Simon Haslam
Many local small schools could be severely affected by a state government planned shake-up, which would see them lose their principal and have their funding transferred to larger schools under a ‘hub and spokes’ schools network system.
The recently released government Local Schools, Local Decisions initiative says it would provide schools and principals with more authority to make decisions at the school level to improve student outcomes.
But opposition Labor education spokeswoman Carmel Tebbutt says that principals were concerned that a proposal for small schools to operate in a network was a ‘backdoor means to close small schools’.
She told The Echo that ‘Despite being asked in parliament to rule out school amalgamations, education minister Adrian Piccoli refused to do so. Small schools are often the hub of their local community and can provide a wonderful education experience for students. The minister’s failure to provide clarity on the government’s intentions is causing anxiety in local communities, particularly in schools where there are significant numbers of temporary staff or key appointments are not confirmed or extended.’
NSW has 600 small schools that would be affected by a principal re-classification proposal that ‘particularly concerns’ the NSW Primary Principals’ Association (NSWPPA).
Wilsons Creek P&C secretary Sharon McGrath agrees and told The Echo that ‘by removing teaching principals at many of the Byron Shire’s small schools and placing their decision-making power in the hands of off-site principals in Mullumbimby and Byron, the authority to make decisions at the school level would be reduced, not increased’.
‘We are concerned that funds for spoke schools would be held within the hub in a pool of money, rather than being quarantined for the use of each school individually, and would be applied at the discretion of the hub school principal.
‘School closures are a fact that can be easily extrapolated from the above scenario: loss of quality teaching principals plus reduced funding plus reduced enrolments equals school closure,’ Ms McGrath said.
The NSW Primary Principals’ Association (NSWPPA) said in a press release Friday that the NSWPPA is ‘not aware of any evidence that supports the proposals by the NSW Department of Education and Communities (DEC) and the government that downgrading the role and status of principals in small schools improves student outcomes’.
Proposal rejected
President of the Mullumbimby Teachers’ Association and member of the State Council of the NSW Teachers Federation, Wil Constable, told The Echo that ‘A principal reclassification document was discussed at the October State Council, made up of 350 representatives across the state, and that draft proposal was rejected’.
‘At the November council meeting, councillors will be presented with the next update in this important matter.’
The government initiative applies to all public schools with funding of less than $1m, and according to the NSWPPA that’s roughly 160 students.
The NSWPPA represents nearly 1,800 principals across NSW, including nearly 600 principals who will be affected by the principals’ re-classification initiative.
Local small schools likely to be affected according to enrolment figures on the department website would include: Bexhill (102 students), Burringbar (86), Caniaba (60), Carool (33), Chillingham (35), Clunes (102), Condong (65), Corndale (20), Coorabell (103), Crabbes Creek (33), Crystal Creek (81), Dungay (57), Dunoon (59), Durrumbul (67 enrolments are listed on the department’s website although parents at the school say actual enrolments are 30), Eltham (54), Empire Vale (50), Goolmangar (33), Goonengerry (29), Eureka (29), Jiggi (45), Main Arm (73), Modanville (99), Newrybar (36), Rosebank (49), Stokers Siding (64), Teven-Tintenbar (136), The Channon (49), The Pocket (60), Tregeagle (113), Tuntable Creek (13), Tyalgum (55), Uki (100), Upper Coopers Creek (12), Whian Whian (17), Whyrallah (13) and Wilsons Creek (67).
DEC (Lismore Network) director John Lynch visited Durrumbul last week to meet with the school P&C and reassure them that their school had not been earmarked for closure. Although The Echo has been told that the acting principal’s contract had not been renewed past June 2014, Mr Lynch told The Echo that while he could not discuss individual staff members’ personal circumstances, ‘the DEC will move to appoint a permanent principal as soon as possible’. He also said that while schools may amalgamate where that would result in better student outcomes, Durrumbul was ‘not in that situation’.
Mr Lynch also said that the networking proposal was a ‘separate issue’ from the principal reclassification and that any decision to ‘form a network will be made by school principals and their local communities’ rather than be ‘imposed’.
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