Objective: Allow local catchment children to attend the state school located at 78 Bywong St Toowong known as Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology.

The Queensland Government has committed $33 million under the Building Future Schools fund towards expanding the existing state school located at 78 Bywong Street Toowong. The expansion will introduce years 7 to 9 to the school and increase enrolment capacity from 650 to 1,200 over the period 2019 to 2021. However, this state school is a select entry only school. This means there is no local catchment area. The select entry process is designed to allow only academically gifted children to attend. These children are required to pass an entry examination process.

Currently local catchment children travel away from this school whilst select entry children travel to this school from all over Brisbane, Ipswich and beyond. The state government funding allocation has significantly favoured this select entry school over other local catchment schools.

The concept of a state school being select entry and also catchment is not new. Brisbane State High School operates as a catchment and also a select entry school. The concept of a state school offering choices from the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority and the International Baccalaureate Diploma is also not new with Indooroopilly State High School operating under this model.

Therefore, if you like me, wish to see local children have the opportunity to attend their local state school and benefit from this significant state government investment please act now by:

1/ Supporting this petition before Wednesday the 31st of October to:

a) Establish this school as a select entry school and local catchment school;
b) Introduce offering choices from the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority in addition to the existing International Baccalaureate Diploma.

2/ Encourage your neighbours and local community to also get behind this petition.

Paul McLellan
Toowong Habitat Protection Group

Supported by Michael Berkman, State Member of Parliament for Maiwar - The Queensland Greens