A western suburbs primary school will close its doors at the end of 2023, just months after celebrating 125 years.
A western suburbs primary school will close its doors at the end of 2023, just months after celebrating 125 years.
Business News understands families at Loreto Nedlands were notified yesterday that the school would close at the end of next year.
The Catholic school commemorated 125 years of the Loreto ministry being founded in Western Australia with a mass in August.
Loreto Ministries first opened a day school at a house in Adelaide Terrace in 1897 and established the Nedlands school in 1931.
A statement from Loreto Ministries said the decision to close was made by the Province Council of Loreto Australia and South East Asia, and the Loreto Ministries Board.
"The decision follows a comprehensive independent review of the school’s future viability, undertaken in response to changes in the educational landscape over a number of years," the statement said.
The statement also said the review confirmed there had been changes in the demographic of the catchment area and identified the impact on the school's current and long-term financial viability in an increasingly competitive education landscape.
“All in the school community are understandably saddened by the news that our much-loved school will be closing," Loreto Nedlands principal Rika Andres said.
"After more than 90 years serving the Nedlands community, our school has been the foundational learning environment for many generations of students.
"We are supporting students, staff and families as this news becomes known in our community, starting with pastoral and psychological support for students and staff who may be distressed by the news.
"While it will be a difficult time as we work through the implications of the closure, the school leadership team respects the decision that has been made and will be here to support our students, staff and the school community.”
Loreto Ministries acting chief executive Paul Ould said the Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA) would be working with Loreto Nedlands families to support the placement of students at other Catholic schools.
"The priority, however, has always been for the school to continue to deliver excellent education while monitoring the changes in the catchment area," he said.
"The Loreto Nedlands Board, the Principal, Loreto Ministries and the Loreto Province of Australia and South East Asia are committed to ensuring that each student and each staff member is well supported and that uncertainty about their future is minimised.
"Following the decision to close the school, Loreto Ministries engaged with CEWA who are providing comprehensive support, including employment relations support, while identifying transition and post-closure opportunities for all staff."
CEWA executive director Debra Sayce said Loreto Nedlands had a long and rich connection to its community and it was understandable for staff, students and families to be distressed by the news.
“Catholic Education Western Australia is providing comprehensive support to the school, with the immediate focus on pastoral support for staff and students," she said.
"Other Catholic schools in the area are aware of the news and we will be working with these schools to provide support to families who wish to enrol their children at these Catholic schools.”
A nearby school, St Thomas Primary School in Claremont, advised families that any new students moving from Loreto would be given the opportunity to start at St Thomas at the beginning of 2023.
"As you can imagine, this is a difficult time for the children, parents and staff of Loreto," the St Thomas Primary School correspondence said.
"We are processing numerous enrolment enquiries to assist current Loreto families with their applications for enrolment at St Thomas'."
Loreto Nedlands is a co-educational primary school, catering for students from pre-kindy to year six.
Term four at the school started on October 11.
Both Loreto Nedlands and St Thomas' Primary School are "feeder schools" of John XXIII College, an associated secondary school for the junior students.
