Randwick Girls’ and Boys’ High Schools will merge into single coeducational school from 2025

Two Randwick high schools will be merged into a single coeducational school by 2025, following years of debate about access to public education in Sydney’s east.

Randwick Boys High School at Randwick in Sydney.

Two Randwick high schools will be merged into a single coeducational school by 2025, following years of debate about access to public education in Sydney’s east.

The state government will allocate $42m for a “modern, fit-for-purpose” Year 7 to 12 co-ed school at Randwick for Randwick Boys and Randwick Girls High School students.

The Minns government said it would provide an update later this year to other NSW communities which lacked co-ed high school options, following calls for more school choice for families with children at public schools.

Two single-sex campuses, Penshurst Girls and Hurstville Boys, will also become coeducational schools from 2025, as part of the state government’s expansion of co-ed learning opportunities.

NSW Education Minister Prue Car said the transition reflected the preferences of the majority of parents in the local communities.

Ms Car said the larger student populations would help increase the range of subjects and extra-curricular opportunities for students.

Randwick Boys High School at Randwick in Sydney.

“The investment in the sites will provide all students with the best possible learning environment,” she said.

Coogee Labor MP Marjorie O‘Neill, who has advocated for more options for high school students in her electorate, welcomed the decision.

“We have listened to our community and the decision to transition of these schools to coeducation reflects the desire of the majority of parents in our local community,” Ms O‘Neill said.

The Coogee MP said in addition to forming a coeducational option for families the change would increase the range of subjects and extra-curricular opportunities for students.

Wentworth MP Allegra Spender called the $42m investment “a win”.

“I am glad to see that the overwhelming perspective of the community, which is that we need more co-ed public education in the east, has finally been listened to,” Ms Spender said.

“I have been proud to work with … state MPs Alex Greenwich and Marjorie O‘Neill on this outcome.

“I believe there is more to do for public education in the east, but this is very positive step,” she said.

A public consultation exploring options to expand co-ed educational opportunities was announced by the NSW government in January, where six proposals were canvassed, including an option to extend the intake areas of existing coeducational high schools to offer families the option of single-sex or coeducation.

The review followed a similar investigation into the issue of public school choice in 2018, where plans for a merger were rejected by the Department of Education following mixed feedback.

The NSW Government said it would also provide opportunities for single-sex-focused classes and activities at the coeducational schools in recognition of the preferences of some students and families.