Mrs Roberts questions the Education Minister about the removal of Year 11 and 12 courses at Jurien Bay District High School and the impact on students, particularly regarding travel to Central Midlands Senior High School. The Minister defends the decision by citing wider subject choice and existing bus services.

AnsweredQoN 321Legislative Assembly
Asked
17 June 2010
Portfolio
Education

QuestionView source ↗

JURIEN BAY DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL — REMOVAL OF YEAR 11 AND 12 COURSES
Yesterday the minister told this house in questions without notice that students at Jurien Bay could take a bus to a senior school that provides many more opportunities for children. (1) What are the many more opportunities the member referred to that are on offer at Central Midlands Senior High School? (2) Why would any parent subject their child to a 250-kilometre round trip per day and three hours per day on a bus in order to get those opportunities? Dr E. CONSTABLE

AnswerView source ↗

(1)–(2) The member for Midland is referring to the arrangements for children in years 11 and 12 attending our district high schools. Mrs M.H. Roberts : I asked a specific question about the opportunities that you referred to yesterday. Dr E. CONSTABLE : Mr Speaker, it is well recognised that larger senior high schools provide more opportunities for our students. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What is on offer at central Midlands? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Dr E. CONSTABLE : It has a wider range of subjects available to years 11 and 12 students than district high schools can possibly offer. I understand that the Jurien Bay District High School has at the moment under 25 students combined in years 11 and 12. It is very difficult to provide a wide range of subjects for year 11 and 12 students in a school as small as that. What the parents of the children at Jurien Bay District High School have is choice. They have the choice — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Of a 250-kilometre bus ride? Is that choice? Dr E. CONSTABLE : Parents have the choice of either allowing their children to take that bus ride—that bus has been in place for a long time—or staying at Jurien Bay to complete years 11 and 12 through the Schools of Isolated and Distance Education or the vocational education and training courses that might be available in the school in that town. A small number of students are involved and we have to provide them with those choices. The choices are there. I repeat again that the bus service was already in place. Students from Jurien Bay were already getting on that bus. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What about the kids in Leeman and Green Head who are already on a bus for an hour before they get there? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland, constant interjecting will not get you your answer. It will get me to call you formally for the first time, however. I suggest to you, as I always do, that there will be ample opportunity for you to ask a supplementary. Dr E. CONSTABLE : I conclude by saying that those parents and students have a choice. We are giving them that choice. The bus service is there. It has been there for some years. Other children in previous years took that bus when years 11 and 12 were not provided at Jurien. Years 11 and 12 are now provided at Jurien.
(1) What are the many more opportunities the member referred to that are on offer at Central Midlands Senior High School? (2) Why would any parent subject their child to a 250-kilometre round trip per day and three hours per day on a bus in order to get those opportunities? Dr E. CONSTABLE replied: (1)–(2) The member for Midland is referring to the arrangements for children in years 11 and 12 attending our district high schools. Mrs M.H. Roberts : I asked a specific question about the opportunities that you referred to yesterday. Dr E. CONSTABLE : Mr Speaker, it is well recognised that larger senior high schools provide more opportunities for our students. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What is on offer at central Midlands? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Dr E. CONSTABLE : It has a wider range of subjects available to years 11 and 12 students than district high schools can possibly offer. I understand that the Jurien Bay District High School has at the moment under 25 students combined in years 11 and 12. It is very difficult to provide a wide range of subjects for year 11 and 12 students in a school as small as that. What the parents of the children at Jurien Bay District High School have is choice. They have the choice — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Of a 250-kilometre bus ride? Is that choice? Dr E. CONSTABLE : Parents have the choice of either allowing their children to take that bus ride—that bus has been in place for a long time—or staying at Jurien Bay to complete years 11 and 12 through the Schools of Isolated and Distance Education or the vocational education and training courses that might be available in the school in that town. A small number of students are involved and we have to provide them with those choices. The choices are there. I repeat again that the bus service was already in place. Students from Jurien Bay were already getting on that bus. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What about the kids in Leeman and Green Head who are already on a bus for an hour before they get there? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland, constant interjecting will not get you your answer. It will get me to call you formally for the first time, however. I suggest to you, as I always do, that there will be ample opportunity for you to ask a supplementary. Dr E. CONSTABLE : I conclude by saying that those parents and students have a choice. We are giving them that choice. The bus service is there. It has been there for some years. Other children in previous years took that bus when years 11 and 12 were not provided at Jurien. Years 11 and 12 are now provided at Jurien.
(2) Why would any parent subject their child to a 250-kilometre round trip per day and three hours per day on a bus in order to get those opportunities? Dr E. CONSTABLE replied: (1)–(2) The member for Midland is referring to the arrangements for children in years 11 and 12 attending our district high schools. Mrs M.H. Roberts : I asked a specific question about the opportunities that you referred to yesterday. Dr E. CONSTABLE : Mr Speaker, it is well recognised that larger senior high schools provide more opportunities for our students. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What is on offer at central Midlands? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Dr E. CONSTABLE : It has a wider range of subjects available to years 11 and 12 students than district high schools can possibly offer. I understand that the Jurien Bay District High School has at the moment under 25 students combined in years 11 and 12. It is very difficult to provide a wide range of subjects for year 11 and 12 students in a school as small as that. What the parents of the children at Jurien Bay District High School have is choice. They have the choice — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Of a 250-kilometre bus ride? Is that choice? Dr E. CONSTABLE : Parents have the choice of either allowing their children to take that bus ride—that bus has been in place for a long time—or staying at Jurien Bay to complete years 11 and 12 through the Schools of Isolated and Distance Education or the vocational education and training courses that might be available in the school in that town. A small number of students are involved and we have to provide them with those choices. The choices are there. I repeat again that the bus service was already in place. Students from Jurien Bay were already getting on that bus. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What about the kids in Leeman and Green Head who are already on a bus for an hour before they get there? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland, constant interjecting will not get you your answer. It will get me to call you formally for the first time, however. I suggest to you, as I always do, that there will be ample opportunity for you to ask a supplementary. Dr E. CONSTABLE : I conclude by saying that those parents and students have a choice. We are giving them that choice. The bus service is there. It has been there for some years. Other children in previous years took that bus when years 11 and 12 were not provided at Jurien. Years 11 and 12 are now provided at Jurien.
Dr E. CONSTABLE replied: (1)–(2) The member for Midland is referring to the arrangements for children in years 11 and 12 attending our district high schools. Mrs M.H. Roberts : I asked a specific question about the opportunities that you referred to yesterday. Dr E. CONSTABLE : Mr Speaker, it is well recognised that larger senior high schools provide more opportunities for our students. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What is on offer at central Midlands? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Dr E. CONSTABLE : It has a wider range of subjects available to years 11 and 12 students than district high schools can possibly offer. I understand that the Jurien Bay District High School has at the moment under 25 students combined in years 11 and 12. It is very difficult to provide a wide range of subjects for year 11 and 12 students in a school as small as that. What the parents of the children at Jurien Bay District High School have is choice. They have the choice — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Of a 250-kilometre bus ride? Is that choice? Dr E. CONSTABLE : Parents have the choice of either allowing their children to take that bus ride—that bus has been in place for a long time—or staying at Jurien Bay to complete years 11 and 12 through the Schools of Isolated and Distance Education or the vocational education and training courses that might be available in the school in that town. A small number of students are involved and we have to provide them with those choices. The choices are there. I repeat again that the bus service was already in place. Students from Jurien Bay were already getting on that bus. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What about the kids in Leeman and Green Head who are already on a bus for an hour before they get there? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland, constant interjecting will not get you your answer. It will get me to call you formally for the first time, however. I suggest to you, as I always do, that there will be ample opportunity for you to ask a supplementary. Dr E. CONSTABLE : I conclude by saying that those parents and students have a choice. We are giving them that choice. The bus service is there. It has been there for some years. Other children in previous years took that bus when years 11 and 12 were not provided at Jurien. Years 11 and 12 are now provided at Jurien.
(1)–(2) The member for Midland is referring to the arrangements for children in years 11 and 12 attending our district high schools. Mrs M.H. Roberts : I asked a specific question about the opportunities that you referred to yesterday. Dr E. CONSTABLE : Mr Speaker, it is well recognised that larger senior high schools provide more opportunities for our students. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What is on offer at central Midlands? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Dr E. CONSTABLE : It has a wider range of subjects available to years 11 and 12 students than district high schools can possibly offer. I understand that the Jurien Bay District High School has at the moment under 25 students combined in years 11 and 12. It is very difficult to provide a wide range of subjects for year 11 and 12 students in a school as small as that. What the parents of the children at Jurien Bay District High School have is choice. They have the choice — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Of a 250-kilometre bus ride? Is that choice? Dr E. CONSTABLE : Parents have the choice of either allowing their children to take that bus ride—that bus has been in place for a long time—or staying at Jurien Bay to complete years 11 and 12 through the Schools of Isolated and Distance Education or the vocational education and training courses that might be available in the school in that town. A small number of students are involved and we have to provide them with those choices. The choices are there. I repeat again that the bus service was already in place. Students from Jurien Bay were already getting on that bus. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What about the kids in Leeman and Green Head who are already on a bus for an hour before they get there? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland, constant interjecting will not get you your answer. It will get me to call you formally for the first time, however. I suggest to you, as I always do, that there will be ample opportunity for you to ask a supplementary. Dr E. CONSTABLE : I conclude by saying that those parents and students have a choice. We are giving them that choice. The bus service is there. It has been there for some years. Other children in previous years took that bus when years 11 and 12 were not provided at Jurien. Years 11 and 12 are now provided at Jurien.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : I asked a specific question about the opportunities that you referred to yesterday. Dr E. CONSTABLE : Mr Speaker, it is well recognised that larger senior high schools provide more opportunities for our students. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What is on offer at central Midlands? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Dr E. CONSTABLE : It has a wider range of subjects available to years 11 and 12 students than district high schools can possibly offer. I understand that the Jurien Bay District High School has at the moment under 25 students combined in years 11 and 12. It is very difficult to provide a wide range of subjects for year 11 and 12 students in a school as small as that. What the parents of the children at Jurien Bay District High School have is choice. They have the choice — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Of a 250-kilometre bus ride? Is that choice? Dr E. CONSTABLE : Parents have the choice of either allowing their children to take that bus ride—that bus has been in place for a long time—or staying at Jurien Bay to complete years 11 and 12 through the Schools of Isolated and Distance Education or the vocational education and training courses that might be available in the school in that town. A small number of students are involved and we have to provide them with those choices. The choices are there. I repeat again that the bus service was already in place. Students from Jurien Bay were already getting on that bus. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What about the kids in Leeman and Green Head who are already on a bus for an hour before they get there? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland, constant interjecting will not get you your answer. It will get me to call you formally for the first time, however. I suggest to you, as I always do, that there will be ample opportunity for you to ask a supplementary. Dr E. CONSTABLE : I conclude by saying that those parents and students have a choice. We are giving them that choice. The bus service is there. It has been there for some years. Other children in previous years took that bus when years 11 and 12 were not provided at Jurien. Years 11 and 12 are now provided at Jurien.
Dr E. CONSTABLE : Mr Speaker, it is well recognised that larger senior high schools provide more opportunities for our students. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What is on offer at central Midlands? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Dr E. CONSTABLE : It has a wider range of subjects available to years 11 and 12 students than district high schools can possibly offer. I understand that the Jurien Bay District High School has at the moment under 25 students combined in years 11 and 12. It is very difficult to provide a wide range of subjects for year 11 and 12 students in a school as small as that. What the parents of the children at Jurien Bay District High School have is choice. They have the choice — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Of a 250-kilometre bus ride? Is that choice? Dr E. CONSTABLE : Parents have the choice of either allowing their children to take that bus ride—that bus has been in place for a long time—or staying at Jurien Bay to complete years 11 and 12 through the Schools of Isolated and Distance Education or the vocational education and training courses that might be available in the school in that town. A small number of students are involved and we have to provide them with those choices. The choices are there. I repeat again that the bus service was already in place. Students from Jurien Bay were already getting on that bus. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What about the kids in Leeman and Green Head who are already on a bus for an hour before they get there? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland, constant interjecting will not get you your answer. It will get me to call you formally for the first time, however. I suggest to you, as I always do, that there will be ample opportunity for you to ask a supplementary. Dr E. CONSTABLE : I conclude by saying that those parents and students have a choice. We are giving them that choice. The bus service is there. It has been there for some years. Other children in previous years took that bus when years 11 and 12 were not provided at Jurien. Years 11 and 12 are now provided at Jurien.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : What is on offer at central Midlands? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Dr E. CONSTABLE : It has a wider range of subjects available to years 11 and 12 students than district high schools can possibly offer. I understand that the Jurien Bay District High School has at the moment under 25 students combined in years 11 and 12. It is very difficult to provide a wide range of subjects for year 11 and 12 students in a school as small as that. What the parents of the children at Jurien Bay District High School have is choice. They have the choice — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Of a 250-kilometre bus ride? Is that choice? Dr E. CONSTABLE : Parents have the choice of either allowing their children to take that bus ride—that bus has been in place for a long time—or staying at Jurien Bay to complete years 11 and 12 through the Schools of Isolated and Distance Education or the vocational education and training courses that might be available in the school in that town. A small number of students are involved and we have to provide them with those choices. The choices are there. I repeat again that the bus service was already in place. Students from Jurien Bay were already getting on that bus. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What about the kids in Leeman and Green Head who are already on a bus for an hour before they get there? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland, constant interjecting will not get you your answer. It will get me to call you formally for the first time, however. I suggest to you, as I always do, that there will be ample opportunity for you to ask a supplementary. Dr E. CONSTABLE : I conclude by saying that those parents and students have a choice. We are giving them that choice. The bus service is there. It has been there for some years. Other children in previous years took that bus when years 11 and 12 were not provided at Jurien. Years 11 and 12 are now provided at Jurien.
The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Dr E. CONSTABLE : It has a wider range of subjects available to years 11 and 12 students than district high schools can possibly offer. I understand that the Jurien Bay District High School has at the moment under 25 students combined in years 11 and 12. It is very difficult to provide a wide range of subjects for year 11 and 12 students in a school as small as that. What the parents of the children at Jurien Bay District High School have is choice. They have the choice — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Of a 250-kilometre bus ride? Is that choice? Dr E. CONSTABLE : Parents have the choice of either allowing their children to take that bus ride—that bus has been in place for a long time—or staying at Jurien Bay to complete years 11 and 12 through the Schools of Isolated and Distance Education or the vocational education and training courses that might be available in the school in that town. A small number of students are involved and we have to provide them with those choices. The choices are there. I repeat again that the bus service was already in place. Students from Jurien Bay were already getting on that bus. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What about the kids in Leeman and Green Head who are already on a bus for an hour before they get there? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland, constant interjecting will not get you your answer. It will get me to call you formally for the first time, however. I suggest to you, as I always do, that there will be ample opportunity for you to ask a supplementary. Dr E. CONSTABLE : I conclude by saying that those parents and students have a choice. We are giving them that choice. The bus service is there. It has been there for some years. Other children in previous years took that bus when years 11 and 12 were not provided at Jurien. Years 11 and 12 are now provided at Jurien.
Dr E. CONSTABLE : It has a wider range of subjects available to years 11 and 12 students than district high schools can possibly offer. I understand that the Jurien Bay District High School has at the moment under 25 students combined in years 11 and 12. It is very difficult to provide a wide range of subjects for year 11 and 12 students in a school as small as that. What the parents of the children at Jurien Bay District High School have is choice. They have the choice — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Of a 250-kilometre bus ride? Is that choice? Dr E. CONSTABLE : Parents have the choice of either allowing their children to take that bus ride—that bus has been in place for a long time—or staying at Jurien Bay to complete years 11 and 12 through the Schools of Isolated and Distance Education or the vocational education and training courses that might be available in the school in that town. A small number of students are involved and we have to provide them with those choices. The choices are there. I repeat again that the bus service was already in place. Students from Jurien Bay were already getting on that bus. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What about the kids in Leeman and Green Head who are already on a bus for an hour before they get there? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland, constant interjecting will not get you your answer. It will get me to call you formally for the first time, however. I suggest to you, as I always do, that there will be ample opportunity for you to ask a supplementary. Dr E. CONSTABLE : I conclude by saying that those parents and students have a choice. We are giving them that choice. The bus service is there. It has been there for some years. Other children in previous years took that bus when years 11 and 12 were not provided at Jurien. Years 11 and 12 are now provided at Jurien.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Of a 250-kilometre bus ride? Is that choice? Dr E. CONSTABLE : Parents have the choice of either allowing their children to take that bus ride—that bus has been in place for a long time—or staying at Jurien Bay to complete years 11 and 12 through the Schools of Isolated and Distance Education or the vocational education and training courses that might be available in the school in that town. A small number of students are involved and we have to provide them with those choices. The choices are there. I repeat again that the bus service was already in place. Students from Jurien Bay were already getting on that bus. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What about the kids in Leeman and Green Head who are already on a bus for an hour before they get there? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland, constant interjecting will not get you your answer. It will get me to call you formally for the first time, however. I suggest to you, as I always do, that there will be ample opportunity for you to ask a supplementary. Dr E. CONSTABLE : I conclude by saying that those parents and students have a choice. We are giving them that choice. The bus service is there. It has been there for some years. Other children in previous years took that bus when years 11 and 12 were not provided at Jurien. Years 11 and 12 are now provided at Jurien.
Dr E. CONSTABLE : Parents have the choice of either allowing their children to take that bus ride—that bus has been in place for a long time—or staying at Jurien Bay to complete years 11 and 12 through the Schools of Isolated and Distance Education or the vocational education and training courses that might be available in the school in that town. A small number of students are involved and we have to provide them with those choices. The choices are there. I repeat again that the bus service was already in place. Students from Jurien Bay were already getting on that bus. Mrs M.H. Roberts : What about the kids in Leeman and Green Head who are already on a bus for an hour before they get there? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland, constant interjecting will not get you your answer. It will get me to call you formally for the first time, however. I suggest to you, as I always do, that there will be ample opportunity for you to ask a supplementary. Dr E. CONSTABLE : I conclude by saying that those parents and students have a choice. We are giving them that choice. The bus service is there. It has been there for some years. Other children in previous years took that bus when years 11 and 12 were not provided at Jurien. Years 11 and 12 are now provided at Jurien.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : What about the kids in Leeman and Green Head who are already on a bus for an hour before they get there? The SPEAKER : Member for Midland, constant interjecting will not get you your answer. It will get me to call you formally for the first time, however. I suggest to you, as I always do, that there will be ample opportunity for you to ask a supplementary. Dr E. CONSTABLE : I conclude by saying that those parents and students have a choice. We are giving them that choice. The bus service is there. It has been there for some years. Other children in previous years took that bus when years 11 and 12 were not provided at Jurien. Years 11 and 12 are now provided at Jurien.
The SPEAKER : Member for Midland, constant interjecting will not get you your answer. It will get me to call you formally for the first time, however. I suggest to you, as I always do, that there will be ample opportunity for you to ask a supplementary. Dr E. CONSTABLE : I conclude by saying that those parents and students have a choice. We are giving them that choice. The bus service is there. It has been there for some years. Other children in previous years took that bus when years 11 and 12 were not provided at Jurien. Years 11 and 12 are now provided at Jurien.
Dr E. CONSTABLE : I conclude by saying that those parents and students have a choice. We are giving them that choice. The bus service is there. It has been there for some years. Other children in previous years took that bus when years 11 and 12 were not provided at Jurien. Years 11 and 12 are now provided at Jurien.

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