We are required to review school intake areas at least every five years (as set out in the Education Act 2016).
Intake Area Review Principles
In the last Intake Area Review, the following principles were used to guide decision-making:
Highest priority
- Schools have capacity to accommodate local enrolments.
High priority
- School viability is protected.
- Avoid splitting the community.
- Alignment with bus routes.
- Facilitate walking to school.
- Avoid travel through other school intake areas.
Moderate priority
- Zone students to closest government school.
- Align with parents’ travel direction to work.
Opportunities to provide feedback on intake areas
Any opportunities to provide feedback on intake areas will be shown on this webpage.
Intake Area and Feeder School Review 2025
Are there any changes to school intake areas?
School intake areas have been reviewed. This involved looking at student numbers, how much room each school has, future expected student numbers and intake area maps to work out whether intake area change is needed to make sure that:
- schools have enough room for local enrolments
- schools have enough enrolments to stay viable.
The review found that no change is needed to intake areas at this time.
This means that school intake areas will stay the same in 2026.
Although the department usually reviews intake areas once every five years, targeted reviews can happen earlier if needed. Student numbers and the amount of room each school has will be monitored annually for certain schools, to help us understand if an earlier review is needed.
Where can I find more information on intake areas?
You can find more information on intake areas at:
Are there any changes to feeder school arrangements?
We also reviewed feeder schools. Families were invited to provide feedback on feeder school arrangements via an online survey that was open from July 2023 to June 2024. We also received feedback from school principals. We considered the feedback we received, and looked at student numbers and how much room each school has to work out whether feeder school changes are needed so that:
- schools have enough room for local enrolments
- schools have enough enrolments to stay viable.
This means that feeder school arrangements will stay the same in 2026.
Although the department usually reviews feeder schools once every five years, targeted reviews can happen earlier if needed. Enrolment and school capacity data will be monitored annually for certain schools, to help us understand if an earlier review is needed.
Where can I find more information on feeder schools?
You can find more information on feeder schools at the following webpages:
FAQs – Intake area reviews
What is a school intake area?
An intake area is a mapped area that is used to work out which school is the local or ‘in-area’ school for students in primary school. All Tasmanian government primary and district schools have intake areas. You can find your local school primary or district school on the intake area map.
Why are intake areas reviewed?
The department is required, under the Education Act 2016, to review intake areas at least once every five years. This ensures that intake areas remain current as the Tasmanian population changes. Keeping our intake areas up to date makes it easier for all Tasmanian children to access a quality government school close to home. Attending a local school can be a great way for children to feel part of a supportive local community close to home.
When was the last intake area review?
Changes to intake areas from the last intake area review came into place in 2021. The last intake area review used demographic and geographic data to develop new intake area maps for all Tasmanian government schools. When intake area changes came into place in 2021, most school intake areas remained quite like the previous intake areas. Some school intake areas had bigger changes.
Because a range of intake area changes were being put forward in the 2020 Intake Area Review, we asked a range of people for their views to understand the best way to implement these changes. This included hearing from current and future parents of students and young children, school principals and school associations, other government departments, the early education and care sector, local councils and the general public.
During the two-stage consultation process, we received over 1000 submissions from schools, student families and community members across the state. When making decisions on intake area changes, what we heard in consultation was considered against demographic analysis and the intake area review principles. Unfortunately, in the 2020 Intake Area Review, we could not reflect everyone’s feedback, especially when there were different views about the same intake area or street. We can confirm, however, that we what we heard, from both consultation rounds, and assessed it against the intake area review principles.
Why was I not consulted about intake areas as part of the 2025 review?
The most recent intake area review was completed in 2025. The first phase of this review involved looking at student numbers, how much room each school has, future expected student numbers and intake area maps to work out whether intake area change is needed to make sure that:
- schools have enough room for local enrolments
- schools have enough enrolments to stay viable.
The review showed that no change was needed to intake areas at that time. As intake areas were staying the same, formal community consultation processes were not undertaken as part of the 2025 review. However, feedback provided to the department by schools and families was considered against enrolment and capacity data and the intake area review principles.
I provided input but my feedback wasn’t listened to. Why not?
We would like to thank everyone who provided feedback to the department on intake areas. Unfortunately, we could not reflect everyone’s feedback in decisions on intake areas and feeder schools. We can confirm, however, all feedback provided was recorded and considered against the intake area review principles.
How are decisions made on school intake areas?
The following principles were used to guide decision-making when reviewing intake areas:
Highest priority
- Schools have capacity to accommodate local enrolments.
High priority
- School viability is protected.
- Avoid splitting the community.
- Alignment with bus routes.
- Facilitate walking to school.
- Avoid travel through other school intake areas.
Moderate priority
- Zone students to closest government school.
- Align with parents’ travel direction to work.
As noted in the Independent Education Review: Final Report (2024), Tasmanian student numbers are expected to go down over the next decade. This decline will differ across the State, with smaller regional areas likely to be most impacted. Areas with significant housing growth may have an increase in student numbers. Future intake area reviews will consider projected changes in student numbers across Tasmania.
Do intake area reviews impact Catholic and Independent schools in Tasmania?
No. Intake area reviews by the Department for Education, Children and Young People only apply to Tasmanian government primary (K to 6) and district (K to 12) schools. The Catholic and Independent school sectors make their own arrangements regarding enrolments.
When will the intake areas next be reviewed?
Under the Education Act 2016 we are required to determine intake areas for government schools at least once every 5 years. This means that the next intake area review is scheduled to commence in 2029/2030. We can review individual intake areas sooner than that if needed.
How can I provide feedback on a school intake area? You can send feedback to intake.areas@decyp.tas.gov.au. Your feedback will be recorded and considered as part of the next intake area review.
Dunalley and Dodges Ferry Primary Schools targeted intake area review
Dunalley and Dodges Ferry Primary Schools FAQs
What has changed?
The Department for Education Children and Young People has completed a review of the intake areas of Dunalley and Dodges Ferry Primary Schools. The outcome of this review is that Primrose Sands will become part of Dunalley Primary School’s intake area (Primrose Sands was part of Dodges Ferry Primary School’s intake area).
To access intake area maps, visit DECYP’s Find Your Local Primary School webpage.
When will the change come into effect?
This change will be implemented as follows:
2025: Families in Primrose Sands can enrol their child at either Dodges Ferry Primary School or Dunalley Primary School for the rest of 2025.
2026: Primrose Sands becomes part of Dunalley Primary School’s intake area:
- Dunalley Primary School becomes the local ‘in-area’ school for students living in Primrose Sands.
- Primrose Sands students already enrolled at Dodges Ferry Primary School will be able to remain there until they complete Year 6.
- Siblings of students enrolled at Dodges Ferry Primary School will still be able to enrol at the same school as their sibling.
- Primrose Sands families may be able to apply for out-of-area enrolment at Dodges Ferry Primary School. Schools can only accept applications for out-of-area enrolment if they have capacity.
What are the benefits of the change?
This change will:
- Support a viable and sustainable school population at Dunalley Primary School.
- Reduce enrolment pressures at Dodges Ferry High School.
- Respond to projected population growth in the Sorell Local Government Area, where both schools are situated. Sorell Local Government Area is projected to be the fastest growing LGA in percentage terms from 2023 to 2053.
What principles were used to guide decision-making?
The following principles were used in the last Intake Area Review. These Principles were used to guide decision-making in this targeted intake area review:
Highest priority
- Schools have capacity to accommodate local enrolments.
High priority
- School viability is protected.
- Avoid splitting the community.
- Alignment with bus routes.
- Facilitate walking to school.
- Avoid travel through other school intake areas.
Moderate priority
- Zone students to closest government school.
- Align with parents’ travel direction to work.
Making Primrose Sands part of Dunalley Primary School’s intake area is in line with review principles as follows:
- The change will support Dodges Ferry Primary School’s capacity to accommodate local enrolments.
- The change will support viable and sustainable enrolments for Dunalley Primary School.
- Making the entire Primrose Sands area part of Dunalley Primary School’s intake area avoids splitting the community.
Who was consulted?
The following stakeholders were consulted:
- Principals, families and School Association Committees – Dunalley and Dodges Ferry Primary Schools
- Primrose Sands community (online survey with link shared via a postcard sent to all Primrose Sands residents on 14 October 2024).
Feedback was very positive towards the change. Principals and School Association Committees of the two schools were in favour of the change. Feedback from the online survey was also positive towards the change:
- 91 per cent (126 out of 139) of survey respondents reported being happy with the proposed change.
- Most respondents who reported living in Primrose Sands were happy with the proposed change (63 per cent).
There were some concerns raised via the online survey, please see below a list of key concerns raised and DECYP’s response to those concerns.
- Concerns around the increase in travel time and fuel costs for families where parental employment is in Sorell or Hobart.
There is an existing bus service that transports Primrose Sands students to and from Dunalley Primary School. This bus service would enable families who work in Sorell or Hobart to avoid driving in the opposite direction before and after work.
- Wanting to maintain Dunalley Primary School’s smaller school environment.
Even with a moderate increase in enrolments, Dunalley Primary School would remain a small school.
- Confusion on the need for the change, as the Government already announced its plan to upgrade Dodges Ferry Primary School.
There is a preliminary completion date of upgrades to Dodges Ferry Primary School of 2028. This intake area change will reduce enrolment pressures in the meantime. Dodges Ferry Primary School is expected to continue to increase in enrolments, even with this intake area change.
- A Steiner School is planned for Dodges Ferry, which would be likely to relieve enrolment pressure at Dodges Ferry Primary School.
A new independent school may have an impact on enrolments at Dodges Ferry Primary School. However, it is still expected that enrolments at Dodges Ferry Primary School will continue to increase. Sorell Local Government Area is projected to be the fastest growing LGA in percentage terms from 2023 to 2053.
Is there currently a school bus service from Primrose Sands to Dunalley Primary School?
Yes, a bus service is already operating that transport Primrose Sands students to and from Dunalley Primary School. To find out more about this bus, contact Dunalley Primary School office: https://www.dunalleyprimary.education.tas.edu.au/contact