Macquarie Park: New vertical school to include incentives for students to cycle or walk to school

Students at a new primary school in one of Sydney’s fastest growing suburbs will be offered incentives to cycle or walk to school – including leaving school earlier – as part of a push to stamp out reliance on cars.

A concept photo of the new school that will cater for 750 students.

Students at a new primary school in one of Sydney’s fastest growing suburbs will be offered incentives to cycle or walk to school as part of a NSW Government push to stamp out a reliance on cars.

Detailed plans for a new 750-pupil public primary school at Macquarie Park have included a string of measures to reduce traffic jams during pick-up and drop-off periods – including letting students who cycle or walk to the campus to leave before those students being picked up in cars by their parents.

The earlier finishes form part of a ‘Staggering’ approach that will let students who walk or cycle to leave before traffic banks up during pick-up periods.

The Department of Education is aiming to have just one out of every four students dropped off by cars at the new school, with the remainder using alternative travel means such as public transport.

The school is also planning to have ‘ride to school days’ to encourage more students to use bikes, providing cycle training to students and staff, and implementing a ‘communications’ strategy to encourage families to ditch their cars for school runs.

A concept image of the new school.

The travel plans form part of detailed plans for the new school which is aimed at addressing a major development boom at Macquarie Park.

The school – to be known as ‘Midtown’ – will be built as a “vertical campus” and will stand six storeys tall, incorporating general learning spaces, administration areas and common rooms for students.

A concept image of the multipurpose facility at the school.

One of the most unique features of the school will be a purpose built slide that will enable students to literally slide from level one of the building to the ground floor.

The vertical campus will also have a multipurpose hall, play areas on each of the school’s teaching levels, and a netted outdoor play area on the building’s roof incorporating a running track.

The school will cater for students from kindergarten to Year 6 and will become one of the largest primary school campuses in the Ryde area.

The new school forms part of $1.76bn redevelopment of the Ivanhoe Estate, recognised as one of Australia’s largest social housing renewal projects.

The new school will have a capacity for 750 students.

Once complete, the estate will have 3300 new homes including 954 social housing units, 130 affordable rental units and more than 2000 privately owned units.

Education Minister Prue Car said the school would address the increased population density in the area.

“It is so important Macquarie Park has the educational facilities it needs to allow this growing community to flourish,” Ms Car said, in announcing the new plans this week.

The plans have been lodged with the Department of Planning. If approved, plans show the school will employ 46 staff including teachers.

The project was announced as one of 23 new or upgraded schools across New South Wales as part of the 2022-23 NSW Budget.