Separation of siblings angers inner west parents

By Chris Sutton

Changes to school catchment areas in Leichhardt may force siblings to attend different schools as the inner west faces a baby boom.

Annandale North Primary School (ANPS) is the local school for many families in the previous catchment area, but they now face the possibility of added travel distance and the separation of siblings as a result of the change.

Wendy Routledge is a parent in the Leichhardt local government area who lives in a recently removed part of the ANPS zone. Despite being a 5 minute walk from school grounds she is now placed in Orange Grove Public School’s district. This is a 25 minute walk from her home. She has a child in year 1 at ANPS and a younger son due to begin schooling in 2016.

“We have no idea what will happen regarding the 2016 enrolments. It is likely that we will be informed in October 2015 whether they are being offered a place and that any such offer is solely dependent on any places remaining after in-area enrolments.”

Ms Routledge helped work on a petition with Catherine Sengupta in a fight to keep siblings together, highlighting that the removal of older siblings is unreasonable and unjust.

“We have been very active in petitioning and writing to the Department of Education, various MPs and local councillors. Whether this has helped keep the affected siblings on the agenda, I don’t know, but it has certainly not resulted in any policy changes yet.”

Ms Routledge sent an email to minister of education Adrian Piccoli outlining the concerns about her own children and the families of the community.

“The school community was urged to support the boundary change as the only possible option for ANPS to maximise availability for affected siblings. In fact, this has simply created a larger group of affected siblings,” she wrote.

Her email ended with “We ask for your help in resolving this distressing issue and look forward to hearing from you.” There was no response.

Leichhardt Council are in support of the affected parents. Councillor Darcy Byrne told City Hub he has written to Mr Piccoli more than 6 times in 6 months and has received no response, blaming the state government for not stepping up to the problem.

“The government has had its head in the sand for many months now about the critical shortage of primary school places in inner western Sydney,” he said.

Cr Byrne accused Mr Piccoli of having a 1950’s attitude, noting there were deeper issues resulting from the short-sightedness and unwillingness of the government to build schools.

“There is an assumption (by Mr Piccoli) that one parent in each family can afford not to work. The reality is that more often than not, the person who’s missing out on the workforce is the mother, so it’s a gender issue as well.”

“I think it’s a failure of the government to understand the nature of the economic pressures facing most families in the inner west.”

The local area is in a boom; between 2001 and 2011, children aged 5 to 14 in Leichhardt increased 20 times faster than the NSW average. This is expected to grow with the addition of new apartments.

A Department of Education and Communities spokesperson informed City Hub that they are currently working on strategies to meet the anticipated demand and that changes were made regularly to meet the demographic needs of communities.

“The Department expects it will have completed the development of its future asset strategies for primary and secondary schools across inner Sydney by January 2015.”

Michelle Lehman told City Hub that trying to describe the situation to her children was saddening.

“They’re very close. A 6 year old has to start all over again because of government decisions and lack of planning. It’s disgraceful. It will change her life and possibly who she is.”

Ms Lehman said she cannot comprehend the lack of understanding.

“We deal with the emotional side of this issue; it’s been very stressful and involves huge changes for families. Yet politicians talk in numbers and borders. “

A petition has been signed by many other affected parents in the area.

Other parents feared the balance of being involved in two separate school communities, having to perform double drop-offs in peak morning traffic and further changes to boundaries when new developments are in place.

Cr Byrne believes the current situation will only get worse unless Mr Piccoli begins working with the council. The parents are of the same view.

“This is not putting the children first. This is not providing the continuity of education and social interaction,” said Ms Routledge.