The Department of Education has announced grade configurations among four schools within the Prince of Wales Collegiate School System to take effect for the 2024-25 school year. This is due to capacity challenges at the primary/elementary school level.

On April 18, 2024, the department engaged the school community on the proposed changes that would affect St. Andrew’s Elementary, Larkhall Academy, Leary’s Brook Junior High and Prince of Wales Collegiate. Feedback was received from 616 students, staff, parents, and families on the proposed changes.

Beginning this September, the following changes will take effect to best accommodate the changing demographics of the school community while optimizing current school infrastructure:

• St. Andrew’s Elementary and Larkhall Academy will be reconfigured to Kindergarten to Grade 4. As a result, current Grade 4 students at St. Andrew’s and Larkhall Academy advancing to Grade 5 in September 2024 will transition one year earlier to Leary’s Brook Junior High, which is the current feeder school.
  
• Leary’s Brook Junior High will be reconfigured to Grades 5-8. As a result, current Grade 8 students at Leary’s Brook advancing to Grade 9 in September 2024 will transition one year earlier to Prince of Wales Collegiate, which is the current feeder school.
  
• Prince of Wales Collegiate will be reconfigured as a Grade 9-Level IV school.

The grade reconfiguration is anticipated to be an interim measure until planning and construction are finalized on new school builds in Kenmount Terrace and Portugal Cove-St. Philips.