School Enrolment Management Plan
Merrimac State High School recognises as its prime obligation, the provision of access to an appropriate educational service for students whose principal place of residence is within the school’s catchment area.
Because of enrolment capacity and growth, Merrimac State High School may be unable to meet this obligation in the future unless action is taken to manage enrolments. The Principal must restrict the enrolment of out-of-catchment students to ensure in-catchment students can enrol at their local state school without requiring additional facilities.
Student enrolment capacity
Merrimac State High School has a maximum student enrolment capacity of 1,492 students.
The school's Programs of Excellence in Academic, Performing Arts, High Performance Sport, Digital and STEAM, Music and Leadership and Cultural are supported through the allocation of a defined number of places. Places in the Programs of Excellence will only be available to out-of-catchment enrolments once the demand for in-catchment enrolment has been met and sufficient student enrolment capacity has been reserved for future in-catchment growth. Currently Merrimac State High School has the capacity to enrol:
- 150 in the Academic Summit Program
- 150 in the Performing Arts Summit Program
- 200 in the High Performance Sport Summit Program
- 100 in the Digital Summit Program
- 60 in the Instrumental Music Program
- 60 in the Leadership and Cultural Program.
Local catchment area
A school's local catchment area is the defined geographical area from which the school is to have its core intake of students.
Merrimac State High School operates under an equidistant catchment area.
The school's catchment map is available from
EdMap.
Out-of-catchment application
Out-of-catchment students applying for enrolment at the school are placed on a waiting list, assessed in order of receipt and prioritised as follows:
- For schools with a Program of Excellence
- Subject to available student enrolment capacity, places will only be available to out-of-catchment enrolments if they satisfy the school's criteria for placement in that particular Program of Excellence and the defined number of places has not yet been filled by enrolments from within the catchment. Sufficient student enrolment capacity must be reserved for future in-catchment growth. (Please note: The enrolment criteria for the Programs of Excellence are available from the school.)
- All other out-of-catchment enrolment applications.
Enrolment policy and procedure
The
Enrolment policy includes further information about in-catchment and out-of-catchment enrolments, acceptance and assessment processes, as well as any associated fees and decisions on enrolments.
For further information regarding School Enrolment Management Plans, please refer to the
School Enrolment Management Plans Procedure or contact the school Principal.
Gazettal date
This updated version of the School Enrolment Management Plan for Merrimac State High School was gazetted on 2 December 2022.
The School Enrolment Management Plan is internally reviewed each year, and if required, updated to reflect any changes to student enrolment capacity and/or Programs of Excellence.