Sacred Heart Central School denies closure rumours

The Herald understands a meeting was held earlier in the week discussing the future of Sacred Heart Central School.

The Catholic institution has been a figurehead in Cootamundra for more than a century, however, the government's revised needs-based funding model has tightened the squeeze on Catholic schools across the nation.

The school itself has undergone a series of recent upgrades, including a $900,000 upgrade to their primary education facilities, and currently enrolls around 300 students from the local area with about 100 students attending years 7 to 10.

Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn director Ross Fox said in a statement the recent facility upgrades clearly suggested a long-term commitment to education at Sacred Heart.

“There has been recent significant investment to upgrade the facilities at the school, which indicates the ongoing commitment to the future of Sacred Heart and quality learning and teaching,” Mr Fox said.

Mr Fox conceded the government’s updated educational model would likely put pressure on fees across Catholic schools but gave assurances that fees would be kept to a minimum.

“(We) will keep fees as low as possible to ensure parents continue to have a choice for their children,” he said.

Sacred Heart Central School Parents and Friends president Melissa Finnigan was unaware of any speculation surrounding the school’s future but said changes were unlikely.

“It’s the first I’ve heard of it,” Mrs Finnigan said.

“It is a central school, so you’d think that even if the secondary part was in doubt, the whole school would have to go as well.

“The whole situation seems unlikely.”