Heathfield High reveals plans for $13.6 million school makeover
A popular Hills school is set for a major $13.6 million makeover, complete with a yoga and dance studio, to cater for an increasing number of student and teaching positions by 2022.
Adelaide Hills
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Heathfield High is set for a major revamp with the popular school announcing a $13.6 million expansion.
The redevelopment will see the establishment of a new three-storey administration and reception building, new classrooms, a home economics building, and a gym with a dance and yoga studio.
Construction is expected to begin in October this year, after a development application was put forward to Adelaide Hills Council by architect firm Grieve Gillett Andersen last month.
Principal Roy Page said there would be no initial disruption to students, with preliminary works to focus on removing existing structures.
“In terms of building works, we will see the knock-down of the current administration building, which will be replaced with a new three-floor building that is to be interlinked with the existing three-floor building,’ he said.
“So the construction through this process will only affect staff, not students.
“Another part of the initial process is removing a number of transportables that have asbestos. So that’s the old home economics centre and gym, which will both be knocked down and replaced by a new fitness centre with a dance and yoga studio.
“We will also get two new kitchens for home economics and food technology.”
Mr Page said the expansion, which is funded through a number of government grants, was needed to cater for the school’s projected 70 per cent rise in student numbers over the next two years.
“We currently have 792 students here but by 2022 we will be at 1100 with a capacity of 1200,” he said.
“So the main expansion is very much focused on the year seven transitioning into secondary school.
“This means we will also have between 10 and 13 new (teaching) positions that will happen, creating opportunities for teachers already working at the school to move from primary into secondary, or for teachers to become permanent members.”
Mr Page said another highlight was the possibility of expanding on the school’s current curriculum.
“We’ll be positioning more in the arts and digital media capacity, as well as fashion and design,” he said.
“In terms of design, the intention of the new buildings has been about providing five types of learning spaces, we currently only have three.
“So they will go from traditional, closed sit-in classrooms all the way up to big open-space learning areas where you’ll have also sorts of groups taught at the same time.”
