Image: Minister for Education and Early Learning, Prue Car (Centre), visiting Ashfield Boys High School. Image: Prue Car/Facebook.
By JUSTIN COOPER
The NSW Government is currently seeking community feedback on a proposed change to school intake boundaries, aiming to provide families access to co-ed public high schools.
The new plan aims to address the growing demand for co-ed education, with many boundaries within Sydney’s Inner West and south west having access to only single-sex school options.
Areas with single-sex catchment zones, including Ashfield and Canterbury, are anticipating boundary modifications to incorporate at least one co-educational schooling alternative.
Addressing public demand
Announcing the plans on Friday, Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car explains the changes currently address on-going demand for co-ed access.
“We committed to this complex reform after hearing time and again from parents that they want to have their children to have access to co-educational environments throughout their schooling,” says Car.
“This is about giving all NSW students guaranteed access to a co-educational public high school.”
“We don’t want families having to move out of communities they love because they do not have access to co-educational schools,” she continued.
Car further explained the plan gives time for schools to be ready to prepare for the changes, with the new boundaries proposed to be introduced by 2025.
The modifications will impact a total of eighty-eight public elementary schools, where students are assigned to single-sex catchment areas.
Proposed changes
Current intake boundaries across Ashfield and Burwood, are limiting public high school options to either Burwood Girls High School or Ashfield Boys High School.
The proposed change above, with coloured areas of the map revealing the proposed changes, will allow co-ed schooling options.
Ashfield families would then provide options for attendance at either Strathfield South High School (proposed green boundary) or Concord High School (proposed yellow boundary), depending on respective residents’ boundary locations.
Additional proposed boundary changes would effect Canterbury, Auburn, Bankstown, Kogarah, Strathfield, and neighbouring suburbs.
The government explains the changes have considered local factors, including public transport access, school capacity and enrolment trends.
The government is accepting feedback on the changes from schools, families and the local communities on the new changes.
