❓ Hon Sue Ellery questions the Minister for Education regarding funding for Ashfield Primary School's resources and strategies to increase student enrollment. The Minister acknowledges the concerns and outlines the school's budgetary autonomy and enrolment policies, while also committing to further assistance.
AnsweredQoN 1453Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ASHFIELD
PRIMARY SCHOOL — RESOURCES
1453. Hon SUE ELLERY to the
Minister for Education:
I refer to the meeting the minister had with representatives
of Ashfield Primary School on 28 October 2015 and to their subsequent
correspondence.
(1) Will the
government immediately fund the three electronic whiteboards desperately needed
by the school?
(2) Will the
government fund the information technology upgrade needed by the school in time
for the start of the 2016 school year?
(3) What action is the government intending to take to boost
numbers at the school?
PRIMARY SCHOOL — RESOURCES
1453. Hon SUE ELLERY to the
Minister for Education:
I refer to the meeting the minister had with representatives
of Ashfield Primary School on 28 October 2015 and to their subsequent
correspondence.
(1) Will the
government immediately fund the three electronic whiteboards desperately needed
by the school?
(2) Will the
government fund the information technology upgrade needed by the school in time
for the start of the 2016 school year?
(3) What action is the government intending to take to boost
numbers at the school?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of this question.
(1)–(2) Schools
now operate with a one-line budget, providing them with greater flexibility to
develop an educational program and staffing profile that best suits the needs
of the school community. This includes the purchase of materials and resources
that they deem beneficial to further the educational outcomes for students,
such as electronic whiteboards. I am advised that the school currently has a
bank balance of $209 280.
(3) Under the
enrolment policy, parents can choose to apply to enrol at any public school. If
all students from the local area are accommodated, students from further afield
may be accepted. Ashfield Primary School does not have a local intake area and
can therefore accept students based on the single criterion of distance from
the school. Enrolments at Ashfield Primary School showed modest increases from
94 in 2011 to 112 in 2014, with a drop to 95 in 2015 as a result of year 7
students moving to secondary school. The Department of Education's
corporate communications and marketing directorate is available to assist
schools with promotions.
Having said all of that, the
honourable member is quite correct; I met with the group from Ashfield and I
intend to visit the school to try to assist as best I can in trying to develop
mechanisms to attract more students to the school. This is happening in a
couple of our primary schools in particular. I will also have a bit more to say
about IT across the board in the not-too-distant future.
some notice of this question.
(1)–(2) Schools
now operate with a one-line budget, providing them with greater flexibility to
develop an educational program and staffing profile that best suits the needs
of the school community. This includes the purchase of materials and resources
that they deem beneficial to further the educational outcomes for students,
such as electronic whiteboards. I am advised that the school currently has a
bank balance of $209 280.
(3) Under the
enrolment policy, parents can choose to apply to enrol at any public school. If
all students from the local area are accommodated, students from further afield
may be accepted. Ashfield Primary School does not have a local intake area and
can therefore accept students based on the single criterion of distance from
the school. Enrolments at Ashfield Primary School showed modest increases from
94 in 2011 to 112 in 2014, with a drop to 95 in 2015 as a result of year 7
students moving to secondary school. The Department of Education's
corporate communications and marketing directorate is available to assist
schools with promotions.
Having said all of that, the
honourable member is quite correct; I met with the group from Ashfield and I
intend to visit the school to try to assist as best I can in trying to develop
mechanisms to attract more students to the school. This is happening in a
couple of our primary schools in particular. I will also have a bit more to say
about IT across the board in the not-too-distant future.
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