4/4/03
Students from Craigie Senior High will move to other local schools next year after a decision was taken to close that school to improve students' educational opportunities.
Education and Training Minister Alan Carpenter announced today he had endorsed a majority community-backed recommendation that it was best to close Craigie High at the end of this year, and upgrade nearby Padbury and Belridge Senior High Schools to accommodate Craigie students.
Mr Carpenter said the decision to close Craigie was based on declining enrolments at all three high schools over a number of years, resulting in limited educational choices for the students.
"Enrolments at Craigie, along with Padbury and Belridge high schools, have been declining for some time and this has limited the learning opportunities for students at all three schools," he said.
"Transferring Craigie students to Belridge and Padbury will increase numbers at those schools and allow them to offer a broader range of courses and programs to all three groups of students.
"Part of the proceeds from the sale of the Craigie land and savings from Craigie's annual running costs will also allow us to carry out upgrades at the other two schools which are still relatively new."
Mr Carpenter said the decision to relocate students was made after a Department of Education Local Area Education Planning process and extensive community consultation. The process was initiated by the principals of the three schools and began in September last year.
"The principals of each school decided to review the provision of secondary education in their area after they expressed concern that student access to a comprehensive curriculum was being limited by the smaller enrolment numbers," he said.
"At the start of last year, a total of 2021 students attended the three high schools - a reduction of 739 students, or 27 per cent, on 1995 enrolments.
"Principals of the three schools have predicted further decreases this year, with forecast figures provided by them indicating a decline of 235 students from the start of last year - or 35 per cent from 1995 to 2003.
"All the figures indicate student numbers in the area are declining and that this trend is not slowing."
Four options for a local education restructure were produced after an extensive planning phase involving a committee of staff and parents from across the high schools, Belridge Education Support Centre and feeder primary schools.
"The options were then presented to the community through the public consultation process," Mr Carpenter said.
"The process also included a community survey that allowed people to comment on each option and to present further options that could address the issues of declining enrolments and reduced access to curriculum choice for students."
The Minister said the survey results revealed the option to upgrade the two senior high schools at Padbury and Belridge and close Craigie Senior High School had the greatest support from the community.
"More than 75 per cent of respondents agreed to this option, half of those strongly agreeing to it," he said.
"Less than half of the respondents agreed with any of the other options."
Mr Carpenter said Craigie Senior High School was identified as the school to be closed because it had the lowest student enrolment of the three campuses and subsequently the lowest number of students affected by the closure.
The school's central location and age - it is the oldest of the three schools - were other factors.
The Minister said the upgrades of Belridge and Padbury, expected to cost about $1million each, would be scheduled on the capital works program for completion by the start of the 2006 school year.
The department would also investigate the option of re-zoning the Craigie Senior High School site for residential development, revenue from which will be used to support the upgrade of facilities at Padbury and Belridge senior high schools.
The Minister said parents of Craigie students who were transferring to another government school would get a relocation-uniform allowance of $350 per student.
Recurrent funds are available for Craigie to conduct closure events and to archive memorabilia.
Minister's office: 9213 6800
