Our Lady Of Grace School Glengowrie proposes new building, extra classrooms in $6m expansion plan

A growing private primary school southwest of Adelaide will get more classrooms, more teachers and a new building under an expansion plan.

Concept image for the proposed new Lady of Grace general learning building. Picture: Swanbury Penglase

An Adelaide Catholic primary school has proposed a $6m expansion, including the construction of a new learning building, in a plan the principal said responds to an increased demand for enrolments.

Glenrowie’s Our Lady Of Grace School would build a two-storey building with six classrooms and demolish part of its western building under the plan, which requires approval from Marion Council.

Three classrooms would be demolished and one room would be refurbished as a classroom, resulting in a net total of four new classrooms for the school.

Concept image for the new six-classroom building. Picture: Swanbury Penglase

Concept image for the new Lady of Grace building on Joan Ave. Picture: Swanbury Penglase

Principal Josette Charles said demand had grown for enrolments over the past few years.

The school expects to enrol 42 more students in the 2027 calendar year, increasing its number of enrolments from 250 to 292.

The new classrooms would also result in the employment of four more full-time teachers.

“We are excited to be planning this next stage of development which will provide our students and staff with greater flexibility in our learning spaces and accommodate additional student learning and wellbeing,” Ms Charles said.

The new building would be built on a vacant Joan Ave block behind the school’s Agnes St building.

Each floor would include three classrooms, a breakout space and amenities.

Concept image for the new Lady of Grace general learning building. Picture: Swanbury Penglase

The school said if approval was granted, work was expected to start in the first half of 2026 and finish in the first half of 2027.

Ms Charles said the development was designed to complement and respect the local character and amenity of the surrounding neighbourhood and Joan Ave streetscape.

She said the project was supported by the Block Grant Authority – which administers federal government funding – for which the school was very appreciative.

The plan is open for public consultation until November 13.