Innovative ways to cope with burgeoning student enrolments in Sydney’s west
WHEN every other school is going up, one western Sydney school is headed underground.
Parramatta
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WHEN every other school is going up, one western Sydney school is headed underground.
Pendle Hill Public School will go up two levels and dig down one to cater for anticipated enrolments as western Sydney remains the place to buy, live and work.
Not wanting to absorb precious open space in the playground, the designers went digging for alternatives for the 2.2 hectare site.
The building has been designed to suit the natural slope of the site. About 50 per cent of the building’s total footprint on the ground floor will be built into the slope, creating an ‘undercroft area’.
This space will be used for the library and will have windows to the front and one side to provide natural light and ventilation.
Education Minister Rob Stokes said they were “no longer relying on a ‘cookie cutter’ style approach, rolling out bland, identical schools across the state.
“We are working with local communities to create spaces that suit their needs. Pendle Hill is a perfect example of how innovative design techniques are being used to minimise impact on the local government,” he said.
The western Sydney 300-student school will add 14 new classrooms and a library as part of the unique development, due to get started mid 2018 and finish in 2019.
The existing library will be repurposed into a classroom. Tenders have been called for the project which has been funded by the NSW Government.
The expansion comes almost two years after the Parramatta Advertiser revealed many local schools were bursting at the seams.
Figures obtained under Freedom of Information revealed 37 per cent of public schools across the state were at full capacity and overcrowded. Pendle Hill Public School made the list.
Education Minister Rob stokes said the new flexible classrooms would ensure students can benefit from the latest developments in education.
Pendle Hill Public School is one of 13 schools in Sydney’s fringe areas to have upgraded work start in 2018 totalling $220 million.
In the Parramatta area, four schools —
Pendle Hill, Greystanes, Merrylands and Parramatta West public schools —
get the lion’s share of the government’s investment, sharing the spoils of a whopping 68 new classrooms.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Mr Stokes revealed the work on Monday in Narellan, where the government is building a $22.5 million school for students with a range of disabilities.
“Greater western Sydney is growing and we are investing ...” Ms Berejiklian said.
“These projects will expand schools by at least 3500 more student places while also generating valuable jobs in the construction industry.”
Mr Stokes said the rebuild of schools would “make a difference to the quality of education”.
“But these 13 upgrades are only part of the exciting projects program to build new schools or upgrade existing schools that are underway across NSW,” he said.
Work is already underway on the new Arthur Phillip High School and Parramatta Public School.
TIME TO LEARN
● Pendle Hill Public School will get 14 new classrooms. Work to start mid-2018 and finish early 2019
● Greystanes Public School will get 24 new classrooms and an administration building on the Merrylands Rd frontage. Demountable classrooms removed to increase playground space. Work to start mid 2018 and finish early 2020
● Merrylands Public School is adding 10 new classrooms. Work to start soon and finished in 2019
● Parramatta West Public School will get 20 new classrooms and a multipurpose building to replace the current school hall, which will be repurposed into two classrooms. Work to start mid 2018 and finish early 2020