Ben McArthur
Seaspray Primary School will enter a ‘non-operational’ status for an indefinite period of time after consultations between the Department of Education and parents reveal the primary school received just three total enrolments for the next academic year.
But a senior education improvement leader in the Wellington Shire says the school has not closed, and that its ‘non-operational’ state is temporary. The facilities will continue to be taken care of, and the school will take 2025 enrolments.
Seaspray Primary School is experiencing its lowest enrolment numbers yet. 2023 began with nine students and seven staff members, but as the year went on, three students left due to their families relocating while the staff remained, resulting in staff outnumbering students.
The School Council decided to enter the school in a ‘non-operational’ status after parent consultation meetings with the Department of Education, where they discussed the low enrolment numbers — which would have seen for the next academic year each student allocated 1.5 acres of land, two buildings per student and nearly twice as many staff.
Enrolled students will transfer to Longford Primary School working alongside the Senior Education Improvement Leader in the Wellington Shire, Craig Felstead who said the Department of Education was doing what it could to ensure a smooth transition.
“The decision was based on the parent’s choice; it certainly wasn’t a Department [of Education] decision because we don’t do that, but we’re happy to help support the transition,” he said.
“The impact on the community is not significant because only two parents are affected, and they’ve both been supported to transfer to Longford [Primary School], which is only a 10-minute bus drive away.
“The conversation we had [with the parents] was about supporting the kids and what’s best for their opportunities and wellbeing, especially for being with their peers. If after primary school they transition to Sale College, which has about 900 students, then that will be very daunting.”
The Department of Education also transferred the staff members to other schools.
Teacher Rebecca Fitch has spent the last two years working at Seaspray Primary School. Next year, she is on maternity leave, but in 2025, she will begin a new teaching role at Araluen Primary School, provided Seaspray stays non-operational.
“I will really miss the school; the staff are incredible, and working in such a small community, you really get to know the kids,” she said.
“When the non-operational status was announced, the staff had a lot of questions, but everything has been answered, and we’ve received plenty of support to transition.”
President of the Seaspray Primary School Council, Catherine Gardam was involved with the decision to turn the school non-operational. She has put six of her children through Seaspray Primary School and described the current situation as “sad.”
“But I also acknowledge that it’s hard to run a school with such low enrolments,” she added.
During the non-operational period, the 107-year-old primary school will still be maintained by caretakers, security systems will be operational and enrolments for 2025 will open.
The Department of Education will be waiting until the school receives about ten enrolments to reopen.
“It’s not closed. I don’t want anyone to say that it’s closed. It’s non-operational, it’s temporary,” Mr Felstead said.
