Victoria’s regional schools see boom in enrolments as young families ditch the big smoke

Some of the smallest schools in Victoria have experienced the biggest surge in enrolments on the back of a shift toward country and beach living. See the full list of booming schools.

Tiny schools like Alvie Primary School have seen a huge surge in enrolments on the back of a shift toward country living. Picture: Rob Leeson

Enrolments at some of the state’s smallest rural primary schools are booming, as more families opt for country living over the big smoke.

At least a dozen government and Catholic schools in regional Victoria have recorded more than a 200 per cent increase in students in the past five years, a Saturday Herald Sun analysis of state government enrolment data has found.

This includes Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School in Cowes – which has experienced a 500 per cent surge in enrolments since 2018 – while the number of students at Bullarto Primary School near Daylesford quadrupled in the span of five years.

Other schools that saw the number of students in their classrooms rise included St Mary MacKillop Primary in Bannockburn, Newlyn Primary School, Hesket Primary School, Labertouche Primary School and St Francis of Assisi Primary in Baranduda.

Alvie Primary School in western Victoria recorded a 74 per cent surge in enrolments between 2018 and 2023. Picture: Rob Leeson

Meanwhile, another 34 schools saw an increase in enrolments between 50 and 99 per cent.

Alvie Primary School, which is located in a town that’s 12km northwest of Colac in western Victoria, recorded a 74 per cent surge in enrolments between 2018 and 2023.

This year it welcomed a total of 77 students to its campus.

The school’s largest cohort of students are in Grade 4 with 16 pupils, while Grade 6 is the smallest cohort with six pupils.

School principal Ross Dullard (with lamb) said Alvie Primary thrived on strong community involvement. Picture: Rob Leeson

School principal Ross Dullard said Alvie Primary thrived on strong community involvement, its dedicated team of 19 teachers and staff and an engaging curriculum that’s relevant to local needs.

“Small class sizes allow for personalised learning, while technology bridges gaps in resources providing students with access to broader educational opportunities,” he said.

Alvie Primary School is situated on 14-acres, leaving plenty of room for its extensive sporting facilities – including an 18-hole frisbee golf course – and outdoor learning spaces.

Students also have access to multiple vegetable gardens, a chook pen and a fruit orchard as well as a five-acre developmental bush play area and extensive rose gardens.

“We have a flock of guinea fowl who free range the school, always notifying – through a commotion – our students and staff if an unknown visitor arrives,” Mr Dullard said.

One trend driving enrolments was more families were moving to rural areas post-Covid, according to Mr Dullard.

“We now receive many enrolment inquiries from across the Colac and Otway area,” he said.

“Only this past week, we have had eight enrolment inquiries all outside of our zone.”

St Aloysius Catholic Primary School in Queenscliff has also seen a surge in enrolments in recent years. Picture: Supplied

It’s not just the country schools that have seen a boom in enrolments, with schools is coastal towns also recording an increase, including St Aloysius Primary School in Queenscliff which saw a 40 per cent surge in students in the past five years.

Principal Miriam Leahy said the pandemic was the tipping point that prompted more families to move to regional towns.

“I think a lot of people who lived in metro Melbourne had always dreamt of retiring in a place like Queenscliff but with the flexible work arrangements that were a result of Covid … people suddenly thought ‘I’m not waiting for retirement to do this’,” she said.

St Aloysius Catholic Primary School in Queenscliff has seen a surge in enrolments in recent years, with the school located a short walk from the beach. Picture: Supplied

Ms Leahy said the perks of attending a regional school included having smaller class sizes, good student to teacher ratios and “the most amazing geographic location”.

“We have that ability to genuinely know every child, every child knows every child, and every teacher knows every child,” she said. “It makes you feel like you belong.”

As for other schools in the state’s regions, 70 had less than 20 students enrolled while 42 had between 21 and 30 pupils.

Schools which had less than 10 students in 2023 included Harston Primary School in Tatura, Glen Park Primary near Ballarat and Currawa Primary in the Goulburn Valley.

Ultima Primary School – which is located 353km northwest from Melbourne and 35km southwest of Swan Hill – was Victoria’s smallest school in 2023 with just two students.