‘Betrayal of trust’: Newington old boys ramp up pressure over co-ed move

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A group of alumni from Newington College will ramp up pressure on the school to have its decision to go co-ed reversed, saying most old boys surveyed on the issue were opposed or undecided about the shift, while half were against increasing student numbers.

An online petition objecting to the co-ed announcement – which has garnered almost 1400 signatures – is calling on parents and the college’s old boys to demand the school scrap the decision and “preserve Newington’s legacy for future generations”.

Phil Holey, a former student who served on the school council from 2003 to 2018, estimated the transition to co-ed at the Stanmore campus would likely cost up to $70 million in upgrades to classrooms, new sporting facilities, common rooms and repurposing toilet blocks.

A survey of Newington College alumni found the biggest concern for former students was rising fees at the school.Credit: Steven Siewert

“A significant amount of funds will be needed to remodel the school buildings for co-ed, which will be hugely disruptive,” said Holey, who is a former chairman of the school’s property committee.

“I am dead against the plan, and see it as a betrayal of trust. I anticipate there will be legal action regarding the change.”

The inner west private all-boys institution is among the 20 largest private schools in the state, with about 2030 students enrolled this year. Newington does not have a council-approved maximum student cap, but has outlined plans to boost numbers by 20 per cent within the decade.

On Monday, Newington announced the first girls will join the senior campus in 2028 in year 7 and year 11, with the college becoming fully co-educational by 2033. Female students will be enrolled in the junior school from 2026.

A survey conducted by Newington’s old boys union last year, run by consultancy Fiftyfive5, found more than half of respondents were opposed or undecided about co-ed.

But rising fees were rated as the biggest challenge to the future of the school, the survey of almost 900 former students found. While an increase in student numbers was a concern, the group said a rise in pupils could also offset fees hikes.

Fees jumped by about 6 per cent for its senior school students to almost $39,000 for year 12 last year, but are likely to rise again in 2024 as private schools increase teacher salaries to compete with rises in the public sector, while inflationary pressure and decreases in government funding will also affect tuition costs.

The survey, conducted in June 2022, found 46 per cent were opposed to the school increasing student numbers. About two-thirds of old boys “were happy with the current level of socio-economic, cultural diversity and inclusiveness at the college”.

Two-thirds supported an increase in socio-economic, cultural diversity and inclusiveness among students. About 57 per cent did were opposed or undecided on the co-ed change, while 32 per cent were in favour.

One former student, who requested anonymity to speak freely, said there were “very many disaffected former students – spanning generations”.

“There are old boys with a legal background who are looking closely to see if it could be challenged. Newington had a positive future with population growth in the inner west. They’ve never been in a better position, so in my view the motivation seems to be ideological.”

However, Newington’s chairman Tony McDonald said the “majority of our community shares our excitement about the future direction of the school”, and the benefits co-ed will deliver to current and future students and families.

“The college is gladly engaging in constructive dialogue with our community. We have not directly been threatened with any legal action and have received extensive legal advice throughout this process. Alumni were consulted on a number of occasions,” he said.

In a letter to former students in early November, old boys union president said its executive had been involved in “ensuring that the perspectives of all Old Newingtonians are considered in the council’s decision-making process.

Former president of the old boys union and one-time school council member, Ian Webster, said while a move to co-ed was “valid” he was concerned about the practical requirements and “lack of available sporting space” for girls.

“How will the school create the required sporting facilities for girls, when there is not enough space for boys now,” he said. “Some of the families that have registered their sons have signed up for a boys’ education and will be given a school in co-ed transition. That is not fair.”

Newington is governed by an act of parliament, and was founded by the Methodist church in 1863. It is a member of the Athletics Association of Great Public Schools, a historic sporting association of boys’ schools, which also includes Shore and Scots College.

Newington has increased the number of women sitting on its board from four to six, with three new female members appointed in the past two years.

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