Families at Hartford College in Daceyville are fighting to keep their beloved school open after its Board announced plans to close the college at the end of 2026. Parents are calling for a 12-month extension to give the school community an opportunity to develop a sustainable plan for its future.
For the families and students of Hartford College, the news of the school’s impending closure has come as a devastating shock. With only weeks remaining in the school year, parents are now facing the difficult prospect of finding new schools for their children, potentially separating friendships and disrupting an educational environment they deeply value.
But the Hartford College community isn’t ready to give up.
Parents have launched a petition titled “Don’t Close Hartford College: Give Us 12 Months to Save It”, urging the school’s Board, Sydney Catholic Schools and the Archbishop of Sydney to reconsider the decision and allow families time to help secure the school’s future.
A Small School with a Strong Community
Located in Daceyville in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, Hartford College is a small Catholic boys’ school with a distinctive approach to education.
The college follows a classical education model, focusing not only on academic achievement but also on character development and the pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty.
According to parents, the school’s close-knit environment is one of its greatest strengths. Students are known individually, supported by their teachers and encouraged to develop academically, socially and personally.
Families also point to the school’s strong 2026 NAPLAN results as evidence that its educational approach is delivering positive outcomes.
For many parents, Hartford College offers something that cannot easily be replicated at a larger school.
Why Parents Are Asking for More Time
While families acknowledge that Hartford College faces financial difficulties, they believe the decision to close has been made without giving the wider school community a meaningful opportunity to help find a solution.
Parents say they were not fully aware of the seriousness of the school’s financial position until the closure was announced.
They also believe the school community has valuable professional experience, business knowledge and fundraising capabilities that could be brought together to develop a realistic turnaround strategy.
Rather than demanding that the school remain open indefinitely, families are asking for a structured opportunity to demonstrate that Hartford College can become financially sustainable.
Their request is simple: give the school another 12 months to prove it has a future.
The Challenge of Finding a New School for 2027
The timing of the announcement is another major concern.
With the 2027 school year fast approaching, many schools have already finalised their enrolments, leaving Hartford families with limited options.
Parents are worried about finding suitable places for their children, particularly when considering siblings, established friendships, travel arrangements and individual educational needs.
Moving schools can be challenging at any time, but doing so with little notice adds significant pressure to families and students.
Supporters of the petition argue that even if Hartford College ultimately cannot remain open, an additional year would give families a more reasonable period to prepare for the transition.
A Plan to Give Hartford College a Fighting Chance
The petition calls for a temporary suspension of the closure decision and a conditional financial arrangement that would allow the school to continue operating during 2027.
During this period, parents, staff and community supporters would work together on a comprehensive turnaround plan addressing enrolments, revenue, operating costs, fundraising and governance.
The proposal includes independent professional assessment, monthly financial reporting and quarterly reviews to ensure the school is meeting agreed financial and operational targets.
Families are also requesting that a final decision be made by 30 June 2027.
If the plan proves unsuccessful, the school community would still have approximately six months to arrange alternative schooling for 2028.
If it succeeds, Hartford College could continue providing its distinctive education to future generations of Eastern Suburbs children.
The Community Rallies Behind Hartford College
The campaign is about more than saving a school building.
For Hartford families, the college represents friendships, shared values, dedicated teachers and a supportive community that has become an important part of their children’s lives.
Parents believe losing Hartford would also mean losing a unique educational option within Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.
The petition’s organisers say they recognise the financial support the school has received over the years and understand that difficult decisions sometimes need to be made.
However, they are asking decision-makers to explore every reasonable possibility before taking a step that cannot easily be reversed.
As the petition states:
“Closing a school can’t be undone. A 12-month bridge can.”
How the Eastern Suburbs Community Can Help
Families are encouraging local residents, past students, educators and supporters of school choice to get behind their campaign.
A petition has been established calling on the relevant decision-makers to grant Hartford College a 12-month opportunity to develop and demonstrate a viable financial recovery plan.
A GoFundMe fundraising campaign has also been launched to support efforts to save the school.
Supporters can help by:
- Signing and sharing the petition, Don’t Close Hartford College: Give Us 12 Months to Save It.
- Sharing the campaign with friends, family and the wider Eastern Suburbs community.
- Contributing to the Hartford College GoFundMe campaign.
- Helping spread awareness of the families’ request for more time.
For the students who love their school, the parents who believe in its educational approach and the teachers who have helped build its community, the hope is that Hartford College’s story isn’t over just yet.
The families aren’t asking for a guarantee that Hartford College will remain open forever. They’re asking for one final opportunity to save it.
Eastern Suburbs Mums will continue to follow developments surrounding Hartford College and the community’s campaign to secure its future.
