father-of-two, whose daughter sat the test at Penrith High, described seeing on the day “more luxury cars than you can count” and school uniforms from all over Sydney.

“I don’t understand why people who drive expensive cars are coming to a school that’s $900 a year, If they can afford thousands in tutoring surely they can afford private schools.”

“So why not give the selective placements to people in the Penrith area who can’t afford those type of schools?”

The man said he paid $80 a week for 6 months of online coaching for his daughter in the lead up to the exam. However, despite finishing in the top 25% in two subjects, she was unsuccessful.

“Parents out here in Penrith would love to get their kids into a selective school but apparently what they’re learning in primary school doesn’t match up to what you must do to get into a selective school,” the local father said.

As a graduate from Penrith High’s 2009 class, Caitlin Parker says an additional school to service gifted kids in Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains would “make a world of difference,” in easing the high demand for spots at Penrith High.

“For higher socio economic areas Penrith High is almost seen as a last resort school for all those kids who didn’t get into James Ruse and Baulkham Hills so that just gives the local kids no chance,” Ms Parker said.

“Why should you have to live in metropolitan Sydney and have access to tutoring in order to get in?”

Tutors Association Australia chief executive, Mohan Dhall, said the figures are no surprise, given the demand for selective schooling,

“Traditionally Parramatta and Penrith High School tend to be lower down in terms of demand,” Mr Dhall said.

Mohan Dhall CEO of Australian Tutoring Association

“But for parents who spend $20,000 in coaching their main motivation is to get their kids into a selective school. and they tend to find any way possible to enable this, even if it means travelling a long way on the train.”

When approached for comment a spokesman for the school said “For over seven years, Penrith High School has been actively encouraging and informing local families on selective schools to increase enrolments from the area.

“The school is an important part of the local community with students participating in outreach initiatives with local schools, including maths and music tutoring, as well as helping deliver breakfast programs.

“Penrith High School has a transparent and rigorous entry process for Year 8 to 12, which local students are encouraged to apply.”