Construction is now underway on the new public primary school and public preschool the Minns Labor Government is delivering for the growing community of Calderwood, where thousands of families have moved in recent years.
The new school is set to open on day 1, Term 1, 2028 for at least 550 students, with 27 modern classrooms including 3 support classrooms, a library, a multipurpose hall, a covered outdoor learning area (COLA), administration facilities and a canteen.
It will also include a public preschool with capacity for 120 children per week, delivering high-quality, fee-free early education to families in the rapidly growing Calderwood community.
Planning the new school was a key 2023 election commitment of the Minns Labor Government, who heeded the calls of families that had been ignored for too long by the former Liberal National government as the suburb grew from zero to more than 1,500 homes.
The school is being delivered as part of a record $9 billion investment in new and upgraded schools in the 2025-26 Budget, which includes $2.1 billion for schools in regional NSW following a decade of neglect by the Liberals and Nationals.
The public preschool is part of the Minns Labor Government's commitment to include a co-located public preschool with every new public primary school - which builds on our record delivery of 100 new public preschools by 2027 which includes 49 in regional NSW.
The new Calderwood public school is one of a raft of major school building projects the NSW Government is delivering for the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, including:
- New public primary school and public preschool in West Dapto
- New public primary school and public preschool in Worrigee
- Bomaderry High School upgrade
- Milton Public School upgrade
- Nowra East Public School upgrade
- Ulladulla Public School upgrade
- Ulladulla High School upgrade
- Vincentia High School upgrade
- Reopening the former Shoalhaven Anglican School site for public education.
New public preschools are also being built at Barrack Heights, Berkeley West, Bomaderry, Greenwell Point, Hayes Park, Lake Heights, Lake Illawarra South, Sanctuary Point, and Cringila public schools.
The Minns Labor Government's work to rebuild public education in NSW stands in stark contrast to the former Liberal National Government, which failed families across the state by neglecting to build and upgrade schools, delivering no new public preschools, overseeing declining student outcomes and failing to keep up with population growth.
The delivery of new schools and classrooms is being matched with more teachers in NSW public schools to lift student outcomes, with teacher vacancies at a 12-year low.
Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:
"Communities like Calderwood are growing fast, and the families who chose to build their lives here deserve schools and infrastructure that keep pace.
"Today we're breaking ground on a brand-new public school and preschool, part of our record $9 billion investment in public education right across NSW.
"Local students will walk through those gates on Day 1, Term 1 in 2028. That's what this investment means for Calderwood."
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:
"I'm thrilled we're starting construction of this brand-new public school and public preschool, which will be a gamechanger for families in Calderwood who waited too long for a local public school under the Liberals and Nationals.
"With work now underway and on track for completion by early 2028, families in Calderwood can look forward to a world-class, fee-free public education, including preschool, right in their own community.
"This is one of a raft of new and upgraded schools and brand-new preschools the Minns Labor Government is delivering across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, ensuring local families have access to high quality public education and the lifechanging opportunities it brings."
Minister for the Illawarra & the South Coast Ryan Park said:
"It's an exciting day for our growing Calderwood community to see construction underway on this this vital new primary school and preschool.
"I'm a big believer that providing kids with the best possible start in life not only makes a big difference to their own development, but also to the long-term wellbeing of the entire community.
"With expanded capacity and state-of-the-art facilities, this project will support children's learning and social development from an early age and meet the needs of the community as more families move into the area."
Member for Kiama Katelin McInerney said:
"This is a promise made and a promise kept. I campaigned on delivering a new school for Calderwood because I knew how desperately it was needed, and today we are breaking ground.
"Calderwood has grown into a vibrant community of young families, and they deserve quality modern local schools. I am incredibly proud to see this project moving forward."
