❓ Hon. Donna Faragher questions the Minister for Education and Training regarding community concerns about the consultation process for potential changes to schools in the Cannington and Maddington area. The Minister acknowledges concerns, extends the consultation, and emphasizes the importance of considering community views before making a decision.
AnsweredQoN 856Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SCHOOLS
— CANNINGTON AND MADDINGTON
856. Hon DONNA FARAGHER to the Minister for Education and
Training:
I
refer to the government's consultation about schooling in the Cannington
and Maddington area and possible changes to Cannington Community
College, Sevenoaks Senior College, Cannington Community Education Support
Centre and Yule Brook College.
(1) Is the minister aware of concerns being raised
within the community about the adequacy of the consultation currently
being undertaken and the options being put forward; and, if yes, what is the
minister's response?
(2) Is the
minister prepared to extend the eight-week consultation process to enable
greater feedback from the community; and, if not, why not?
(3) When does the
minister expect to make a decision on any changes to these school communities?
— CANNINGTON AND MADDINGTON
856. Hon DONNA FARAGHER to the Minister for Education and
Training:
I
refer to the government's consultation about schooling in the Cannington
and Maddington area and possible changes to Cannington Community
College, Sevenoaks Senior College, Cannington Community Education Support
Centre and Yule Brook College.
(1) Is the minister aware of concerns being raised
within the community about the adequacy of the consultation currently
being undertaken and the options being put forward; and, if yes, what is the
minister's response?
(2) Is the
minister prepared to extend the eight-week consultation process to enable
greater feedback from the community; and, if not, why not?
(3) When does the
minister expect to make a decision on any changes to these school communities?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of this question. It is an important matter for us to be talking
about.
(1)–(3) Various
members of the Yule Brook College community have raised issues with me
regarding senior secondary schooling. Currently, Yule Brook College offers
years 7 to 10, with students required to move to another school for years 11
and 12. The government was asked to consider expanding senior secondary
offerings at that school to include years 11 and 12 for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Island students in the big picture program. The big picture program
transforms lives. Yule Brook College is leading schools in Western Australia and elsewhere in showcasing the
big picture design and providing professional learning leadership in
partnership with Big Picture Education Australia. Year 12 students would leave
Yule Brook College with a comprehensive post-school transition plan,
including completed applications for employment or further study, a detailed
curriculum vitae, a portfolio of work, and internship work history, including
mentor contacts.
In 2018, 45.6 per cent—that
is, 31 out of 68—of 2018 year 10 students from Yule Brook College
enrolled in year 12 at Sevenoaks Senior
College. If the change were to proceed, it would impact the enrolments at Sevenoaks
Senior College and Cannington Community College. Sevenoaks Senior College and Cannington Community College are situated about
one kilometre from each other, and Yule Brook College is situated within 10
kilometres of the two other schools, so it is appropriate that each school
community was consulted to have their say on secondary schooling in the
Cannington and Maddington area. All community responses will be considered once
the consultation process has closed and the survey data has been collated and
analysed by an independent third party. The online survey has been extended by
one week and will now close at 5.00 pm on 22 September 2020. Additional
meetings are being held with school boards and parents and citizens
associations, as well as meetings with the Aboriginal communities of each
school and from the Cannington and Maddington area. No decision will be made
until after the consultation process has
concluded. It is not my intention to disregard the views of any of the
communities; however, if Yule Brook College does want to proceed to
offer year 11 and 12, there is likely to be a flow-on impact on enrolments at
other local secondary schools and getting early views from those schools is
important.
I also make the point that
consultations with school communities are not new in Western Australia. Under
the previous government, the former Minister for Education, Hon Peter Collier,
oversaw consultations in Kalgoorlie, Fremantle, Mandurah, Armadale and
Geraldton.
I might add that these things are
always a little bit fraught for somebody. Nothing may change, but if Yule Brook
proceeds, everybody needs to understand that there are flow-on effects for
every other school in the local area.
some notice of this question. It is an important matter for us to be talking
about.
(1)–(3) Various
members of the Yule Brook College community have raised issues with me
regarding senior secondary schooling. Currently, Yule Brook College offers
years 7 to 10, with students required to move to another school for years 11
and 12. The government was asked to consider expanding senior secondary
offerings at that school to include years 11 and 12 for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Island students in the big picture program. The big picture program
transforms lives. Yule Brook College is leading schools in Western Australia and elsewhere in showcasing the
big picture design and providing professional learning leadership in
partnership with Big Picture Education Australia. Year 12 students would leave
Yule Brook College with a comprehensive post-school transition plan,
including completed applications for employment or further study, a detailed
curriculum vitae, a portfolio of work, and internship work history, including
mentor contacts.
In 2018, 45.6 per cent—that
is, 31 out of 68—of 2018 year 10 students from Yule Brook College
enrolled in year 12 at Sevenoaks Senior
College. If the change were to proceed, it would impact the enrolments at Sevenoaks
Senior College and Cannington Community College. Sevenoaks Senior College and Cannington Community College are situated about
one kilometre from each other, and Yule Brook College is situated within 10
kilometres of the two other schools, so it is appropriate that each school
community was consulted to have their say on secondary schooling in the
Cannington and Maddington area. All community responses will be considered once
the consultation process has closed and the survey data has been collated and
analysed by an independent third party. The online survey has been extended by
one week and will now close at 5.00 pm on 22 September 2020. Additional
meetings are being held with school boards and parents and citizens
associations, as well as meetings with the Aboriginal communities of each
school and from the Cannington and Maddington area. No decision will be made
until after the consultation process has
concluded. It is not my intention to disregard the views of any of the
communities; however, if Yule Brook College does want to proceed to
offer year 11 and 12, there is likely to be a flow-on impact on enrolments at
other local secondary schools and getting early views from those schools is
important.
I also make the point that
consultations with school communities are not new in Western Australia. Under
the previous government, the former Minister for Education, Hon Peter Collier,
oversaw consultations in Kalgoorlie, Fremantle, Mandurah, Armadale and
Geraldton.
I might add that these things are
always a little bit fraught for somebody. Nothing may change, but if Yule Brook
proceeds, everybody needs to understand that there are flow-on effects for
every other school in the local area.
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