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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-02-16 Daily Xml
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SCHOOL PLACEMENTS

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (15:06): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Education and Child Development a question on school placements in the north.

Leave granted.

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON: During the Christmas break I was approached by a number of parents from new developments out in the northern suburbs, around my area, who are finding it impossible to enrol their children in school. From kindergarten into early high school, there seem to be no placements available for these children, and I was told there are children out there who are seven years old who have not yet attended school because there is nowhere for them to go.

In two different Messenger articles, one dated 12 October 2011, it was stated that the Mark Oliphant high school had a waiting list and that about 230 students had applied for year 8 with only 180 places available, and also that the John Hartley primary school, as of 9 March 2011, had put a freeze on taking more students into years 1 to 10. Apparently—and this is the information I was given by parents—even the other primary schools are having to cope with the overflow of the number of new families who have gone out there and purchased homes in these new developments. There are no placements available in the other existing schools, either. My questions are:

1. What analysis was done prior to the super schools project to ensure adequate school placements would be available after the implementation of the super schools?

2. Prior to the two super schools, how many placements were available in all the schools that were zoned out in the northern suburbs, and how many placements are available now?

3. How many high school placements were available at the beginning of this school year at Elizabeth Fremont and Craigmore, given that they were the two schools that were told they would have to pick up the slack?

4. What plans, if any, exist to expand education facilities in the north to adequately cope with the demand?

5. How many kindergarten placements are available in the northern area, and are there waiting lists?

6. What are the waiting list numbers for John Hartley primary school?

7. How many schools are zoned for the new developments in the north for, in their own words, families that have been 'deliberately lured' into those new developments as young families and now find themselves without the services they need?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (15:09): I thank the honourable member for her very important question on the enrolment of children into schools and kindergartens in the northern suburbs. I undertake to take those questions to the minister in another place and bring back a response.

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