Catalyst Schools, the operator of two non-government schools in suburban Perth, has appealed to an independent panel against the WA Education Minister's decision to cancel its registration.
The Joondalup Weekender has reported that Catalyst, which runs separate girls and boys campus for 140 "at-risk" students, had its licence cancelled over numerous concerns including its reporting of student performance and its delays in rolling out a new curriculum.
The paper reported that Catalyst had lost its rented head office in Wangara and use of its girls’ campus in Joondalup. This was reportedly due to cashflow problems caused by delays in State and Federal government funding.
It also reported that Catalyst had lost about half of its staff, with the rest are working voluntarily until the end of the school year.
The Education Minister Peter Collier said he had given the school operator numerous opportunities to demonstrate that it had met the minimum standards for non-government school registration.
“Regrettably, it has not been able to do so, hence I am required by legislation to cancel the registration of the schools,” he said.
Catalyst on its website says it has a "project based curriculum that is practical, non-conceptual and life related".
"Catalyst effectively achieves learning by stealth and learning that is instantly applicable creating motivation and relevance for the young people," it says.