analysed enrolment trends since 2008 at Australian public and private schools <\/a>using the latest data available for each sector.<\/p>\nNo other school in SA had growth of more than 190 per cent in that period. <\/p>\n
Westport Primary School, in Semaphore Park, was among public campuses with the highest growth. <\/p>\n
But when principal Rebecca Huddy started working at the site in 2011, \u201chalf of the classrooms were empty\u201d. <\/p>\n
It now has more than 500 enrolments, including students at the co-located preschool. <\/p>\n
The primary school has grown more than 135 per cent since 2008. <\/p>\n
\u201cBack then when I started, this school didn\u2019t have a reputation for being a school of choice,\u201d Ms Huddy said. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was more, if you didn\u2019t get in anywhere else or you couldn\u2019t access other school, you came here. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was known as the poor school.\u201d <\/p>\n
But the \u201creputation would take of itself\u201d when, under Ms Huddy\u2019s leadership, they began working on \u201cwhat makes a good school\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cOut of our 70-odd staff, only five of them were here when I got here,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve chosen everybody else, which makes a big difference if you\u2019ve got a certain type of person and we all want the same goal.\u201d <\/p>\n
There are currently 11 public campuses in SA with capacity management plans which outline specific enrolment criteria for each school. <\/p>\n
An Education Department spokesman said public school enrolments were closely monitored \u201cto determine current and future capacity requirements\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe department has a focus to ensure that local schools can be accessed by local children and are a school of choice for families,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is supported by a series of capital works projects to increase capacity across the system.\u201d <\/p>\n
This included an upgrade of Westport Primary School \u201cto accommodate growing student numbers\u201d. <\/p>\n
Just 1km away, at independent school Portside Christian College, enrolments had grown 122 per cent, from 282 in 2008, to more than 620 last year. <\/p>\n
Kildare College was the Catholic campus with the largest growth, more than doubling from 361 students to 768 in the same time period. <\/p>\n
Enrolments had grown from 48,000 in 2021 to more than 58,000 this year across Catholic Education SA\u2019s 101 schools. <\/p>\n
\u201cEnrolments into Catholic schools have certainly increased in recent years and are projected to continue to grow in the coming years,\u201d Catholic Education executive director Dr Neil McGoran said. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe see to ensure that a Catholic education is accessible and affordable to all and every child is welcome regardless of religious or cultural background. <\/p>\n
\u201cMaintaining affordability and reducing financial pressures on families are among our key priorities.\u201d <\/p>\n
Is bigger better? Leave a comment or email us at education@news.com.au<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"South Australia\u2019s fastest growing school has grown from just over 100 students to almost 1000 in less 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