School options for local families

School options for local families

Without a local primary school of their own, Docklands families can now be assured of access to primary schools in surrounding suburbs.

A number of public and private primary schools in suburbs around Docklands have confirmed they will accept enrolments from Docklands.

Children living in the northern end of Docklands are zoned to attend North Melbourne Primary School, while children living in the Southern end of Docklands are zoned to attend Port Melbourne Primary School.

Both schools confirmed they will accept enrolments from Docklands if they are the closest government school.

Carlton Gardens Primary School also confirmed it may accept enrolments from Docklands if there are vacancies available, despite being outside of the school’s zone.

Private schools in nearby suburbs are also ready to welcome Docklands’ families.

St Michael’s North Melbourne school leader Daniel Barr said the school had plenty of vacancies for grade prep next year and welcomed enrolments from Docklands.

According to Mr Barr, around 10 Docklands families already send their children to the school.

“Some people might have the misconception that because we are a Catholic school we only take Catholic children, but that’s not the case,” Mr Barr said.

“We accept enrolment from any denomination and we are a very multicultural school.”

Holy Rosary Primary School in Kensington is also accepting enrolments from Docklands, principal Amanda Smith confirmed.

“We’ve just started to take enrolments from Docklands and have about five or six enrolments left for prep next year,” Ms Smith said.

Meanwhile, local families continue to campaign for the construction of a primary school in Docklands.

Docklands Community Forum (DCF) representative Janine Standfield has been particularly vocal about the need for a local school and the DCF has identified a local school as its number one priority.

Speaking at the October 29 forum, Ms Standfield said she had been contacted by the Our Children, Our Schools alliance about the forum joining the group.

The group is an alliance of Victorian community education campaigns and includes the TwoSchoolsNow lobby group. Attendees at the October forum voted to join the alliance.

“Their aim is similar to the DCF, we all want out kids to be able to access high quality primary and secondary school education within their community,” Ms Standfield said of the alliance.

Although a site has been allocated for a school in Docklands, funding is yet to be allocated to building a local school.

“Places Victoria has secured a site for a school within the Digital Harbour precinct,” a Places Victoria spokesperson said.

“Places Victoria continues to progress discussions with private education entities and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development about the provision of a school for Docklands.”

“Funding remains the most significant impediment to the delivery of this project.”

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