Northern Beaches community consultation

The Department of Education has completed a comprehensive 7-week consultation process with students, parents and carers, staff from 24 primary and high schools and the Northern Beaches community on high school enrolment decision-making.

Consultation, which ran from 2 August to 20 September, included an online survey, independently facilitated in-person and online workshops and collected comprehensive feedback on a range of proposals for Years 7-12.

The consultation sought feedback on following options:

Proposal A: NBSC Freshwater Senior Campus would move from a Year 11-12 Senior campus to a Year 7-12 Campus.

Proposal B: NBSC Manly Campus would offer non-selective enrolment in Years 7-9 for students from a new local intake area, with the current arrangement that adds additional selective students in older grades to cease. Non-selective students would move to NBSC Freshwater Senior Campus for Years 10-12.

Proposal C: Intake area adjustments for NBSC Cromer Campus and The Forest High School, to expand their intake areas to all homes without a guaranteed co-educational option.

Proposal D: NBSC Mackellar Girls Campus and NBSC Balgowlah Boys Campus would become co-educational Year 7-12 campuses.

Next steps

The department is currently reviewing all feedback received over the 7-week period.

A report outlining the consultation findings will then be prepared.

An update on how future co-educational access will be provided to the Northern Beaches community will be shared, at the earliest, by late 2024.

Frequently asked questions

What was the purpose of the consultation?

The Northern Beaches consultation aimed to better understand parent and student decision-making regarding high school enrolment choices, including preferences relating to educational offerings.

Who was consulted and how?

The consultation process engaged current and future students, teachers and staff, primary and high school parents and carers, the public and special interest groups.

The consultation process included 22 workshops, focus groups and an online survey.

Schools involved:

• Northern Beaches Secondary College, Balgowlah Boys Campus
• Northern Beaches Secondary College, Cromer Campus
• Northern Beaches Secondary College, Mackellar Girls Campus
• Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Campus
• Northern Beaches Secondary College, Freshwater Senior Campus
• The Forest High School
• Barrenjoey High School
• Balgowlah Heights Public School
• Balgowlah North Public School
• Beacon Hill Public School
• Brookvale Public School
• Collaroy Plateau Public School
• Cromer Public School
• Curl Curl North Public School
• Dee Why Public School
• Harbord Public School
• Manly Vale Public School
• Manly Village Public School
• Manly West Public School
• Narrabeen Sports High School
• Narraweena Public School
• Pittwater High School
• Seaforth Public School
• Wheeler Heights Public School.

How does the proposal evaluation process work?

The Department of Education will use the consultation outcomes, as well as detailed internal assessments, to inform the most appropriate way to increase access for students to co-educational high school options in the Northern Beaches.

Was the outcome predetermined?

The only pre-determined outcome was that a change was needed to provide all students with a guaranteed co-educational option for all years of their secondary schooling.

Any recommendations will be informed by an analysis of the feedback received during consultation.

Who facilitated the consultation?

The department coordinated consultation with the help of an independent external facilitator.

Can I still make a submission after the consultation period has closed?

We have received a significant amount of feedback from the Northern Beaches community during the consultation period.

To ensure we can assess the outcomes of the consultation in a timely manner, we can no longer accept submissions.

When will the post-consultation report be released?

The department is currently reviewing all feedback received over the 7-week period.

A report outlining the consultation findings will then be prepared.

An update on how future co-educational access will be provided to the Northern Beaches community will be shared, at the earliest, by late 2024.

How long will consultation findings take to implement?

An update on how future co-educational access will be provided to the Northern Beaches community will be shared, at the earliest, by late 2024. This will include information on implementation.

What does this mean for current high school students in the Northern Beaches?

Any adjustments related to the implementation of a preferred proposal will be done collaboratively with all stakeholders, including students, staff, parents and carers.

Do you plan to build a new school in the area?

Consultation focused on understanding local contexts and preferences regarding educational offerings – it was not about delivering a new school.

More information

Please email NorthernBeachesConsultation@det.nsw.edu.au for more information.