Local schools hit funding jackpot

The model works by allocating money to each student based on their year level. Extra funding will also be allocated to Aboriginal students, students requiring extra support and students with disabilities.

Among the big winners was Atwell College which at this stage will gain an extra $350,000 under the new model.

A chain of local primary schools follow, with Aubin Grove PS set to gain $231,000, Success PS ($217,000), Atwell PS ($132,000) and Jandakot PS ($127,000) rounding out the top five.

On the other end of the scale, North Lake Senior Campus and Lakeland Senior High School could lose up to $250,000, while Hamilton SHS could be in for cuts of up to $239,000.

A number of local principals sought for comment about the gains and cuts were reluctant to speak on the record.

But the general consensus was that the budgets were likely to fluctuate heavily between now and next year, considering they were calculated using projected enrolment information submitted by each principal in May.

WA Secondary School Executives Association president Janette Gee said the figures at least gave schools an idea of their budget so they could get cracking on planning timetables and ensuring they had enough staff and classrooms for the year to come.

‘It has always been the case that the actual revised budgets are released in Term 1 when school enrolments are known,’ she said.