By Mitchell Clarke
Frustrated parents are urging the Education Department to rezone the “ridiculous” boundary around Pakenham’s new secondary college, after families, who deliberately bought property near the site, were rejected.
Edenbrook Secondary College on Caversham Drive, which will open in 2021, has been a long time coming, with many excited about the new state-of-the-art government school.
But a number of prospective parents were recently rejected from enrolling their children due to their homes falling just outside the school’s bizarre triangle boundary.
According to the Education Department, a student’s designated neighbourhood government school is generally the closest to their primary residence.
“Every child has the right to enrol at their closest government school or at another school of their choice, provided that school has sufficient space to accommodate them,“ a Department spokeswoman said.
But many families face the prospect of having to travel further to attend Pakenham Secondary College, despite not wanting to enrol their children there.
Pakenham Springs Primary School mother Brooke McCoull’s property falls just one kilometre outside of the zoning area.
“We applied as our first preference and were rejected on Friday (11 September),” she said.
“I actually don’t know anyone who got approved. There seems to be no room for compromise or compassion, as all outside this zoning were rejected and appeals have been unsuccessful.”
Melanie Dance wrote to the school in a bid to appeal her rejection, after her address fell just four streets from the zone.
“One of the reasons we moved into the Heritage Springs estate was the proposal of a new secondary school being built within walking distance from our home,” she said.
Her daughter will need to walk further to get to Pakenham Secondary, and will also need to cross the dangerous McGregor Road level crossing daily.
“The zoning for this school is beyond a joke. Why build another high school in Pakenham if only a few people can go there,” she questioned.
Kirsten McKendry’s property fell short by under one kilometre. She also appealed on compassionate grounds.
“My daughter has ADHD and would greatly benefit from the unique opportunity to join a new school where there would only be year seven for the first year and so on,” she explained.
“The response I got from the principal of the new high school was the exact same that every other parent got. Not once were any of my concerns addressed.”
Kate Lawrence’s daughter, a Grade 6 student at Lakeside Primary, was also rejected on the basis of zoning, despite being a three minute drive from the school.
“At this stage I feel like I’m fighting for a place at a prestigious private school and not a government funded public high school,” Ms Lawrence said.
“The community of Pakenham are in desperate need for another high school in the area. To build a new high school that only a quarter of the community can attend is ridiculous.”
Heritage Springs resident Stuart Sinclair’s child isn’t due to start Year 7 until 2022. He is hopeful the boundaries will be revised by then, as currently only half of his street is eligible.
“We built 11 years ago in this estate knowing that school had been earmarked. We were always looking at sending our kids there, so now that it’s almost open, it’s a little bit disappointing to find out we can’t attend,” he said.
“We’re lucky to have an extra 12 months, but there are many due to start next year who have been rejected. It’d be good to sort this out soon though because parents have faced enough stress this year.”
Liberal Eastern Victoria MP Edward O’Donohue raised the issue in Parliament on 2 September, calling for Education Minister James Merlino to review the boundaries.
“This is a growing, emerging part of Pakenham. There is a new community being built. The secondary college will be central to that, and zoning students within that immediate direct catchment to another school could impact detrimentally on that community spirit,” he said.
Labor Bass MP Jordan Crugnale said school zones were reviewed annually.
“I want to assure parents and carers that I will continue to discuss the views of the community with the Minister for Education,” she said.
Foundation principal Johanna Walker told the Gazette there had “absolutely been a lot of interest in the school”.
“It’s really exciting. It just shows there is such a need for a new school in the area,” she said.
The school’s foundation year is expected to open at capacity.
