Zuccoli Primary School already 13 per cent over capacity, despite only opening in 2020

Despite only taking its first students in 2020, a $30m primary school in one of the Territory’s fastest growing suburbs is resorting to great lengths to provide for the runaway growth in enrolments.

Transition teacher Nicole Robson and her class at Zuccoli Primary in 2021. Picture GLENN CAMPBELL

A new $30 million Territory primary school that only accepted its first students in 2020 is already bursting at the seams, with the Department of Education resorting to demountable classrooms in response.

Zuccoli Primary School, located within the Territory’s fastest growing region, has a built capacity of 430 students, in addition to 88 preschoolers.

However, this year, there are 586 enrolments – more than 13 per cent over capacity, despite the school only accepting its first students four years ago.

A source at the school told the NT News there were already two demountable classrooms, with two more planned for later this year, and another two early next year.

A Zuccoli parent, who agreed to speak anonymously, said there had been an appalling lack of foresight when constructing the school.

“It was built with poor planning,” she said.

“They should have known how big it was going to be.

“I am amazed they thought single storey buildings were going to cut it.”

Zuccoli Primary School. Picture: Supplied

She pointed out that Zuccoli’s future growth – headlined by three enormous developments, Zuccoli Aspire (1500–1800 lots), Mitchell Creek Green (450 lots) and Zuccoli Village (900 lots) – had been known by decision-makers for a decade.

The parent said the outside school hours care service (OSHC) was no longer accepting applicants, while traffic and parking at the primary school was chaos.

“OSHC is full at over 200 places, but with 600-plus [sic] students, so many get turned away,” she said.

“The carparking is a joke.

“Big assemblies and school function days have cars parked illegally everywhere and we are the ones that get in trouble.”

Zuccoli Primary School. Picture: File

The parent said last year her son was placed in a Transition (i.e. Prep) class that was set up in the shared space between four other classrooms, with the new ‘classroom’ created using partition boards.

“As they get older, it’s going to get harder and harder,” she said.

“The four new year 6 demountables going in this year will not be enough.”

Zuccoli Aspire is delivering 1500-1800 new lots at the fast-growing outer suburbs. Picture: Zuccoli Aspire/ Facebook

Another school parent said her child’s 2024 classroom was “formerly the science room for the whole school”.

She agreed that parking and pick up/drop off was bedlam.

“It’s a nightmare,” she said.

“I’ve witnessed cars driving down the footpath as they’ve been blocked in on the verge, as well as cars driving down the wrong side of the road to bypass the queue waiting to enter the kiss ‘n’ go on Peaflower St.”

She stressed that the school itself was “lovely” and that her year 6 child had enjoyed their time there under the guidance of “fantastic” teachers.

Education Minister Mark Monaghan. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“Overcrowding is a concern though,” she said.

“It’s just such a shame there just isn’t any room for it to grow any further.”

Education Minister Mark Monaghan said the school’s popularity was a good thing.

“Providing Territory students with the best possible learning facilities is a key focus of the Territory Labor Government,” he said.

“Zuccoli is a new and developing suburb in Palmerston and enrolments at Zuccoli Primary school are booming which is exactly what the Territory Labor Government wants to see.”

“Over the past five years student enrolments have increased from 139 to 586, which is why the Territory Labor Government is investing more than $1.1 million to build two new classrooms at the Palmerston School.”

Mr Monaghan did not directly respond when asked whether demountables and partition boards entering the picture so soon after the school’s opening represented a failure of planning.

CLP education spokeswoman Jo Hersey said the school’s growing pains were symptomatic of chronic underinvestment in the education system by the government.