PARENTS pushing for a new high school in Melbourne’s inner-west are gathering the numbers they need to make their proposal a reality.
The Seddon, Kingsville, Yarraville (SKY) High working group is launching a community survey to show just how extensive demand is for a new local high school.
Group spokeswoman Janine Lloyd says there is already clear evidence of the need for a public high school.
SKY High figures show four in five children attending primary schools in Seddon, Kingsville and Yarraville go on to attend a public high school.
With more than 2000 children in local primary schools, 1500-plus are forecast to need a local high school.
Ms Lloyd said the area had been a secondary education ‘black hole’ since Footscray Yarraville High School was closed by the Kennett government in the early 1990s.
“Our students are further from a public, co-educational high school than any other secondary student in Melbourne.”
They have to travel at least five kilometres to the nearest high school. A previous survey found 97per cent of SKY families would consider sending their child to a local high school and 64percent said they definitely would.
Ms Lloyd said the new survey would provide valuable information that they could take to a meeting with Education Minister Martin Dixon in the next couple of months.
They also intend to discuss findings from the SKY High secondary college provision report prepared with the Education Department.
“The results from the [new] survey will be presented to minister Dixon to help demonstrate the strong support our parents have for public education in this area.”
The group has been campaigning for a new high school in the area since 2006.
It has taken heart from recent success of the High School for Coburg Group in having the Coburg Senior High School extended to become a years 7-12 school.
The new survey will be sent to primary schools, kindergartens and childcare centres for parents to give their comments by August 31. It will also be available on the SKY High website and Facebook.
A progress update will also be delivered at the SKY High annual general meeting at the Yarraville Club, 135 Stephen Street, at 8pm on August 27.
