Northern Beaches Secondary College Freshwater Senior Campus will move to a 7-12 campus, beginning with enrolments for Years 7 and 8 students from Term 1 2027 alongside Years 11 and 12 students.

The school will operate as a Years 7-12 high school setting from 2028.

A Northern Beaches community consultation, concluded last year, found strong support for co-education. This included:

• 74 per cent of local early childhood parents and carers preferring a co-educational school setting for high school.

• 68 per cent of local primary school parents and carers preferring a co-educational school setting for high school.

The most preferred option to deliver guaranteed co-educational access was expanding NBSC Freshwater campus to years 7-12.

The timeline to expand Northern Beaches Secondary College Freshwater Senior Campus to include Years 7 to 10 has been extended to allow more time for transition planning and to enable currently enrolled to complete their senior schooling.

The updated timeframe will now see Years 7 and 8 start at Freshwater in 2027, and Years 7-12 from 2028.

The longer transition will allow the current student cohort to complete their senior schooling and provide more time for parents to plan for their children’s schooling.

An increase in the student population will expand co-educational options in the Northern Beaches area, providing a more local and therefore accessible co-educational option for students in Years 7-10.

Feedback from the local community received during consultation indicated a strong preference for access to co-educational high school settings in the Northern Beaches area. There was significant support from local public primary and preschool parents, carers and students for Proposal A, NBSC Freshwater Senior Campus to move to a 7-12 co-education campus.

The recommendation to expand enrolments at Freshwater Senior campus will continue to be implemented, with additional time provided to support staff, students and parents through the transition, commencing with enrolment of Years 7 and 8 in 2027 and offering places for Years 7-12 from 2028.

Local intake areas have been reviewed and adjustments will be made to the NBSC campuses and surrounding high school's intake areas. These will be available on School Finder for Term 1 2026.

All staff will be retained. The school will be staffed in line with the Staffing Agreement.

Additional teaching staff will be recruited as the NBSC Senior Campus transitions to a Year 7-12 school.

The updated timeframe will now see Years 7 and 8 start at Freshwater in 2027, and Years 7-12 from 2028. The longer transition will allow the current student cohort to complete their senior schooling and provide more time for parents to plan for their children’s schooling.

During this time the school facilities will be upgraded and teachers will plan for implementing the 7-12 curriculum.

In 2027, Year 7 and Year 8 students will be able to enrol, along with Years 11 and 12 students. In 2028, the school will be fully operational for Years 7-12.

The department will invest in upgrading infrastructure at the site to make Freshwater Campus suitable for the changed community.

All campuses in Northern Beaches Secondary College will continue educational provision for Years 11 and 12.

All students who live within the catchment area will have assured enrolment at the school.

Consultation will be undertaken with the school to determine which features need to be retained.

The transition team and the principal will revise all school operations currently in place. Relevant details will be published for students and parents when available.

In line with the department’s enrolment policy, NBSC Freshwater Campus will accommodate all designated intake area students. Where capacity exists, out-of-area students may seek enrolment until the school reaches its designated enrolment cap. At Freshwater Campus, there will be a larger intake for Year 11 and 12 students compared to intakes for Year 7-10 cohorts.

In addition to works at Freshwater Campus to support the move to a Year 7-12 provision, all NBSC campuses will have a condition assessment undertaken. In particular, refurbishment and upgrade works will be undertaken at NBSC Balgowlah Boys campus, following a condition assessment of the school. Further information will be provided to the local school community about these works in 2025.