Future Gold Coast: High-rise and boutique schools in the Gold Coast’s future

The days of single-storey buildings and big ovals could be over, with experts saying the Gold Coast needs high-rise school campuses to cope with the city’s booming population.

BOUTIQUE independent and vertical schools are needed to cater for the Gold Coast’s growing secondary school population, education experts say.

Jason Sessarago, the director of consultancy firm Schooling Smarter and a former CEO of Arcadia College, said independent schools would fill the void that state and Catholic institutions could not afford to cover.

“Generally, I believe we have good schools with great staff, but just not enough spaces,” he said.

“We can’t just rely on the state system or the larger religious groups. We need to be encouraging, promoting and supporting independent schools to take up the extra opportunities.

“We have some of the biggest secondary schools in Queensland and Australia and not enough new ones opening.”

GOLD COAST SCHOOLS ‘BURSTING AT SEAMS’ DUE TO POPULATION BOOM

An artist impression of the new Arcadia College campus in Robina

Areas such as Broadbeach, Burleigh, Miami, Palm Beach would experience large growth in the short term, he said.

In May, a Bulletin special report revealed:

* The student population had jumped 45 per cent in four years.

* While new schools had been funded for the north in Coomera and Pimpama, established schools like Palm Beach State and Currumbin State School had no planned capacity increase.

* 800 extra children are enrolled on the Gold Coast each year.

Demographer Bernard Salt predicted the equivalent of 35 extra schools would be needed on the Gold Coast by 2050.

He also forecast a rise in tightly packed, multi-level complexes in the more dense suburbs and an increase in independent education providers.

“The bottom line is the Gold Coast is very independently minded, in politics and business, so the market is naturally predisposed to independent school and alternative school models,” Mr Salt said.

QUEENSLAND FOOTBALL SCHOOL PROPOSED FOR THE GOLD COAST

CEO Marco Renai pictured at the site for his school for Boys at 73 Nerang St, Southport. Pic Mike Batterham

Mr Sessargo predicted a more boutique approach to education, with the introduction of specialty schools like the Men of Business Academy set to open in Southport next year, alternative high school Arcadia College, and the Australian Industry Trade College (AITC) at Robina.

“These schools are small and specific focusing a particular cohort and meeting the needs of an identified group of young people, ie. music, sport, academic, arts etc.”

Mr Sessargo said the Gold Coast also needed more single-sex education opportunities, schools for struggling students and “ truly international schools”.

“We also need more schools located in high density areas – vertical schools are a must.”

For high achievers alternative options are still available on the Gold Coast.

STUDENTS TURNING TO ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION

Queensland Academies Health Sciences Campus Year 10 students Nathan Nunes and Mandisa Hargraves speaking with Principal Vanessa Rebgetz.

The Queensland Academies - Health Sciences Campus, one of three state-run specialist schools in Queensland, was established in Southport in 2008 to cater for highly capable children in Year 10 to 12.

Principal Vanessa Rebgetz said enrolment numbers were expected to grow from about 390 students to 450 by the end of next year.

Ms Rebgetz said many graduates go on to Ivy League colleges in the United States, such as Harvard, complete PHDs in their early 20s or enter the medical profession.

“When they established the three academies (at Brisbane and the Gold Coast), they were set up on the future economic drivers of Australia,” Ms Rebgetz said.

“It’s a really dynamic place to be.

“I love that it’s a state-selective school and that it’s on the Gold Coast and accessible to students regardless of their socio-economic background.”