Giant schools rise in Western Sydney to teach 3000 pupils

You would be forgiven for thinking the sprawling site in Western Sydney is a new shopping centre, however, the mamoth development will home two very big schools.

You would be forgiven for thinking the sprawling site in Marsden Park is a new shopping centre, a multi-level Westfield.

Or perhaps they misplaced the blueprints for Western Sydney airport’s aerotropolis.

The six-hectare site, in fact, is the location of two very big state schools.

North West Sydney students will soon begin learning in the new schools as construction of the permanent Melonba High School and Melonba Public School reaches key milestones.

The mega schools, with a combined capacity for up to 3,000 students, are on track for completion and due to open by Day 1, Term 1, 2025.

The six hectare construction site for the two schools in Marsden Park.

How the Melonba High School and Melonba Public School complex will look.

When the doors do open, students in the high school will be welcomed with 97 classrooms catering for 2,000 students, including specialist classrooms for science, wood and metal workshops, performing arts, textile, hospitality and kitchen spaces, multimedia and visual arts classrooms and three specialist support classrooms.

It will also feature a new library, canteen, administration facilities, hall, outdoor activity areas and shared on-site parking for high school and ­primary school staff.

Education Minister Prue Car (right) inspects the construction site.

The new Melonba Public School is to initially open in the temporary facilities currently being used by the temporary high school.

Once completed, the permanent Melonba Public School will cater for up to 1,000 students with 44 classrooms, three specialist support classrooms, a new library, a canteen, administration facilities, hall, outdoor activity areas and on-site staff parking.

There will also be covered outdoor learning areas, outdoor play areas and extensive gardens.

Residents and leaders have been vocal in criticising infrastructure construction failing to keep pace with a rapidly growing Western Sydney,

The state government says the schools are part of a $3.5bn investment for 24 new and 51 upgraded primary and high schools in Western Sydney.

Minister for Education and Early Learning, Minister for Western Sydney and Londonderry MP Prue Car said: “Delivering these schools is part of our long-term plan to repair the state’s public education system.”

Melonba High School principal Leon Weatherstone said the progress is “astounding”. She said the school “will be a thriving learning hub that prioritises student engagement.”

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Originally published as Giant schools rise in Western Sydney to teach 3000 pupils