Most overcrowded public schools in NSW | Full list

Some of NSW’s schools are struggling to squeeze in more than one thousand students extra than they were originally designed for. Search for your school.

Sydney’s most overcrowded public schools are continuing to grow rapidly with those most in-demand exceeding their government-enforced enrolment caps by more than 1000 students.

New Department of Education data shows schools already bursting at the seams are over the threshold including Carlingford West which has 1192 more students than recommended and Riverbank Public School in The Ponds, which has exceeded its cap by 1083 students.

While the problem is biggest in the city’s west, other schools including Cronulla and Chatswood high schools, are also overflowing and have enrolled 400 more students than it has space for.

But principals must still take on new students who live in the school’s zone.

At Chatswood High School, which has an enrolment cap of 1200 pupils, the number of students surged from 1561 last year to 1605 this year. To accommodate the influx, 17 additional demountable classrooms and toilets blocks were installed at the school over the summer holidays.

But those extra buildings take up precious playground space, said Collaroy mum Kate James.

She sends her daughter Malia, 6, to Dee Why Public School which has 595 students — 156 over its cap.

Collaroy mum Kate James and her kids Indy, 4, and Malia, 6. Malia goes to Dee Why Public School. Picture: Tim Hunter.

“There is no natural grass, it is all just bits of concrete and astro turf,” she said.

“You can see how crowded it has become at that school and they desperately do need more space … The last bits of grass they had to put demountables on them in the past two years.”

Opposition Education spokeswoman Prue Car said despite a rule change in 2019 which banned out-of-area students who already had a sibling at a school, the government had failed to build enough classrooms for Sydney’s growing population.

“The truth is the Berejiklian government hasn’t built enough schools or classrooms where they’re needed,” she said. “The Liberals have tried to crack down on families attending local schools, but figures show schools are still overcrowded with 100 more demountables added for the 2021 school year.”

Backed up Traffic outside Carlingford West Public School which is currently using teachers to direct traffic to deal with the pick-up hour. Picture: Jonathan Ng

A Department of Education spokeswoman said Carlingford West Public School was currently being upgraded while Matthew Pearce Public School in Baulkham Hills, which is 737 students over capacity, was also slated to be upgraded.

“More than $2 billion is being invested in Western Sydney school projects. In the past two years alone, more than 30 new and upgraded schools have been delivered in the Greater Western Sydney area,” she said.

She added that there was no guarantee that siblings of out-of-area enrolments would be allowed to attend the same school.

“However, under the recently strengthened policy, siblings are prioritised in the assessment of non-local enrolment applications,” she said.

A Department of Education spokeswoman said Carlingford West Public School was currently being upgraded while Matthew Pearce Public School in Baulkham Hills, which is 737 students over capacity, was also slated to be upgraded.

“More than $2 billion is being invested in Western Sydney school projects. In the past two years alone, more than 30 new and upgraded schools have been delivered in the Greater Western Sydney area,” she said.

She added that there was no guarantee that siblings of out-of-area enrolments would be allowed to attend the same school.

“However, under the recently strengthened policy, siblings are prioritised in the assessment of non-local enrolment applications,” she said.

Originally published as Most overcrowded public schools in NSW | Full list