New schools planned for NSW including Gregory Hills, Westmead, Leppington

A total of 12 new primary and high schools will be built in communities crying out for them across NSW this year. Find out if your suburb will get one.

Under the 2021-22 Budget, $2.1 billion will be spent on upgrading and building schools over the next year.

The funding will be spent on planning 30 projects and building 12 schools “in areas of high need”.

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the government was providing for families across the state and in growth areas.

“Communities have never seen investment in education like this before, including in high-growth areas,’’ he said.

“Western Sydney alone is seeing an additional $2 billion investment in new work (over the next four years).’’

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said $7.9 billion would be spent on schools over the next four years.

This is where the money will be spent:

Western Sydney

Much to the relief of the Westmead community, the suburb has been earmarked for a new primary school at Westmead South.

The $5.4 million project is expected to alleviate the strain on Westmead Public School — one of the state’s largest primary schools with more than 1600 students.

The allocation comes three years after the government announced a school for the suburb in June 2018, to alleviate strain on Westmead Public — the state’s largest government primary school with more than 1600 students.

Westmead Public School is bursting at the seams. Picture: Monique Harmer

Granville state Labor MP Julia Finn welcomed the funding but said the community was left wondering when the project would be delivered after the government “refused’’ to provide a timeline for construction.

The government has also pledged a high school for the rapidly-growing suburb of Marsden Park where neighbouring suburbs of Riverstone and Schofields will use the facility.

A $13 million education campus is also earmarked for Rydalmere.

Southwest Sydney

Gregory Hills’ growing population has led to the promise of a primary school.

A total of $4.1 million has been allocated for a new primary school at Gregory Hills, which was first promised in 2013.

The school will accommodate 1000 students and is in demand — community campaigner Hanna Braga began lobbying for the school in late 2020 after learning there would be 10 kindergarten classes starting in the neighbouring Gledswood Hills school this year.

Construction is due to begin at the end of 2022.

At Leppington, the brightest young minds will soon have a high school to attend with $4.2 million set aside for a selective facility in the Budget.

Neighbouring Edmondson Park has also been promised a high school with a $6.3 million set aside for the project while the suburb is also getting a primary school.

The government has also allocated $3.6 million for a primary school at Wilton Junction.

North Shore

What it could look like ... A concept plan of the Chatswood Public School redevelopment.

Families living in Chatswood’s high-density dwellings will alleviate the strain on Chatswood Public School with $3.6 million towards a new primary school in the same suburb.

In January, $153 million was pledged to redevelop Chatswood primary and high schools after a hard-fought community campaign. More than 70 classrooms are planned for two of the north shore’s largest schools.

Inner West, city

The soaring population of Rhodes East has led to plans for a new primary school, with $3.6 million allocated for the project.

Inner city students will have the option to be educated at the Green Square primary school in Waterloo after $2.1 million was allocated under the Budget.

Regional NSW

Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the government was investing in the education of kids in regional NSW. Picture: Gaye Gerard

The South Nowra and Worrigee areas will welcome a new $5.2 million primary school.

Wee Waa High School will also be relocated after more than 50 members of the school community becamse ill with a mystery illness.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro said regional communities were also receiving record investment in school infrastructure with more than $1 billion committed to new and upgraded regional school projects across the state.

“Our kids in the bush are benefiting from a government who cares about them because this year’s Budget will see a further $6 billion invested in their future,” Mr Barilaro said.

Over the next four years the government said 215 new and upgraded schools would be planned.

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