Parents ‘absolutely dumbfounded’ as historic Melbourne Catholic school announces closure

Tears were shed last night as students, parents and staff came to grips with news that one of the oldest Catholic schools in Victoria will close.

Presentation College Windsor has made what it calls the “sad and difficult decision” to shut its doors next year.

The school says the planned closure, set for 2020 after 146 years, has been prompted by dwindling enrolments.

The college principal sent out the news in an email to inform parents and students.

Danny, who has two daughters at the school, says he is “absolutely dumbfounded” by the announcement.

“They even had a uniform change only a matter of months ago,” he told 3AW’s Ross and John.

“If things were in the wind why would the preempt uniform changes?”

The father of two said his daughters are “devastated” by the impending school closure.

His younger daughter will be forced to attend a new school for her VCE years, and Danny doesn’t know where she will go.

“We put in an application to Star of the Sea College last night,” he said.

“There’s going to be 400 students looking for a new school.”

Danny said the closure doesn’t make sense.

“They took on a couple of million dollar extension on the school which started this year,” he said.

“From the letter I’ve received it (the closure) would have been in the wings since 2012.

“I don’t know why they’d be spending millions of dollars!”

Presentation is the second-oldest Catholic school in the state.

Discussions are underway about the future of Catholic education in the area.

Meanwhile, counselling has been arranged for school staff.