Promised new hall at Sutherland Public School may not hold all the kids

Parents have been told none of the options being considered by the Department of Education would accommodate the present 340 pupils and about 20 staff, let alone parents.

WhiIe most of the pupils would fit inside, the rest would have to sit outside in an adjoining COLA (covered outdoor learning area).

Meryl Remedios, who was among parents who gathered for the election promise by then Shadow Education Minister Pru Car and Heathcote candidate Maryanne Stuart in February 2023 said, "This is clearly not what was promised, and is unacceptable".

The media release, issued by Ms Car and Ms Stuart, stated: "A new hall will allow the school to hold whole-of-school assemblies on site, as well as deliver indoor sport during wet weather".

Ms Car, who is now the Deputy Premier and Education Minister, told parliament this week following a question from Miranda MP Eleni Petinos, the government was "working on fulfilling this election commitment".

"We will work through the detail of those concerns about the delivery of the commitment with that community," she said.

Ms Stuart told the Leader she had met with Ms Car "to express concern with the information provided by the P&C representative".

"The P&C attended a meeting with School Infrastructure on Monday May 6 at my request, to discuss the proposed school hall," she said.

"I am advised that there are four draft options of a hall, which were all 'not fit for purpose' that is, the proposed hall sizes could not cater for all current students and their families."

Ms Stuart said Ms Car was organising a meeting with the department's school infrastructure representatives for Tuesday May 14 "to discuss the government's commitment to build a school hall, which is fit for purpose for a school community in a high growth area"

Ms Stuart said she would be attending and would report back to the P&C and school community.

Ms Stuart said the previous government had been in office for 12 years, and had never made a commitment to build a new hall at the school.

Ms Remedios said Ms Car's response in parliament still lacked a firm undertaking to build a hall that would accommodate the entire school community.

At present, all-of-school assemblies had to be held outdoors or, in bad weather, via Zoom, she said.

Ms Remedios said the school was on a large site, with three potential sites for the hall and parents had not been advised of any factors that would prevent a hall being built to accommodate the entire school.