Pallara State School Among Brisbane Schools Facing Enrollment Surge

Pallara State School is among the schools that are expected to face capacity issues in the coming years as rising enrollment puts pressure on some public primary schools in Brisbane.

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At Pallara State School, the student numbers are forecasted to jump to 1,600 by 2027, an increase of 472 from current levels.

The swell in enrollment is being driven by new housing developments in the area surrounding the school, located in the city’s south side.

According to Mandi Tran, president of the Pallara State School P&C, there are many young families moving into the area, so it is not surprising that the school is projected to see significant growth.

Mrs Tran stated that it is a substantial increase and the P&C is working closely with the education department to ensure all necessary provisions are in place.

At the start of this school year, Pallara students had to temporarily learn in portable classrooms due to delays in installing new permanent facilities. The situation highlighted the capacity crunch facing the school as it tries to accommodate the rapid influx of new students.

To help schools like Pallara meet growing demand, the Queensland Government has committed funding for major expansions. The Department of Education said the expansions at Pallara, along with nearby schools Griffin and Indooroopilly, will ensure sufficient capacity to handle continuing growth.

Artist’s impression of new learning centre at Pallara State School (Photo credit: pallarass.eq.edu.au)

For Pallara, the state has allocated money to construct a three-story building with 21 new learning spaces. The proposed development, expected to be completed in time for the 2025 school year, will include 20 classrooms with four devoted to preps, as well as one specialist classroom.

Earlier this year, Pallara State School announced additional temporary hire spaces will be installed before the end of 2023 to ease the transition between school years as the permanent expansion takes shape.

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For growing schools across Brisbane, striking the right balance between meeting current demand and planning for the future will be key to ensuring a quality learning environment for students.

Published 10-October-2023