EXCLUSIVE: Ripley school catchment boundaries revealed

Parents had been left frustrated over delay announcing the final catchment area, after the original proposal divided the community.

COUNT US IN: Sharon Wall and Matilda Gilbert, 4 were worried about the cut-off for the new school at Ripley. Picture: Cordell Richardson

FINALISED catchment maps and names of the two new state schools being built at Ripley have finally been released.

The Department of Education revealed the finalised boundaries late yesterday afternoon, after the QT asked why the catchment details were still not available.

Residents in the new Ecco Ripley Development will now be included in the primary school catchment area.

Education Minister Grace Grace said the $50 million primary school will be called Ripley Valley State Primary College, catering for prep to year 6 students in 2020.

The $70 million high school will be named Ripley Valley State Secondary College, welcoming year 7 and 8 students in 2020.

Parents had been left frustrated over delays to announce the final catchment area, after the original proposal divided the community.

In the previous proposal, residents living in South Ripley's Providence Estate and south to Flagstone State School would be able enrol their children in the new schools.

Picture: Queensland Government Statistician's Office, Queensland Treasury

Families in parts of the new Ecco Ripley development north of the Centenary Highway expressed their anger after they initially didn't make the cut.

"It's disgusting and they might as well name the school Providence school because they are about the only residents that can attend the school, leaving the rest of the suburb to find alternative options now," said Ripley mother Ashleigh Krafft.

Speaking before the boundary changes were confirmed late yesterday Mrs Krafft said she hoped to send her daughter to the new school when it opened next year.

"We moved here in December 2017, a major selling point was the brand new school opening for the suburb in 2020, which is when our daughter was due to start school," she said.

"Due to such late notice about the catchments, even though in the meetings they said these catchments had been proposed for years, we've had to frantically look for schooling for our daughter.

"It just blows our mind that a school we live four kilometres away from we aren't in catchment for, there are Ripley residents even closer to the establishment that aren't within their proposed catchment."

Picture: Queensland Government Statistician's Office, Queensland Treasury

Ripley resident and mother Sharon Wall also expressed frustration at the situation.

"I just feel that if you live in Ripley, it should be open to all Ripley residents," she said.

"It would be nice to know that we've got a spot there because that's the Ripley local state school and we live in the Ripley area."

Bundamba MP Jo-Ann Miller said it was important that residents had the opportunity to have a say.

"We know this has been a hot topic amongst my community which is why the Department has taken the time to listen to residents, considering all feedback in creating the catchment."

Ipswich MP Jennifer Howard said the catchment area was a win for her local community. I'm over the moon to see the Ecco Ripley residents included in the primary school catchment," Ms Howard said.

"The two principals can both start taking enrolments from term 4."

See the maps at www.qt.com.au

Originally published as EXCLUSIVE: Ripley school catchment boundaries revealed