As a result of the first public forum on the issue, held in early 2006, with 200 people in attendance, the SKY High (Seddon, Kingsville, Yarraville) Working Group was formed with an aim to investigate the need for the establishment of a state secondary school to service families in the SKY and surrounding areas.

Since this time, a group of parents and community members developed and implemented the SKY High Survey that was distributed in August 2007 to users of SKY and surrounding areas childcare centres, kindergartens and primary schools.

Results from this survey were collated released to the public, in conjunction with relevant data from 2006 census figures, at the 29 October 2007 forum. A picture was painted that represents not only the groundswell of support from the local community but population growth, particularly with 35% increase in births, within the under-serviced SKY area.

However, the Western Metropolitan Region of the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development continued to insist that sufficient secondary college places could be offered with existing infrastructure.

In June, 2009, the Sky High Working Group released a 47-page report which clearly demonstrated the need for a new secondary school, using the most recent demographic figures and estimates. With the evident baby boom, demand will exceed supply by 2013. Moreover, most SKY students must currently travel more than 6km to the nearest public secondary college, which exceeds the state recommendations for an urban locality. At least half of SKY parents would consider moving to a different suburb to be closer to a school, which creates uncertainty and instability.

Download the reports below for details.

Facts from 2007 survey:

• 249 families, representing 445 children responded to the 2007 SKY High survey
• 53% describe a local school as being < 2km from their current place of residence
• The most frequent attributes listed as families top 10 secondary college attributes to consider are:
  • Range of VCE subjects/curriculum (55% or 137 families)
  • Close location (50% or 125 families)
• 87% families consider being a Govt school is an important attribute
• 97% (232 families) said that they would consider sending their children to a local secondary college if available (64% or 154 families definitely would)
• 51% (or 119 families) are considering re-locating to maximise secondary college options for their children
• A further 10% (23 families) have already decided to re-locate.

Documents:

Click on the icons to download PDF documents

Proposal for a Secondary College facility for Seddon, Kingsville, Yarraville (SKY) June 2009 (2.77mb)

SKY High survey 2007 (822kb)