Ben Lomond Public School will temporarily close at the end of term 4 after a recent consultation with parents, carers and the local community.
A spokesperson for the NSW Department of Education said it is expected that only two students will be enrolled in the school to start 2026, which appears to be the main reason for the decision.
This figure is well down on recent enrollment numbers.
In 2021 there were as many as 20 students enrolled, however this dropped to 14 in 2022 and 13 in 2023, as per the school’s 2024 annual report published by the NSW Government.
Notably, enrollments climbed back up to 16 in 2024, so the figures have fluctuated based on broader circumstances such as covid-19 restrictions.
Student attendance levels were also impacted in the years following the pandemic, as highlighted by the report.
In addition, there is the simple reality that Ben Lomond is a small community with just 153 residents, as recorded in the last Australian Census in 2021.
Of that number only 19 were below the age of 10 in 2021, with 16 children aged 5-9 years.
So it stands to reason that there might be fewer primary age students in the town five years later.
Despite these challenges, it should be noted that parents, teachers and students all express a high level of satisfaction with Ben Lomond Public in the 2024 annual report.
In fact, there was a 100 per cent agreement from the students that the school constantly strives to improve.
When the New England Times contacted Ben Lomond Public it was emphasised to us that the school is not closing.
The Department of Education further confirmed with us that the school will be in ‘recess’.
According to Department protocols, this decision is made on the basis of what is in the best educational interest of students.
A Department spokesperson added that there is no set time for how long a school can be in recess, as each case is assessed separately.
“A decision to permanently close the school has not been made, and consultation with the local community about possible future enrolments will continue,” the spokesperson said.
For the time being, the school is working with students and parents to arrange transition to their chosen school in 2026. Permanent staff will be redeployed after the school goes into recess.
Ben Lomond Public School is located on Inn Road in Ben Lomond and has been running for 140 years.
The last day of the school term is listed in the school’s newsletter as Friday, December 19.
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