Jerrabomberra High School will increase its student intake. Photo: School Infrastructure NSW.
Site investigation works have begun on the expansion of a Jerrabomberra school, and designs are being finalised, according to a recent update from School Infrastructure NSW.
The next stage – site establishment and other pre-construction works – is scheduled to start in September.
Jerrabomberra High is currently operational, with about 500 students learning across 24 classrooms (including three support learning spaces), but an expansion will increase the student body.
“[The new facilities] will expand the school’s capacity to 1000 students to cater for future enrolment demand in the area,” Member for Monaro Steve Whan said.
Mum Belinda Merton, who is also president of Jerrabomberra High P&C, was part of a sustained community push warning of expected growth in the region.
The school had initially been slated to have 500 students at opening, and she said the expansion would bring much-needed room for the kids.
“There’s only one school that feeds into this high school – which is the Jerrabomberra Public School. At the time, that had 900-plus students at it,” she said.
“Jerrabomberra itself hasn’t really grown for a little while – it’s been a pretty static suburb for a few years now.
“With the Tralee development, that’s a lot of extra homes, a lot of extra people that are in this feeder area, as well.”
Ground floor plan for Jerrabomberra High School as of 2023. Photo: School Infrastructure NSW.
She said the expansion would include more classrooms (such as a second woodwork classroom), a training kitchen and more science labs, following a community campaign.
“Our principal [Scott O’Hara] has really gone out to bat for our kids … We’re pretty happy with what’s coming,” she said.
“The things that we were really pushing for mostly seem to be included or considered in this build, which is great.”
The design and construction contract for the Stage 2 upgrade has been awarded to Hutchinson Builders. The school has been designed by TKD Architects.
Mr Whan welcomed the start of construction work on Googong and Jerrabomberra high schools, which are starting during term three.
“The physical start of work on both these vital local high schools will be a big day for the Queanbeyan region community,” he said.
“I made a commitment last election to deliver these schools, and I am thrilled to see it happening.”
He said Jerrabomberra High School – along with nearby Googong and Bungendore high schools – were on track and expected to open in time for the first school day of 2027.
“This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s ongoing work to deliver better schools and more teachers across NSW by investing in the essential infrastructure that the Liberals and Nationals failed to provide, like state-of-the-art public schools and public preschools which ensure families can access a world-class local public education regardless of their postcode,” he said.
