A number of private and public schools in Western Australia are embarking on multi-million construction projects, to either improve existing facilities or provide new buildings for students.
A number of private and public schools in Western Australia are embarking on multi-million construction projects, to either improve existing facilities or provide new buildings for students.
Presbyterian Ladies’ College is entering the final stages of its $12.5 million project to build a middle school centre and science, art and technology centre.
The building will include new science laboratories, arts rooms and human movement rooms for dance and yoga, as well as seminar rooms and a gallery.
Claremont-based Methodist Ladies’ College is also constructing a $16 million building for its middle school, due for completion in term one of next year.
The project, which has been planned over the past three years, will include an auditorium and dance studio, three self-contained teaching floors for students in years seven to nine, and two art studios.
MLC principal Stephen Lee said middle schooling was expected to be a growth area for the college.
“This new building will help us cater for that growth area and provide specialised facilities for students in Years 7, 8 and 9,” Mr Lee said.
Next door to MLC, Christ Church Grammar School is under-going an $11 million redevelopment of its visual arts and design and technology centre in the senior school, due to be completed in February next year.
Scotch College is also planning a new design and technology centre in its senior school, which is yet to go out to tender.
Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia Inc executive director Audrey Jackson said construction projects in some of WA’s schools reflect both the life-cycle of schools and trends in education.
“Middle schooling is one area where there is a greater focus,” she said.
“Design and technology is also a growing area and what’s happening is we’re moving away from the traditional context of woodwork and metalwork, to computer-aided design and other technologies.”
New technology is central to Perth Modern School’s $23 million redevelopment, which coincides with its return this year to being an academically selective school.
The redevelopment will include an upgrade of the school’s existing heritage-listed buildings, as well as the construction of a new library and student café, and new visual arts and design and technology centres.
Tenders for the project will be called in June, with construction expected to commence in August.
Perth Modern project coordinator Roger Stubbs said the project would include the installation of smart boards in classrooms, which allowed teachers to project images from their notebook computers directly onto an activated screen.
The buildings will be linked to a wireless internet network, with the school currently in the process of rolling-out notebook computers for all students.
Wesley College is also in the middle of a $12.4 million refurbishment which will include new art, media, music and drama facilities, as well as an upgrade of the school assembly space, a 120 seat lecture theatre, a student café and new staff facilities.
Wesley College director of finance and administration Tim McIntyre said the new centre, which is scheduled to open at the beginning of next year, would provide state-of-the-art digital media and recording equipment.
In other projects, Karratha Senior High School is planning to build a senior college for year 10 to 12 students, which will be co-located on the TAFE College site in Karratha.
The new college will offer vocational education and training programs and TEE subjects, and will include a new performing arts and media facility and a fitness centre.
New secondary schools are also being built in Vasse, Atwell, Dalyellup and Bunbury, which are scheduled to open in 2008 and 2009 and have a total budget of $98.5 million.
