Why boarders still haven’t returned to Coast school

An elite Gold Coast school is the latest to join calls for clear rules to allow the return of boarding students.

ONE OF the Gold Coast’s elite private schools has joined the calls to the federal and state authorities to allow boarding houses to reopen for all students.

St Hilda’s School, an all girls school located in Southport, is usually home to 180 boarders but under current COVID-19 restrictions only a small number have been allowed to return.

According to Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) advice issued in May, the number of boarders in boarding houses has been limited to around 25 per cent in some cases, while others have had to have a COVID-19 management plan to reopen.

In reality this means many students have not been able to return to school at all this term, which ends tomorrow.

In a statement posted online St Hilda’s called on the Premier to consider the needs of the boarding communities.

“Our boarding schools and our families still face uncertainty as to whether boarders will be able to return to School in Term 3,” the statement read.

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Boarder Jane Henning, 14, out the front of St Hilda's School on her first day in 2019. Picture Glenn Hampson

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“While the majority of Queensland’s students were back on campus learning face-to-face in the classroom five weeks ago, the vast majority of boarders have been unable to return to their schools to gain the social and emotional support they deserve to sustain their learning and wellbeing during this highly unpredictable time.

“The profound effects on the futures of all our young people must be foremost in our planning. Parents have made enormous sacrifices to support their children with remote learning or relocation in order to continue learning in our supportive school environments.”

The Southport School has also told parents they had no firm commitment on their boarding houses opening at full capacity next term.

In a statement to parents on Tuesday, Dean of Boarding Tony Watt said he understood the frustration of parents as they awaited updated guidelines.

“In the absence of the revised AHPPC guidelines we are currently assuming a full return of boarders for the start of Term Three,” Mr Watt said.

Should a positive test be found parents have been told they must have the capacity to quarantine the child off site under Queensland Health regulations.