22/2/02
A new $5million primary school will be built on the East Maylands Primary School site for the start of the 2004 school year.
Education Minister Alan Carpenter announced today the new school would provide vastly improved, modern Government education facilities to students in the Maylands area.
The school will be formed out of the amalgamated Maylands and East Maylands primary schools, which will close due to declining enrolments and the state of their buildings.
"The new school will have modern and innovative facilities designed for 21st century educational practices," Mr Carpenter said.
"They will be infinitely better learning environments than either of those now offered at Maylands or East Maylands primary schools.
"As well as fibre-optic cabling for the latest in learning technologies, the school will have specialist arts and crafts areas, a covered assembly area and a library resource centre.
"It is expected to accommodate about 300 Years One to Seven students and about 100 kindergarten and pre-primary students, the combined total student numbers from Maylands and East Maylands primaries."
Mr Carpenter said the decision to amalgamate the schools and build the new school on the East Maylands site was the result of much time and effort invested by the schools' communities and the Department of Education.
A Local Area Education Planning process overseen by the department's district and central offices saw parents and staff consulted about changes to the schools' current structures to improve learning environments and enrolments.
The Minister said while the decision to close Maylands Primary would upset some parents, building the new school was the best way to ensure a quality education for local children.
"Enrolments at the schools have declined significantly in recent years and projections show there isn't the potential for a big increase in coming years," Mr Carpenter said.
"The current small numbers of students in the schools limits flexibility in programs and educational opportunities for students.
"By amalgamating the schools and building an excellent new school, the larger enrolment at the new school will allow for these special programs."
Mr Carpenter said the existing schools were old and outdated and it was best that they be replaced.
"Maylands Primary School was built in the early 1900s and is limited in its area and architectural style for the more flexible programs and methods of delivery in schools today," he said.
"Traffic is also an issue given the very busy Guildford Road bounds the school.
"Facilities at East Maylands Primary School, which opened in 1954, are also significantly inferior to those now provided in new primary schools.
"In particular, the existing school does not have adequate areas for music, art/craft and access to the available learning technologies."
Mr Carpenter said the new school would adjoin a public sports ground, Gibney Reserve, and there was opportunity for the new school to share the use of this facility.
"The building program will commence late this year and the local district directors will form an implementation committee that will include parents, teachers and community members, for input into the development of the school," he said.
"Students and staff at the existing East Maylands Primary School will be able to work with minimal disruption during construction.
"Several options will be considered for the future of the heritage-listed building at Maylands Primary."
Minister's Office - 9213 6800
