State-of-the-art school to open in Swanbourne early next year

14/11/97

Primary school students in Swanbourne will enjoy huge educational benefits from a new $4 million school to open early in the 1999 school year.

Education Minister Colin Barnett today announced that a new state-of-the-art Swanbourne Primary School would be built on four hectares of land on the current Swanbourne Senior High School site, 600m away. The school would take education in the area into the 21st century, with fibre optic cabling for access to the latest computer technology and a reticulated school oval for sporting activities - just two of the features of the new school.

Mr Barnett said a new school would provide vastly improved educational opportunities than were available at the current school and was by far the best option available for future primary education in the area.

The school had previously been allocated $900,000 for improvements. This money would now be redirected, along with funds from the sale of the current site, into building the new school.

"This is a one-off opportunity for the Swanbourne Primary School community to embrace a new school with all the benefits of modern buildings and facilities," Mr Barnett said.

"If it does not happen now, the chance will most probably be lost.

"During a meeting with teachers just last week, they expressed overwhelming support for a new school, and there is strong support from parents and the general community who have participated actively in discussions on the future of the school and undertaken local surveys.

"I recognise there are some people who would like the school to remain on its current site and for the improvements to proceed. However, as Minister, it is my responsibility to make decisions to improve the quality of education to current and future students, and a new school is the best way to guarantee this.

"I call on the whole school community to support the decision and be involved in its planning, with a strong and united community ethos, for the 1999 school year."

Mr Barnett said the new school would include 12 permanent classrooms, permanent pre-primary facilities, a purpose-built automated library/resource centre, art/craft and music room, fibre optic cabling enabling computers to be networked, a full size reticulated oval, a specially-appointed teacher work area, covered assembly area and canteen.

"The current school site is only 1.7ha and cannot provide all of these facilities, which is to the detriment of students and teachers. At the moment, students cannot even run a 100m race for the lack of oval space and have to cross busy Servetus Street to go the closest oval for sports carnivals. There are no purpose-built buildings for art, music, or canteen or library facilities and the existing buildings are in a poor state," he said.

"The new school will have improved parking for staff, parents and visitors, safe drop-off and pick-up points for students and better toilet facilities."

Mr Barnett said that in making the decision to relocate and build a new school, issues brought up by the community - such as the proximity of a phone tower, the historical and sentimental value of the school, the convenience of its location and the future of the site once sold - were all taken into consideration.

"After being at the school last week, I have also decided that current staffing levels will remain next year, regardless of student numbers," he said.

"The future of the Swanbourne Senior High School, which is currently under consideration as part of the district's Local Area Education Planning, will not impact on the relocation at all."

Mr Barnett said he was very confident that a new Swanbourne Primary School was in the best interests of students - current and future - teachers and parents. He said everyone deserved to benefit from modern and improved educational facilities and he looked forward to tracking the progress of the new school as it was built next year.

Media contact: Justine Whittome (08) 9222 9699