We need a long-term vision for Docklands Primary School

Docklands Primary School is a great school but it was full almost as soon as it was built.

You may have heard that the Victorian Labor Government is planning to “fix” this by cramming hundreds of students into a small shop-front down the road from the school.

This brings with it a long list of problems, such as the space being too small, kids having to enter and exit the space through a public shopping centre, there being no space for play, lunch, or specialist subjects, school staff having to manage transporting kids safely to and from the site with no extra resources, and more.

We need a better solution than this. Our children should have proper spaces to learn and play.

Unfortunately, the state government has a history of poor planning when it comes to our schools. This is another example of the government trying to play catch-up and opting for cheap solutions instead of investing in a long-term plan to ensure all our kids have a good quality public school to go to.

Right now, there are two empty blocks of land right next to Docklands Primary School.

They’re slated to become apartments, but they could be part of a plan to expand the primary school for the future, and even build a high school – another thing the Docklands community desperately wants and needs. After all, if more apartments are built, where are all the kids who live in them going to go to school?

Unfortunately, the Victorian Labor Government doesn’t seem interested in making this happen or coming up with another long-term solution.

I’ve been working with the school community for a long time, including as part of the push to build Docklands Primary School in the first place.

Since then, I’ve been campaigning for road safety upgrades around the school and now I’m working with the school community to push the state government to come up with a better, long-term solution for Docklands Primary School.

If there is anything I can help you with, please get in touch: [email protected] •

Caption: State MP for Melbourne, Ellen Sandell, meeting parents outside Docklands Primary School.