Students from Northern Beaches Secondary College (Freshwater Senior Campus) stage a walk out today to protest against the decision to become a full high school from 2027.
The Department of Education announced last year that following ‘positive feedback from community consultations,’ Years 7 to 9 would be allowed to join in 2026, with a move to full enrolments across all grades in 2027.
There has been strong opposition to the move from existing students and parents, with a petition launched last year which attracted over 2,000 signatures.
Student captains Sophie and Sebastian, speaking on ABC Sydney, said they were ‘not OK’ with the Department’s decision. They said that the formula of a seniors-only school was extremely successful, shown by the commitment of students and academic results. Sebastian said that while doing the HSC was important, ‘school is so much more than the marks. This place is much more than that. We come for the culture, we prioritise our mental health.’
While the students had been part of discussions with officials from the Department of Education in 2024, Sophie described the process as ‘really disappointing.’ “It seems like box ticking rather than what students and teachers had to say. There was a consultation in August and a decision by September. It seems the decision was conceived before the consultation process.”
At 11am, the students will walk out to Harbord Road to show their anger and are demanding the decision be reversed. “This is such a passionate group of students,” Sebastian said. “This is something we won’t back down on. This is something students are willing to not come to school for.
