Residents along the busy section of Wollaston Road have long complained about speeding motorists and the limit was lowered to 60km/h to slow traffic.

But despite calls for a lower speed limit outside the school - something principal Jo Roche said she assumed all schools were entitled to - the move has been rejected.

Ms Roche said the school had been asking for the speed limit to be reduced since building started.

"Unlike other schools, there is no footpath out the front which is the reason they gave us for not doing one," she said.

"Often our students will walk out of the school and on to the road."

Ms Roche said getting a footpath out the front of the school "would be amazing", and she hoped that meant 40km/h signs would be erected.

"We've had many incidences where kids have been walking down the road unsafely and when the cars are going fast, it's a real safety concern for us," she said.

"It's very dangerous coming in. Cars get banked up. Kids walk out up the road to get home and it can be very dangerous. Kids when they are loading buses can also run out."

Ms Roche said there was numerous examples of cars going "quite fast" past the school which caters for children of all abilities.

"It is dangerous," she said.

"We initially thought every school got a 40km/h zone."

Ms Roche said because the majority of kids were bused in and out, she had been told a 40km/h zone wasn't warranted until there was more development in the surrounding areas and a footpath.

But not every kid was bused in and out, she said.

Ms Roche said parents had been very clear that they wanted a 40km/h zone to keep their kids safe the - same as every other school.

She said they didn't want to wait until there was an incident before action was taken.

"We want it to be safe for our kids to come to and from school. We thought it was going to be really easy."

The warrnambool City Council has previously said it supported lowering the speed limit, but its advice from VicRoads indicated because school drop-offs and pick-ups were to be done on the school premises, away from Wollaston Road, the speed limit would not be altered.

The council in September last year voted to spend $300,000 redesigning a section of Wollaston Road, but works are yet to start.

The council has been contacted for comment.

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