Jerrabomberra parents say they were not consulted on school boundary changes, despite government claims

People living north of Edwin Land Parkway will not be able to send their children to Jerrabomberra Public School or the new Jerrabomberra High School from next year.

After community backlash, an online survey was opened for people to share their views on Jerrabomberra High School, Bungendore High School and Googong Public School, but not Jerrabomberra Public School.

Deputy secretary of school operations and performance, Murat Dizdar, told a NSW estimates hearing on Monday that normally the local member of parliament, school principal, the Parents & Citizens Association (P&C) president and the regional parent representative would be briefed on boundary changes.

The government wouldn't necessarily do an open feedback forum before announcing changes, he said.

"This is a good problem to have. This is three new public schools coming onboard which is necessitating boundary changes on existing schools," Mr Dizdar said.

Jerrabomberra Public School P&C president Kylie Prescott said she was never briefed or consulted on the changes to enrolment zones and learned the same time as the wider community.

As a member of the project reference group for the new Jerrabomberra High School, Ms Prescott asked at each meeting about the enrolment zones and why the school was to be built for only 500 students when there were over 900 in the nearby primary school.

"Why have stakeholder engagement if you're going to make a decision on demographic data?" she said.

Queanbeyan-Palerang Mayor Kenrick Winchester was notified of the boundary changes on March 21 as the Southern Tablelands representative on the Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations New South Wales.

"It wasn't consultation. It was "this is what we're going to put out'," Mr Winchester said.

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He said after the new enrolment zones were revealed on March 24, he was inundated with messages from unhappy residents.

"It has to change. Dividing Jerrabomberra down Edwin Land Parkway, it just can't happen."

Mr Winchester said another school in South Jerrabomberra may need to be built to cater for the growing population.

Member for Monaro Nichole Overall said on social media she did not have a chance to review the intake zones before they were announced and that she believed Mr Winchester had some level of consultation on the matter but more needed to be done.

Mr Dizdar said the department would examine the community feedback and provide a final note to the minister on the boundary changes.

"There may be some good pertinent views that need to be taken into account."

The online survey closes on April 8.

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