One of the largest school building delivery programs in the history of South West Sydney's growth region is taking off with major work now underway to deliver new and upgraded schools and preschools across the Camden and Leppington electorates.
Ahead of a community cabinet meeting, Premier Chris Minns, Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos, and the Member for Camden Sally Quinnell met with Gregory Hills Public School students who will attend the new Gledswood Hills High School once it opens.
The new permanent Gledswood Hills High School will feature 51 classrooms, specialist workshops for science, technology and the arts, a multipurpose hall, library, canteen, administration facilities, a covered outdoor learning area, sports courts and playing fields and will open on Day 1 Term 1 2027, catering for up to 1,000 students.
To ensure local students could continue their education close to home during construction, the Minns Government opened a temporary Gledswood Hills High School on the Gregory Hills Public School site this year for Year 7 students. Year 8 students will join them in 2026 while work continues on the new permanent site.
With construction on the new permanent high school having commenced in September, ground works are now underway, and slab pours for several buildings are expected in the coming weeks.
For 12 years, Gledswood Hills and Gregory Hills were neglected by the former Liberal National Government with local parents having to fight for the new schools they desperately needed.
The permanent Gledswood Hills High School is one of 12 education projects underway in Camden and neighbouring Leppington. Projects being delivered include:
- Austral Public School upgrade - Construction is underway on Stage 1 of the project, delivering a new building with 20 classrooms and three support classrooms.
- Dalmeny Public School upgrade - Work will soon begin on a new 16-classroom building.
- Eagle Vale High School upgrade - Early works are complete, including new sports facilities. Construction tendering is underway to build a new multipurpose hall.
- Emerald Hills new primary school and public preschool - Planning and design work is progressing for a 550-student school and 60-student preschool.
- Greenway Park Public School upgrade and new preschool - Construction begins this month on eight new classrooms and a 60-student preschool.
- New high school for Leppington and Denham Court - Major construction is underway on a new 1,000-student high school.
- Leppington Public School upgrade and new preschool - Construction is underway on Stage 1 of the project, delivering a new building with 20 classrooms and three support classrooms. Work on the 60-student preschool will begin soon.
The Minns Labor Government is also building an additional three new public preschools in the region offering 280 places per week for the area's youngest learners. The public preschools will be co-located at Eschol Park Public School, Kearns Public School and Robert Townson Public School.
These school projects will deliver 190 new classrooms, providing capacity for almost 4,300 additional students in the area. More than 60 demountable buildings will be removed as part of this work, freeing up valuable play space for students.
The number of students in Gledswood Hills and Gregory Hills alone grew by almost 150 per cent between 2018 and 2023, while Leppington was identified as being in the top 10 fastest growth areas for enrolments in the state, with the number of students tripling in the same period.
This is all part of the Minns Labor Government's record $3.9 billion investment to deliver new and upgraded schools in Western Sydney as the government gets more teachers in front of classrooms by reducing teacher vacancies by 61 per cent, halving the number of merged and cancelled classes in NSW.
Premier Chris Minns said:
"South West Sydney is one of the fastest growing parts of Australia, and it is essential that we build the infrastructure to keep up with that growth.
"I remember meeting parents in this community when I was Opposition Leader and I want to congratulate these families, teachers and community members who advocated tirelessly to ensure local kids will have a quality, permanent high school."
Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos said:
"Our government has listened to the parents and families of Camden and Leppington, whose pleas for new schools and upgrades were disregarded by the Liberals and Nationals.
"Under the leadership of Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car we are building these new and upgraded schools where they are needed most and delivering on Labor's commitments to local parents."
Member for Camden Sally Quinnell said:
"I'm pleased that construction on the permanent Gledswood Hills High School is in full swing and our community is excited for the opportunities the new school will bring for our students.
"The new facilities, which I was proud to campaign for alongside local parents, will provide students with a supportive and innovative learning environment for years to come."
Gledswood Hills High School Principal Belinda Giudice said:
"Our community is thrilled to see the new permanent Gledswood Hills High School taking shape.
"From specialist classrooms to the outdoor environments where students can learn and grow, our school will provide students with every chance to thrive academically and socially."
Gregory Hills Public School Principal Alison Rourke said:
"We are thrilled to be the temporary home of Gledswood Hills High School as the foundations on the permanent campus take shape.
"Students are still benefitting from our own recent upgrade, which provided new facilities to enhance their learning and opportunities for growth and success now and into the future."
