Next step in rebuild of Sandringham Primary School
After a tumultuous start with their school razed two days into the year, students split between two other schools and the term ended early due to COVID-19, there is some good news for Sandringham Primary families.
Education
Don't miss out on the headlines from Education. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Just over two months after the Sandringham Primary School was destroyed when teens allegedly lit a fire while “connecting” on the roof at 3am, an architect has been appointed to design a new school.
Award-winning city firm Peter Elliott Architecture and Urban Design will draw up plans for the new school.
Students will not return to the new school until 2022.
Two teens have been charged with setting the historic building alight on February 1.
The destruction of the school has polarised the community, with many families bitter that their children have lost their school.
After being split between Sandringham East Primary School and Sandringham Secondary College for first term the school is set to consolidate in portables at the Sandringham Secondary College Bluff Road campus.
But the current coronavirus alarm has caused further disappointment for families with school moving to remote learning along with others around Victoria from April 15.
Education Minister James Merlino said initial works to make salvageable buildings safe and weatherproof have been completed.
The February 1 fire, barely two days into the new school year, caused significant damage to the school, in particular to both the west and south wings and the library.
“This facility will be so much more than walls and a roof. Schools are at the heart of their local community and that’s why rebuilding Sandringham Primary School is so important,” Mr Merlino said.
The architecture firm appointed for the project has designed the refurbishment of the Myer Music Centre at Melbourne Grammar School, among other projects at the school.
RMIT and state parliament are among other projects undertaken by the firm.
Southern Metropolitan MP Enver Erdogan said the fire at the school had been devastating but the new school would give every child the best chance to succeed.
Families at the school had hoped to relocate back to the school in portables but it was decided that it was not going to be workable and there would not be enough room.