SPIRALLING enrolments are stretching crowded primary schools in the Yarraville area to bursting point, leading to renewed calls for a new high school.
Williamstown MP Wade Noonan said the community is running into trouble as Education Department reports keep understating the support for public education in the Seddon, Kingsville and Yarraville (SKY) area.
“I visited one of the local primary schools in Yarraville earlier this week and they told me that they had 160 students enrolled to start prep next year — that’s up 40 on last year,” Mr Noonan said.
New analysis of last year’s census data by the SKY High Working Group shows public schools enjoy far greater support in the SKY area than the Melbourne average.
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Parents pushing for a new high school in the area have analysed figures showing the high local take-up rate of primary and secondary public schools compared to other areas across the city, despite lacking a local high school.
SKY High spokeswoman Janine Lloyd said the number of students in public secondary colleges was 40 per cent above the Melbourne rate. “Our nearest public college is at least five kilometres away — the furthest that any children in Melbourne have to travel to a public high school.”
Seven in 10 primary school-aged children attend a public primary school, 30 per cent higher than the Melbourne average. SKY High figures show four in five of these children go on to attend a public high school, and it forecasts 1500 students will need a local high school.
SKY High has delivered its findings to the Education Department and is awaiting a response. SKY High will hold a public meeting at 8pm on November 12 at the Yarraville Club, Stephen Street, Yarraville.
A department spokesman said a 2010 demographic report on the Seddon, Kingsville and Yarraville area was being updated.
“The department is conducting further analysis on the report and will continue to work with SKY High regarding secondary provision in the SKY area.”
