On the day that marked the completion of Edmondson Park Public School, the state government has announced a high school will be built right next to it.
The new high school will be completed in this term of government, said the premier, Chris Minns, in the grounds of the primary school on Buchan Avenue, Edmondson Park.
The premier was accompanied at the announcement by local MP Anoulack Chanthivong and education minister and deputy premier Prue Car.
He said the new high school will initially accommodate up to 800 students.
However the three-hectare site has been master-planned to accommodate up to 2,000 students in the future, subject to future enrolment demand in the area.
The Edmondson Park community has been calling for a traditional high school to be built on the land already owned by the NSW government – rather than a high-rise mixed-use facility in the town centre, as considered by the former NSW Liberal National Government last year.
The developer-led proposal, which the former government looked at four years after telling the community it would begin planning the high school on government land, was found not to be value for money.
The project is another example of the former government’s failure to plan and deliver school infrastructure to communities in Sydney’s growth areas.
The delivery of the high school will mean children in the area can attend school locally from preschool to year 12, after the completion of Edmondson Park Public School, which now includes a preschool due to open later this month.
“I’m really pleased to announce plans have begun to build a local high school here on government land in Edmondson Park, right next door to the new primary school,’’ Mr Minns said.
“This has been a long community campaign. I’ve spoken to many parents who have moved into these growing areas, frustrated at not having local schools to send their kids too.
“My dad was a school teacher. I know how important strong public education is. But it starts with having enough schools to cater for students in growing areas.”
Anoulack Chanthivong, who was actively involved in the campaign for a traditional high school at Edmondson Park, welcomed the announcement.
“The community has been desperately awaiting news of a local public high school and I welcome today’s announcement that it will be built next to the primary school on government land,’’ he said.
“We will now look ahead to the start of construction on the new high school, and I look forward to sharing further updates with you soon.”
