Rockhampton Grammar School refurbishment of girls dormitory to begin later this month

The school copped some criticism earlier this year after it was revealed it received $5.6m in JobKeeper and $17.6m in school fees

Construction is set to begin in the coming weeks at the Rockhampton Grammar School as stage one of a major refurbishment of the girls boarding facilities begins.

Tenders for the project were released this month with the project overseen by the Rockhampton architect office of Thomson Adsett.

Rockhampton Grammar School currently enrols more than 310 boarding students and the girls dormitory has a capacity for 116 girls.

Planning for the project began in 2018 and will see the external facade of the building upgraded and all areas within the dormitory refurbished.

“Boarding has formed the core of The Rockhampton Grammar School since its founding in 1881 and will always be at the heart of our school.” said Headmaster Phillip Moulds.

“We never take for granted the trust that boarding families place in our school.

“It is a major life decision for parents to choose where their children will go to school.

“We are privileged that so many families choose RGS, to not only provide a high-quality education but also to care for their child and provide a “second home” throughout the school year.

“Ensuring we provide accommodation, services and facilities that provide a vibrant learning and living environment for students is critically important.”

The girls bedroom areas will be redesigned so that “each student has a greater sense of their own larger space, while still enjoying the friendships that come with shared living.”

The student bathroom and laundry areas will also be fully refurbished, creating a more functional layout.

The current bathrooms.

A new entry and foyer will welcome parents and students into the building, providing a place for parents to relax inside when waiting for their child.

The current foyer.

Staff residences within the building will also be upgraded.

“We want our students to be a real part of this project” Mr Moulds said.

“As part of the design phase, they will have the opportunity to contribute their ideas and feedback on a prototype design and to be able to conduct real-life testing of the design.

“This will enable any necessary modifications to be made to the plans before the full construction project is undertaken in term 2, 2022.”

The private school received some criticism this year after it was revealed it had received $5.62 million from the Australian Government’s JobKeeper scheme while the school received $17.6 million in school fees.

The school reported income losses from the early learning centre, international education, boarding, and ancillary activities, estimated to be $1.5 million.

The Morning Bulletin reported these figures from the school’s annual report for the year of 2020.

The private school Queensland’s largest independent boarding school and the second largest coeducational boarding school in Australia.

Plans for the refurbishment of the Rockhampton Grammar School girls dormitory by Thomson Adsett.

TENDER DOCUMENT KEY DETAILS:

The tender documents state the stage one includes the demolition and replacement of 16 beds on the eastern end of level one and two, with associated works.

Parts of the project are bound by strict times of when the rooms are not occupied, which is from Monday to Friday from 9am to 2.30pm.

Stage one is to begin later this month on August 30 with a completion by October 15.

Stage two is the demolition and replacement of the remaining 80 beds, student showers, toilets, basin areas, laundries and staff toilet.

The main entry foyer will be extended and upgraded.

Stage two will begin on June 26, 2022 and the entire dormitory will be vacated for 12 weeks.

The documents note the safety of staff and students is of “paramount importance” and all workers, including subcontractors, must have a current paid Blue Card and support the school’s safe guarding children ethos.

The tenders close on August 25.