To

The Hon. Prue Car, MP and Minister for Education and Early Learning, and Minister for Western Sydney

Mr. Warren Kirby,
Member for Riverstone,

Why I started this petition
My name is Vithal Maddala, and I started this petition as a long-term resident of Oaklands Estate (Giselle Street) in Schofields, nestled between Grange Avenue, Bridge Street, Schofields Road, and Veron Road. I have seen Schofields grow rapidly, while families continue to struggle for fair access to local public education. Like many others, I have spent years advocating in good faith for a high school that would genuinely serve our wider community. When the provisional catchment boundaries were released and most of Schofields was excluded, it was deeply disappointing. This petition reflects not just my experience, but the shared frustration of many families who spoke up, engaged respectfully, and now simply want to be heard and treated fairly.

An important note
A portion of Schofields currently falls within The Ponds High School catchment area. Families residing in this area are not expected to participate in this petition, as they may prefer to remain within their existing catchment arrangements. This petition does not seek to alter, disrupt, or advocate for any changes to the established catchment boundaries of streets in Schofields that fall under The Ponds High School catchment, as this is outside the scope of this petition. The sole focus of this petition is to ensure fair consideration for families in Schofields currently within the Riverstone High School catchment to be included in the Tallawong High School catchment.

Tallawong High School acknowledgement
We acknowledge and thank the current NSW Government for announcing and commencing construction of the new high school for Schofields and Tallawong. This is an important step toward addressing the growing demand for public high school places in the area.

Catchment pain
However, families are deeply concerned by the provisional catchment boundaries for the new Tallawong High School, which exclude most of Schofields, despite the highly populated areas of Schofields being in close proximity to the school. For families who have advocated in good faith for years, this exclusion has been deeply distressing and has left many feeling hurt, frustrated, and overlooked by a process they believed would serve their community.

Previous advocacy
Since 2021, families in Schofields have been asking, writing, and advocating for something simple and fair: access to a local public high school. Residents have engaged with both former and current governments with the clear expectation that a new high school would serve the local community equitably. The school was widely understood to serve both Schofields and Tallawong, particularly given that Tallawong was once part of Schofields. Against this backdrop, the exclusion of most of Schofields from the catchment is shocking and extremely disappointing. Many of the families who made representations and fought for this school are now excluded from it.

Cost of living pressures
These provisional boundaries are not just lines on a map. They have real and lasting impacts on families and children and deepen inequity. Many households are being pushed towards private schooling due to the lack of access to a local public high school, placing added financial and emotional strain on families already facing significant cost of living pressures, with no respite in sight. Children are also being separated from their friends and the community they call home, affecting their wellbeing, sense of belonging, and daily routines.

The future of our children and our quality of life
Even with the new high school being built, local primary schools are already overcrowded and too few high schools are planned to meet future demand. With additional primary schools currently being built or announced, today’s primary school students will face even greater pressure when they transition to secondary education.

In an area experiencing rapid housing growth and limited supporting infrastructure, fair access to a local high school is a necessary next step. A fair inclusion of Schofields in the catchment for a school intended to serve Schofields and Tallawong would ease pressure on families, strengthen community ties, and improve quality of life.

Solutions and actions
We respectfully call on decision-makers to take the following actions before the catchment is finalised:

1. Include the areas of Schofields (currently falling under Riverstone High School Catchment) in the Tallawong High School catchment to:

• ensure the school genuinely serves the community it was intended to support
• reflect population distribution and proximity to the school
• provide fair and equitable access to local public education
• reduce unnecessary travel and schooling-related costs, helping ease cost-of-living pressures for local residents
• support stronger community connection and student wellbeing

2. Additionally, give consideration to the inclusion of Nirimba Fields in the catchment.

If inclusion is not possible, urgently improve connectivity from Aerodrome Drive to the Quakers Hill/Nirimba education precinct to provide safe and practical access for residents of Nirimba Fields, while also delivering broader connectivity benefits for the wider community.

Conclusion
We respectfully ask that these concerns be given genuine consideration before the catchment is finalised. A fair and inclusive approach now will ensure the new high school delivers lasting benefits for students, families, and the broader community it was intended to serve.

To the local community
Please sign this petition if you live in Schofields or Nirimba Fields, and include your street name to help demonstrate genuine local support. We kindly ask that this petition not be circulated outside of Schofields and Nirimba Fields.

A portion of Schofields currently falls within The Ponds High School catchment area. Families residing in this area are not expected to participate in this petition, as they may prefer to remain within their existing catchment arrangements. This petition does not seek to alter, disrupt, or advocate for any changes to the established catchment boundaries of streets in Schofields that fall under The Ponds High School catchment, as this is outside the scope of this petition. The sole focus of this petition is to ensure fair consideration for families currently within the Riverstone High School catchment to be included in the Tallawong High School catchment.