Wednesday July 31, 2019

Rural Catholic schools to move Year 7s

Schools

Catholic schools in regional South Australia will transition Year 7 students to secondary school by 2022, bringing them in line with their metropolitan counterparts which have already made the move, and government schools which will do so by 2022.

Jenny Brinkworth

Wednesday July 31, 2019

Wednesday July 31, 2019 Comments

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The transition is part of a commitment made by Catholic Education in 2015 and follows similar decisions in every other State and Territory. It means that Year 6 will become the final year of primary schooling and Year 7 will become the first year of secondary schooling.

The South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools (SACCS) has determined that primary schools in Millicent, Penola, Gladstone and Jamestown will provide R-6 education from 2022. Students will be supported to transition to their regional R-12 Catholic school or other chosen school.

“For other regional Catholic schools, we are currently undertaking a Regional Schools Pathways Project to consider a range of potential options to strengthen, where possible, Catholic education pathways for students beyond Year 6 from 2022, particularly where there are no nearby secondary Catholic schools,” said Nichii Mardon, coordinator of the project and director of Catholic Education in the Diocese of Port Pirie.

This includes the following Catholic schools: St Joseph’s School, Peterborough; St Mary MacKillop School, Wallaroo; St Joseph’s School, Clare; St Columba’s Memorial School, Yorketown; St Joseph’s School, Murray Bridge; Riverland region, including St Joseph’s School, Barmera, Our Lady of the River School, Berri, St Joseph’s School, Renmark, and St Albert’s School, Loxton.

Initiatives being considered include Reception to Year 9, Reception to Year 12, Middle Years education, supported transition to boarding, and subsidised bus service.

“Not every regional Catholic primary school in South Australia will be able to extend to a secondary Catholic education option, and where this is not feasible, 2021 will be the last year in which Year 7 will be offered,”
Ms Mardon said.

The project team is seeking feedback through consultation via a survey to families currently attending Catholic schools and the wider regional community to assist in developing recommendations. People can have their say about what they would like to see offered by Catholic Education in their region at www.cesa.catholic.edu.au/yoursay. The survey is open until Wednesday August 7.