SA Education Department reveals which public schools will be over capacity in 2026

Which 11 SA public schools will be bursting at the seams in 2026? Search our interactive table.

Some of the state’s largest – and smallest – public schools will be bursting at the seams next year, as parents seek to enrol their children at sought-after campuses.

Based on latest enrolment data, 11 primary and secondary schools will surpass their cap on student numbers in 2026.

Poonindie Community Learning Centre, on the Eyre Peninsula, will be at exactly 100 per cent capacity, with 140 students.

And another 14 sites will be at 95 per cent capacity or more.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are 41 schools across the state with fewer than 40 students enrolled for classes next year.

Education Minister Blair Boyer has released the forecasts as he moves to lift restrictions on enrolments at a popular eastern suburbs public school.

Following a $7.25m upgrade at Magill School, Mr Boyer said the government could remove a capacity management plan and allow the school to again consider applications from families who live outside the school zone.

However, opposition education spokeswoman Heidi Girolamo said students attending schools outside their zone could be “adding further strain, leaving local families uncertain about whether their children will even have a place at their local school”.

“Many schools across our state are bursting at the seams,” she said.

Opposition education spokeswoman Heidi Girolamo, with Leader Vincent Tarzia. Picture: Russell Millard Photography

Education Department data shows three schools spread across the state will be the most in demand, proportionally, in 2026 – all hitting 108.9 per cent of capacity.

Among them is South Australia’s largest public school, Glenunga International High School which will have to find space for 196 students over its 2200-head capacity next year.

Virginia Primary School will need to make room for 40 children above its 448 cap, while Mil Lel Primary School in the southeast will be 10 pupils over its 112-head capacity.

Mr Boyer said Virginia Primary School was among campuses to benefit from recent “investment to increase capacity”, as well as Plympton International College and Westport Primary School, in Semaphore Park.

Virginia Primary School students with principal Voula Pounendis, in the school library which regularly has to serve as a classroom because of space constraints. Picture: Dean Martin

Virginia Primary School principal Voula Pounendis said a $15m expansion would open in November next year, featuring 12 new classrooms, science and technology areas and outdoor play spaces.

“With this build we’ll be able to accommodate up to 600 students,” she said.

“It’s exciting that we’re going to be able to welcome more families because the area is growing.”

Virginia Primary School students Savreen and Ava, both 8. Picture: Dean Martin

About two years ago the state government had been predicting 31 out of about 500 public schools would be over capacity by this year.

Mr Boyer said the government was building a new preschool and primary school in Mount Barker and a primary and secondary school in Adelaide’s northern suburbs “because that’s where our infrastructure plan says they are needed”.

Education Minister Blair Boyer. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

The SA school with the most spare capacity next year (based on 2025 caps) is Brinkworth Primary School, with just 6 students enrolled but space for 110.

Nangwarry Primary School is next – forecast to have 20 students next year, well under its 240 cap.

Originally published as SA Education Department reveals which public schools will be over capacity in 2026