Wentworth Point Public School expansion begins, high school almost complete

After a tough “fight” to expand one Sydney school and create another, families have reason to celebrate as a multimillion-dollar project gets under way.

Construction begins on Wentworth Point Public School last Friday. Parramatta MP Donna Davis (centre) is pictured with students.

Work has started on a major upgrade that will allow Wentworth Point Public School to more than double its enrolments by 2026, having outgrown its capacity just six years after opening.

The state government marked the beginning of the major expansion last Friday, while construction has neared completion on the first stage of Wentworth Point High School.

The primary school overhaul will remove all 16 demountables and deliver 26 new classrooms, seven new multipurpose spaces, a ground floor support unit with three classrooms and an internal renovation to the library.

The multimillion-dollar project will increase the school’s capacity from 400 to 1000.

Wentworth Point Public School principal Jayne Muir projected an enrolment of more than 740 students by the beginning of next year.

Parramatta MP Donna Davis and Education Minister Prue Car (front) with staff and students at Wentworth Point.

“When our school first opened in 2018, we started with just 152 students, with a designed capacity of 419,’’ she said.

“This rapid increase underscores the pressing need for expanded facilities to continue to provide a high-quality learning environment.”

Parramatta state Labor MP Donna Davis said the school was one of the projects the community was anticipating.

“We had to fight hard for our new high school, this major public school upgrade and the long-awaited Peninsula Park, which are all now under way,’’ she said.

The beginning of upgrade works on the primary school come as upgrades draw closer to completion on stage one of the neighbouring new multimillion-dollar Wentworth Point High School, where students are set to begin classes from the first day of term 1 next year.

The new high school will cater for year 7 students from Wentworth Point, Sydney Olympic Park, Newington, Silverwater and Rhodes in 2025, with an additional year of schooling added each year.

Frustrated parents have so far been unsuccessful lobbying for the school to accept year 8 students in its debut year.

An artist’s impression of Wentworth Point High School, capturing it from the north.

It means Wentworth Point students such as Heba Aly’s son, Yusuf, cannot attend school a couple of minutes’ walk from his home when he begins year 8 in 2025.

That is despite his sister, Maryam, being in Wentworth Point High School’s original intake of year 7 students next year.

The high school’s second stage is now in the planning stage, with construction set to begin early next year and will comprise a multipurpose hall for sports and performances, outdoor spaces, games courts, canteen facilities and a sports field which will be open to the community outside of school hours.

Wentworth Point High School principal Melissa Johnston welcomed the six-storey facility along the “beautiful” Parramatta River.

“We will maximise the flexible learning spaces through student transition programs and staff inductions with explicit expectations regarding optimal teaching and learning,’’ she said.