Education System

In reply to Mr PISONI (Unley) (10 February 2015).

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for the Public Sector): I have been advised:

Schools form composite classes for a variety of structural, resourcing, methodological and curriculum reasons to better meet student needs.

In some schools, composite classes are often necessary to be able to meet appropriate class size requirements within the allocated resources. In other instances, schools elect to form composite classes to enhance student learning or to better utilise teacher skills.

SA public schools have high levels of autonomy. In primary schools, decisions about size and configuration of classes within a school are made by the Principal working in partnership with the Personnel Advisory Committee. This includes whether the year 7 cohort is taught in a single year level or composite class.