 Message
from the Minister
As many of you are aware, on 6 June 2006 the Government released the Towards 2020: Renewing Our Schools proposal for community consultation. Towards 2020 proposed significant reform of our public education system, to ensure access to a range of high quality public schools for Canberra students.
Community consultation
Following the release of the Towards 2020 proposal a period of six months consultation was undertaken. During this period, I and Department of Education and Training staff attended more than 700 meetings. More than 350 submissions were
received from the community on the proposal and I made more than 100 school visits.
After carefully considering all the issues raised during the consultation, in particular the educational, social and financial
impacts on students and their families and on school communities, on 13 December 2006 I announced a package of education reforms that will take us into the future. This includes a record injection of funds for new schools and
the upgrading of existing ones – as well as some difficult decisions.
Expanding choice
As part of this package the government has announced the maintenance of our traditional P-6, P-10, 7-10 and 11-12 school models, as well as the expansion of choice to include new P-2 schools.
The Stanhope Government is determined to provide Canberra’s children with the best start in life. From 2008 all preschools will be amalgamated with a primary school. Our new curriculum framework has a strong focus on teaching
and learning in the early years and these amalgamations will improve the continuity of learning and provide strong pathways for children.
Years P-2 (early childhood schools). Four new early childhood schools catering for students from preschool to year 2 will be established. These schools will focus on quality early childhood education and early intervention, providing a solid foundation for learning for the future. The Government will be working to ensure that a number of early childhood
services are co-located at these P-2 schools.
Years P-6 (primary schools). These schools provide strong educational programs for students during the early and later childhood years. Within a stable home-room environment one
teacher generally takes responsibility for all key learning areas and the educational outcomes of one class of children.
P-10 (primary/middle/high schools). These schools provide students with a continuous progression through school from preschool to year 10 and enhanced pastoral care. The P-10 model results in consistency in values
and expectations from the start of preschool through to the completion of the high school years. Student benefits include greater access to specialist teaching spaces such as
technology areas, science facilities and creative arts areas and enhanced opportunities for schools to develop formal middle years programs.
Years 7-10 (high schools). These schools provide continuity across four years of secondary schooling. Specialist teachers support student learning and the development of their
individual abilities and interests. Pastoral care is aimed at recognising the developmental needs of adolescent students. Some of these schools (eg Stromlo, Gold Creek, Amaroo and
the new West Belconnen School) will have the capacity to enrol students into their middle schooling program at year 6 level.
The Melba-Copland Secondary School will cater for students from year 7 through to year 12 on a high school and a college campus.
Years 11-12 secondary colleges. These schools support student learning within a more adult environment and build responsibility and independence and skills in decision making.
The community has clearly indicated its preference for the discrete Yr 11-12 college model that has been a predominant feature of ACT education for the past 30 years.
Special schools: In addition, the ACT will maintain its current special school provision. The four special schools (Cranleigh, Malkara, Black Mountain and The Woden School)
will continue to provide more intensive educational learning environments for students with a significant level of disability and high support needs.
Renewing Our Schools
This increased choice and diversity will be supported by a record injection of funding into public education. $90 million is being injected into renewing our ageing infrastructure in
schools to ensure quality teaching and learning environments. We will also invest $20 million on information technology in our schools to ensure the ACT continues to lead the nation in the
use of IT in teaching and learning.
This package also delivers new schools across Canberra. Students of North Tuggeranong will benefit from a new $54 million P-10 school to be built on the site of the current
Kambah High School. A new $45 million school for West Belconnen is already under construction. There will be a new P-6 school in Harrison. A new college and combined CIT
campus for Gungahlin will now open in 2010.
Consolidating our school sites – a regional approach
For the Government to be able to undertake this record investment in public education, we have had to consolidate the number of schools. These reforms see some schools
closing, and I know this will be a particularly difficult time for students, parents and teachers.
I would like to assure the community that I did not take any of these decisions lightly. I acknowledge that change is difficult and some Canberrans will be initially disrupted by these
changes. However, I believe that the Government is acting in the best interests of our entire community in securing the future of public education in our city.
Gungahlin Region
The Government will construct a Senior Secondary College (years 11-12) at Gungahlin to commence operation in 2010. Hall Primary School will close at the end of 2006. Hall
Preschool will be retained and amalgamated as an annexe of Gold Creek School from 2008.
Belconnen South East Region
Giralang Primary School will be retained and Giralang Preschool will be relocated within the main school building. The existing preschool facility will be available for other community uses. Kaleen High School will continue to operate
as a 7-10 school and the cluster arrangement with nearby P-6 schools at Giralang, Kaleen and Maribyrnong will be strengthened. Southern Cross Primary School and Scullin
Preschool will amalgamate as a P-2 school from 2009. Page Preschool will be closed in December 2007. Cook Primary School and Cook Preschool will close in December
2007. Canberra High School will continue to operate as a comprehensive high school while strengthening extension programs and curriculum offerings for gifted and talented
students. The Hawker Collegiate of schools comprising Hawker College, Belconnen High School, Hawker Primary School and Hawker Preschool will be established from
2008 and the feasibility of a single governance structure will be investigated. Lake Ginninderra College will continue to enhance its links with the University of Canberra and the
Australian Institute of Sport (2007).
Belconnen North West Region
Copland College and Melba High School will continue to operate on two sites (7-10 and 11-12) and from January 2008 will be amalgamated as The Melba-Copland Secondary
School with a single administrative structure. The ongoing viability of the two campuses will need to be monitored when Gungahlin College opens in 2010. Mount Rogers Community
School will be retained. Flynn Primary School will close at the end of 2006. Flynn Preschool will remain open and from 2008 will amalgamate as an annexe of Mount Rogers P-6 school
along with Melba and Spence Preschools. Charnwood Primary School and Charnwood Preschool will operate as a P-6 school from 2008. Holt and Higgins Primary Schools
and Preschools will close at the end of 2008 and will be incorporated into the new West Belconnen P-10 school to open in 2009. McKellar Preschool will close at the end of
2006.
North Canberra Region
Dickson College will be retained and will develop stronger links with industry, business and CIT. Campbell High School will be retained as a 7-10 high school under current arrangements.
Hackett Preschool will be retained and amalgamated as an annexe of North Ainslie Primary School from 2008. Reid Preschool will also be retained and will amalgamate as an
annexe of Ainslie Primary School from 2008. The inclusion of playschools and playgroups in these preschools will be encouraged. Turner Primary School and the O’Connor Cooperative
P-2 School will maintain their current arrangements. Watson and Downer Preschools will amalgamate as annexes of Majura Primary School from 2008. Duntroon Preschool will
amalgamate as an annexe of Campbell Primary School from 2008.
South Canberra Region
Narrabundah Primary School will be established as a stand alone early childhood P-2 school from 2009 and will provide strengthened support for Indigenous students through the
delivery of integrated family and support services. The Causeway Preschool will close at the end of 2006. Griffith Preschool will amalgamate as an annexe of Red Hill Primary
School from 2008 and Deakin Preschool will be amalgamated as an annexe of Forrest Primary School. Yarralumla Primary School will be retained as a P-6 school with a strong early
childhood focus and will amalgamate with Yarralumla Preschool and the Montessori Preschool from 2008.
Woden Region
South Curtin Preschool will be retained and along with North Curtin Preschool will amalgamate as annexes of Curtin Primary School from 2008. Pearce Preschool will amalgamate
as an annexe of Torrens Primary School from 2008. Chifley Preschool will be retained and amalgamate as an annexe of Torrens Primary School from 2008. Melrose Primary School
will close at the end of 2006. Lyons Primary School will be established as a P-2 early childhood school from 2009 and consultation will occur around the relocation of the Italian
program to another school. The Woden School and Alfred Deakin High School will continue under current arrangements and strengthen already established links between the two
schools.
Weston Creek Region
Rivett Primary School, Rivett Preschool and Weston Creek Primary School will close at the end of 2006. Weston Preschool will be retained as an annexe of Arawang P-6 school from 2008. Stromlo High School will establish a
middle schooling program from 2007 and begin to accept year 6 students from 2007.
Tuggeranong Region
Caroline Chisholm High School, Chisholm Primary School and Chisholm Preschool will amalgamate as Chisholm P-10 School from 2008. Kambah High School will close at the
end of 2007 and a new P-10 school will be constructed on the site to open in January 2011. As part of this project, consultation will occur on the closure of Urambi Primary
School from December 2010. Gilmore Primary School and Gilmore Preschool will be retained and will amalgamate as a P-6 school from 2008. Isabella Plains Primary School
will be established as an early childhood P-2 school from 2009 and the Isabella Plains Preschool site will close at that time. Macarthur Preschool will close at the end of 2007. Mt
Neighbour Primary School will close at the end of 2006 and Mt Neighbour Preschool will be retained and amalgamate as an annexe of Urambi P-6 school from 2008. Tharwa Primary
School will close at the end of 2006 and Tharwa Preschool will be retained and will become an annexe of Charles Conder P-6 School from 2008. Village Creek Primary School will
close at the end of 2007 and Village Creek Preschool will be retained as an annexe of Taylor P-6 School until the new P-10 school opens. Wanniassa P-10 School will continue to
operate on two sites under its current structure.
Transition
The Government is committed to making the transition as smooth as possible for those children who will need to move schools. School principals will work with individual students
and their families on transition plans, and financial support will be available.
I would like to thank the many school communities which have engaged in this process. I applaud the passion and commitment toward public education that parents and the
broader community have shown during the consultation period. I believe these reforms, and the record levels of investment, will ensure that the ACT’s education system is well
placed to meet the teaching and learning needs of the 21st century.
Andrew Barr MLA
Minister for Education and Training
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