Schofields Public School: Student enrolment exceeds capacity
A Sydney school currently under construction will be more than 120 students over capacity when it opens next year — much to the outrage of parents who say the NSW Government has failed students in Sydney’s west.
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Enrolment numbers for a new school in Sydney’s northwest have dramatically exceeded the number of students the new education hub was planned for.
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell confirmed in letters to Opposition Education spokeswoman Prue Car redevelopment plans for Schofields Public School earmark enough space for just 600 students, despite enrolment numbers already reaching 723 students.
The $32.17 million school upgrade, which was scheduled for completion this month is expected to open to students in term one, 2021.
Ms Car said the Berejiklian Government failed to build the number of classrooms needed across northwest Sydney, resulting in demountables filling playgrounds.
“In growth suburbs across Sydney, the Berejiklian Government is repeating the same mistakes,” she said. “The Berejiklian Government should fast-track school building projects which they have failed to start in growth areas across Sydney to fix these mistakes of their own making.
“At Schofields Public School the project isn’t even complete and already the school population is more than 120 students over what the school is being built for, this is unacceptably poor management.”
Blacktown state Labor MP Stephen Bali said he was concerned that demountables would need to be built at a brand new school “the day it opens”.
“The Department of Planning are allowing schools sites in northwest Sydney to be rezoned for housing, at the same time that this new school is already capacity,” he said.
“How are we going to accommodate for schools in 10 to 15 years, let alone 30.
“We won’t have the school infrastructure to support the modern community and the growth anticipated — this is a shortsighted plan for western Sydney.”
Schofields father, Adnan Ali, raised concerns around the number of students enrolling to public schools “busting at the seams” in northwest Sydney.
He said classrooms at Schofields Public School, where his 10-year-old son Taha attends, are already overcrowded and students from different year groups are forced to share classrooms and teachers due to a lack of space and resources.
“There needs to be more schools planned for the future of northwest Sydney to deal with growth,” he said. “Schofields needs plans for bigger schools.”
An Education Department spokesman said it was aware of enrolment pressures across Schofields, “which is why the community is receiving six new and upgraded schools”.
“The new primary school on Farmland Drive in Schofields will accommodate 500 students from K-6 and to allow for future expansion of more than 1000 students,” he said.
“The school will be delivered early next year and will accept enrolments for Day 1, Term 1 2021 shortly.”
Early planning for two new primary schools is also underway near the Tallawong Metro station site, as well as Marsden Park, while John Palmer Public School will see a series of upgrades. Upgrades at Riverbank Public School were also recently completed.