Queensland Schools Planning Reference Committee

The Queensland Schools Planning Reference Committee (QSPRC)'s purpose is to establish and maintain a consultative, cross-sector process to:

• assess the impact of population growth and to inform the planning of new schools in Queensland
• provide advice to Government on general issues relating to the planning of new schools, and possible reforms to assist in the timely, collaborative and efficient delivery of educational infrastructure for growth areas
• investigate and consult further on the role of a Schools Planning Forum, proposed to meet on an annual basis, with representatives from the education sectors, local government, state government planning department, and development industry to discuss issues relating to planning for new schools.

QSPRC background

The Queensland School Planning Commission was a Ministerial Advisory Committee tasked in 2012 with improving processes for the planning of Queensland schools in consultation with key sectorial stakeholders. The work of the commission was completed in July 2014 following submission of a second and final report and delivery on its ministerial mandate.

A recommendation from the commission's final report was to continue ongoing consultation about future demand mapping for new state and non-state school requirements in collaboration with key stakeholders. Consequently, the QSPRC will continue to consult with cross-sectoral stakeholders to provide advice on the planning and delivery of future schools in Queensland.

QSPRC membership

QSPRC committee chair

• Executive Director – Strategy and Service Planning, Infrastructure Services Division, Department of Education (DoE)

QSPRC committee members

• Manager – Capital Programs, Queensland Catholic Education Commission
• Manager – Future Planning, Demographics and Property, Brisbane Catholic Education
• Assistant Director – Research, Policy and Communications, Independent Schools Queensland
• Lead – Planning and Development, Development and Environment, Local Government Association of Queensland
• Team Leader – Consolidated Projection Project, Queensland Government Statistician's Office (QGSO), Queensland Treasury
• Director – Community Hubs and Partnerships, Department of State Development, Local Government, Infrastructure and Planning

QSPRC terms of reference

The QSPRC terms of reference document outlines the terms in which the committee operates.

QSPRC cross-sectoral new school demand mapping

Under the umbrella of the QSPRC, regular consultation occurs with local councils experiencing or expecting significant population growth. Population projections provided by the QGSO and by participating councils is analysed and compared to existing cross-sectoral school capacity to determine the future new school demand within council areas. Cross-sectoral demand mapping meetings include a broad range of stakeholders including representatives from:

• the Department of Education
• the Queensland Catholic Education Commission and local Catholic diocese
• Independent Schools Queensland and the Independent Schools Block Grant Authority
• the participating local council
• QGSO
• local non-government schools
• other Queensland government departments.

The QSPRC completed the latest round of demand mapping in June 2020, based on the 2018 edition of the Queensland population projections prepared by the QGSO. Demand mapping meetings were held with 13 high growth local councils across Queensland. Demand maps for the local councils can be accessed below:

• Brisbane City Council—2019 (PDF, 355KB)
• Cairns Regional Council—2019 (PDF, 286KB)
• City of Gold Coast Council—2019 (PDF, 319KB)
• Ipswich City Council—2019 (PDF, 282KB)
• Logan City Council—2019 (PDF, 323KB)
• Mackay Regional Council—2020 (PDF, 851KB)
• Moreton Bay Regional Council—2019 (PDF, 364KB)
• Redland City Council—2020 (PDF, 852KB)
• Rockhampton Regional Council—2020 (PDF, 803KB)
• Sunshine Coast Council—2019 (PDF, 287KB)
• Toowoomba Regional Council—2019 (PDF, 337KB)
• Townsville City Council—2020 (PDF, 782KB)
• Whitsunday Regional Council—2019 (PDF, 306KB)

The previous round of cross-sectoral demand mapping was completed between October 2017 and May 2018 based on the previous 2015 edition of the Queensland population projections. Demand mapping meetings were held with 10 high-growth local councils and the demand maps from these meetings can be found below:

• Brisbane City Council—2017 (PDF, 3.1MB)
• Cairns Regional Council—2018 (PDF, 373KB)
• Council of the City of Gold Coast—2017 (PDF, 2.4MB)
• Ipswich City Council—2017 (PDF, 1.4MB)
• Logan City Council—2017 (PDF, 1.2MB)
• Sunshine Coast Council—2017 (PDF, 1.2MB)
• Townsville City Council—2018 (PDF, 995KB)
• Redland City Council—2018 (PDF, 401KB)
• Toowoomba Regional Council—2018 (PDF, 737KB)
• Moreton Bay Regional Council—2018 (PDF, 1.1MB)

School-age population projections and interactive map

The QGSO prepares school-age population projections based on the most recent Queensland population projections, which inform the demand mapping meetings, and an interactive projected school-aged persons map. Data and mapping are publicly available from the QGSO webpage.

Queensland school site selection guide

Representatives from the state and non-state state education sectors have collaboratively developed a Queensland school site selection guide to provide developers, design consultants and local governments with an overview of the considerations for the selection of school sites for all school sectors in Queensland.

The Department of Education also has its own detailed site selection guideline.

Schools Planning Forums

The Schools Planning Forums will provide an insight into issues, opportunities and collaborative efforts to improve schools planning in Queensland. The first School Planning Forum was held in August and September 2020, followed by a second School Planning Forum held in October and November 2022.

2020 forum

18 August 2020—the strategic context of planning for schools in Queensland.

• An Introduction to the QSPRC (PDF, 1.1MB)
• Queensland Government population projections (PDF, 1.1MB)
• School enrolment trends (PDF, 1.3MB)
• Research paper—Independent Schools Infrastructure: planning to maintain choice (PDF, 5.7MB)

1 September 2020—innovation in funding and partnership models.

• Introduction—The scale of new school delivery required in Queensland (PDF, 1.4MB)
• Social Infrastructure and the Community Hubs and Partnerships (CHaPs) program (PDF, 1.9MB)
• Case Study—Australian Industry Trade College (AITC) (PDF, 2.8MB)
  
• Case Study—Newman Catholic College and James Cook University partnership (PDF, 16.5MB)

15 September 2020—innovation in planning, development and design of new schools.

• Queensland school site selection guide (PDF, 750KB)
  
• Ministerial infrastructure designations (PDF, 1.2MB)
• Case study—delivering Palmview schools (PDF, 3.4MB)
  
• Case study—Baringa Community Hub pilot project (PDF, 1.4MB)
  
• Sunshine Coast Design (PDF, 3.6MB)
  
• Ministerial infrastructure designation in practice (PDF, 2MB)
  

2022 forum

25 October 2022—population and enrolment growth post-COVID.

• Population change in Queensland during COVID—how different has this been and what impacts this might have on the future population
  
• Impact of COVID on Queensland enrolments
  

2 November 2022—growth areas and planning for new schools.

• Case study—schools planning in the Caboolture West priority growth area
• Case study—Victorian Government school site selection criteria toolbox

8 November 2022—community hubs and shared infrastructure.

• FamilyLinQ and DoE Integrated Hubs Strategy
• Case study—The Buzz, Yarrabilba

Contact QSPRC

The Infrastructure Services Branch of DoE hosts the Secretariat function for the QSPRC.

The QSPRC is contactable through the secretariat:

Phone: (07) 3328 6819
Email: QSPRC@qed.qld.gov.au