Students in their final years of study at a Catholic girls school in Melbourne's inner-south have been offered the chance to finish their VCE studies at a neighbouring boys' school, after their college abruptly announced its closure.
Students, parents and teachers at the 146-year-old Presentation College Windsor (PCW) were shocked after the school announced earlier this week that it would shut after the 2020 school year due to falling enrolments.
Parents of Year 10 students had questioned where their daughters would finish their schooling, given they would be halfway through VCE studies at the end of next year.
Today, the operator of Christian Brothers' College St Kilda (CBC) — a Catholic boys school that has partnered with Presentation College in the past — confirmed it had offered students from Years 10 and 11 places at its school.
"CBC St Kilda and Presentation College Windsor have enjoyed many years of strong friendship and partnership in the provision of Catholic education," Edmund Rice Education Australia said in a statement.
"CBC is privileged to be able to immediately offer girls in senior years a pathway to complete their VCE and VCAL studies after the closure of their College.
"This means that girls currently at PCW in Years 10 and 11 will have the opportunity complete their secondary education in a shared venture at CBC."
Presentation College principal Filina Virgato yesterday said the decision to close the school had been a "really hard one", but competition from new state schools had affected projected enrolments.
The nearby co-educational Prahran High School opened at the start of this year with its first Year 7 students.
Premier Daniel Andrews yesterday ruled out a Government bailout for the school.
'Absolutely no details' about specifics, parent says
Stieve De Lance, the mother of a Year 10 student, said it was a "great relief" and her family was grateful to CBC after receiving rejections from other nearby schools.
"At least she has an offer, because it's been really concerning and we have had almost no sleep for several days trying to work out what to do with her," she said.
But she said parents had received "absolutely no details" from either school about the specifics of moving students to the neighbouring school, or how the all-boys school would accommodate an influx of girls.
"I think it's imperative now that we get a good solid plan in order so that our girls see they have a future … and that way we can give them the best opportunity," she said.
Ms De Lance said the fact her daughter had been offered a place at a boys school was not a deal-breaker, but her preference would have been for her to continue at an all-girls school.
