Answers to Questions

School Overcrowding

In reply to the Hon. C. BONAROS (20 March 2019).

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer): The Minister for Education has advised the following:

The Department for Education (the department) acknowledges that enrolment growth has occurred at Eastern Fleurieu School's 7-12 campus in Strathalbyn in recent years due to local population growth, as well as school enrolment practices. The department has provided support to the school through capacity management strategies which includes the need to prioritise enrolments of students residing in the local catchment area. In addition, the department is providing immediate support through the provision of additional accommodation in the form of two dual modular buildings which will provide four general learning areas. The new learning areas will be operational in term 2, 2019.

The department has undertaken demographic analysis and modelling to identify schools that require additional capacity to support the transition of year 7 into high school by 2022. As an outcome of this analysis, on 19 February 2019 the Minister for Education announced that a number of South Australian public schools, including Eastern Fleurieu R-12 School, would share in funding of $56 million to improve facilities, meet projected enrolment demands and to transition year 7 into high school. Further to this, on 20 February 2019 the Minister for Education announced that four schools, including Glenunga International High School, Norwood Morialta High School, Unley High School and Brighton Secondary School, were identified as high demand schools and allocated $65 million in total of capital works funding. That announcement, referenced in Ms Bonaros' question, reflected on specific challenges in those four schools and was in addition to the support for other schools, including Eastern Fleurieu School, announced the previous day.

Eastern Fleurieu School's 7-12 campus already caters for year 7 and the projected local growth is not to the same extent as the high demand metropolitan high schools.

Additional spaces required in managing the additional year 7 transition in 2022 will consider areas for innovative learning which may include the provision of general and specialist teaching areas, laboratories, workshops and other supporting amenities. The department will continue to work closely with the school community to consider the needs of the campus in developing the project brief for the announced capital works funding for the school to ensure the school's current needs and long term aspirations are being met.

The department continues to provide ongoing assistance to Eastern Fleurieu School staff in the provision of advice and data to support effective decision-making in regard to utilisation of space and management of enrolment intakes.

Capital works funding has been allocated to a number of schools in regional South Australia, and in the region surrounding Eastern Fleurieu School's 7-12 campus at Strathalbyn, including Willunga High School ($2m), Mount Compass Area School ($8m plus additional funding as part of the $56 million announcement) and Victor Harbor R-7 School ($5m).

The department will continue to monitor the factors which influence enrolment demand at the school and respond accordingly.