Breaking: NSW to Have New Opportunity Classes (OC) From 2025
- March 22, 2024
- 4:44 pm
- No Comments
The New South Wales Department of Education is introducing changes to increase the number of public schools offering opportunity classes across the state.
Starting Term 1 of 2025, the following primary schools will host opportunity classes (OC) for the first time:
- Blacktown West Public School
- Brookvale Public School
- Lindfield East Public School
- Maroubra Junction Public School
- Miranda Public School
- Penrith Public School
- St Clair Public School
- Toongabbie Public School
- Wahroonga Public School
More details: Each of these new opportunity class schools will have a single class consisting of 15 Year 5 students in 2025.
Reduced intake: To accommodate the addition of these new opportunity classes, some existing opportunity classes will have a reduced intake starting from 2025.
However, the total number of opportunity class places will remain at 1,840.
Reduced intake schools: The following schools will have their opportunity class intake reduced from 30 to 15 places, unless otherwise specified:
- Artarmon Public School (reduced from 60 to 30 places)
- Balgowlah Heights Public School
- Blacktown South Public School
- Caringbah North Public School
- Colyton Public School
- Kingswood Public School
- Woollahra Public School (reduced from 60 to 30 places)
Please note: There will be no impact on students currently attending an opportunity class.
Current opportunity class students do not need to change schools.
Why Were The Changes Made?
The Department of Education has said on its official website that it continuously monitors enrolment numbers and available school places to ensure all students can attend their local public schools. These changes aim to:
- Introduce opportunity classes at more schools.
- Optimize the use of school infrastructure and improve access for local students.
- Potentially increase the capacity of new opportunity class schools to accept siblings of opportunity class students.
Class Sizes in 2025:
> Existing opportunity class schools reducing from 30 to 15 Year 5 places will have two classes in 2025: a Year 6 class of up to 30 students, and a Year 5 class of up to 15 students.
> Existing opportunity class schools reducing from 60 to 30 Year 5 places will have three classes in 2025: two Year 6 classes of up to 30 students each, and a Year 5 class of up to 30 students.
> New opportunity class schools will have one Year 5 class of 15 students.
Class Sizes in 2026:
> From 2026, most of the impacted schools will have a Year 5/6 composite opportunity class of 30 students.
> Artarmon Public School and Woollahra Public School will have one Year 5 class and one Year 6 class, each with up to 30 students.
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