Adelaide Botanic High School to expand in $98m project

Adelaide’s highly regarded Botanic High School is to expand with a $98m project, which is announced on Saturday.

The city centre’s highly regarded Adelaide Botanic High School will expand to take in another 700 students under a $98m building project, announced on Saturday.

At the same time, $21m will be spent to increase capacity by 300 students at Roma Mitchell Secondary College at Gepps Cross.

The investments by the state government aim to satisfy the surging demand for school places in the city and inner suburbs.

Premier Steven Marshall said the “landmark expansion” of Adelaide Botanic was part of a comprehensive plan.

“Positioned right near South Australia’s innovation precinct of Lot Fourteen, Adelaide Botanic allows students to connect with and be inspired by those in our emerging defence, space and cyber industries,” Mr Marshall said.

The expansion will be a multistorey building on the southern side of the existing school on Frome Rd.

It is due to be ready by the start of 2024 and will include modern, flexible learning spaces and specialist facilities.

Adelaide Botanic is known for its strengths in sciences and has growing opportunities in arts, drama and humanities.

An artist’s impression of the $98m redevelopment of Adelaide Botanic High School, South Australia. Picture: Department for Education, South Australia

“Adelaide Botanic High is truly world class and I’m excited even more South Australian students will get the opportunity to experience what this wonderful school has to offer,” Education Minister John Gardner said.

“Not only will this project create more capacity in our public school system, the construction will also support many jobs.

“Our children and young people deserve nothing less than world class.”

Adelaide MP Rachel Sanderson welcomed the announcement.

“The school has quickly built a strong reputation in the local community and the growing demand reflects the confidence families have in their local public high schools,” Ms Sanderson said.

The investments follow the $84m new Morialta Secondary College and takes the unprecedented school building program to over $1.5bn.

Adelaide Botanic High was funded from the 2014-15 budget and opened in 2019 with year 8s and 9s.

It has added a year level annually, with the first year 12 classes to be taught this year.

All government schools will move year 7s to secondary levels this year and Adelaide Botanic will have an intake of 215 year 7s and 192 year 8s.

The new building will increase its capacity to 1950 students.

It has shared a school zone with Adelaide High but also has limited places for out-of-zone students in a special health and sciences program.

There will be no change to the zoning, which controversially excised suburbs west of Adelaide High in 2019.

Roma Mitchell’s capacity will grow to 2230.

It is due to be completed for 2025, when Education Department modelling predicts it must be ready to meet the growing demand.

The department has been working for several years on how to accommodate more students. A new secondary school in the Prospect area had been considered but required finding a site which met criteria of space and accessibility.

An artist’realls impression of the $98m redevelopment of Adelaide Botanic High School. Picture: Department for Education

Originally published as Adelaide Botanic High School to expand in $98m project