Here's Why Parents Are Prepared to Chain Themselves to Classrooms in NSW

Parents in NSW are upset with the state government's new plan.

In NSW, the Department of Education is planning to make it even harder for students to enrol in public schools outside of their immediate school catchment zone by limiting their enrolments drastically.

At Coorabell Public School, near Byron Bay, and Main Arm Upper Primary School, just half an hour away, the local community is up in arms.

During a recent rally, according to Coorabell Public School P&C, parents from Main Arm Upper Primary School even said they were prepared to chain themselves to classrooms in order to get the government to reconsider their enforcement.

So, let's explain how it came to this.

Wait, what are school catchment zones again?

School catchment zones are the physical boundaries that determine which public school you are allowed to enrol in based on your place of residence. According to the NSW Department of Education (DoE), "every child is entitled to enrol in a particular school based on his or her residential address."

This is the reason you might be rejected from attending a certain school that may have a great reputation but is considered too far from where you live.

NSW Public School Finder is a great tool if you're in NSW to find the boundaries of your local school. School Catchment is a handy resource if you want to look Australia-wide.

So, why is the NSW government restricting enrolments?

In an effort to further restrict students from attending schools outside these catchment areas, the government is clamping down and capping enrolments.

They claim parents are overlooking local institutions to enrol their children in schools, like Coorabell and Main Arm Upper, that score higher in NAPLAN. However, in some cases, it's also due to other schools having better facilities, being more conveniently located (for public transport) or having children already enroled in the school.

A spokesperson for the DoE told the ABC that the new plans are to "ensure equity for children in neighbouring zones through the continued viability of their local schools."

How will enrolments be restricted?

The government's new plans will cap enrolments based on the amount of "permanent teaching spaces" a school has. This means that the number of students at your school will be determined by the amount of permanent classroom buildings a school has. Strangely, portable demountable classrooms don't count despite many being up for years.

Not counting the demountables, Coorabell Public School has two permanent classrooms while Main Arm Upper Primary School will only be considered as having one classroom (two demountables and three permanent fixtures have been excluded from the count).

What are the parents doing about it?

The Coorabell Public School P&C Association and Main Arm Upper Primary School parents have teamed up to protest the proposed changes. The first of these protests has already happened and more people are taking notice.

In a statement to media, a spokesperson for Coorabell Public School P&C, Sybil Andersons, explained that it made no sense for the DoE to cut down a thriving school.

"In an area experiencing substantial growth in the number of families with school-age children like the Northern Rivers, why would the Department of Education look to cut student places and attempt to stop thriving schools right in their tracks?" Andersons said.

"We want the government to commit to allowing a school that is excelling at everything it does to continue to use the resources it already has on the school site, thereby maintaining stability for our children and the community as a whole."

Header Image: iStock.com/iTobi