The Minns Labor Government has delivered a $230 million upgrade of Carlingford West Public School and Cumberland High School in Sydney's growing North West, leading to the replacement of more than 130 ageing demountables with modern permanent classrooms.
Once the demountables are removed in early 2026, Carlingford West Public School will go from having 104 demountables, the highest number of demountables in any public school in metropolitan Sydney, to zero demountables.
Cumberland High School will go from having 29 demountables on site to zero.
These major upgrades at Carlingford West Public School and Cumberland High School and the removal of every demountable will return more than 5,000 square metres, the equivalent of ten basketball courts, of play space to students, while also delivering new world class facilities for.
While the upgrades were first promised in 2019, delays and mismanagement by the former Liberal National Government meant no work had started on the desperately needed projects when the Minns Labor Government came to office in March 2023.
Carlingford West's upgrade means the school will have 56 permanent new classrooms. Students will also benefit from new collaborative learning spaces, a new school hall, library, multi-purpose playing court, and canteen.
Next door, at Cumberland High School students will benefit from 77 new and upgraded classrooms. There will also be three new collaborative learning spaces, seven new workshops for visual arts, wood, and metalwork, alongside a new library, school hall, and a canteen.
With construction of the all new permanent classrooms now complete, the only outstanding work is the refurbishment and upgrades of an existing 49 permanent classrooms at Cumberland High School, some demountables will remain on site until this work is completed in early 2026.
Once complete the redeveloped public school and high school will be capable of catering for more than 3,600 students, more than double the current capacity at the schools.
The upgrades to Carlingford West Public School and Cumberland High School are among 16 new schools or major upgrades being delivered in this region of Sydney.
These upgrades will provide capacity for almost 7,000 additional students in the area.
Schools in the North West have been over capacity for more than a decade, with the former Liberal National Government failing to provide the education infrastructure required during their 12 years in office.
The Minns Labor Government is also building three new public preschools in the region. The public preschools will be co-located with Melrose Park Public School, Ermington West Public School, and Oatlands Public School.
The NSW Government's record $9 billion school infrastructure investment includes $3.9 billion for new and upgraded schools across Western Sydney.
In addition to building classrooms where they are needed, the Minns Labor Government's work to rebuild public education includes ensuring each classroom has a qualified teacher.
Since March 2023, the Minns Labor Government has reduced teacher vacancies by 61 per cent across the state, leading to the number of cancelled classes in NSW nearly halving.
Premier of NSW Chris Minns said:
"We are committed to delivering new and upgraded schools for NSW communities because we believe every family in this state deserves a world-class education.
"The upgrades at Carlingford West Public School and Cumberland High School should have been delivered long before we came to government, but thankfully we were are able get these projects moving."
"Upgrading these schools, adding brand new permanent classrooms, removing demountables and putting more teachers in front of students is a game-changer for the school community.
Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos said:
"The Minns Labor Government is committed to providing families in Sydney's growthing suburbs with high quality public school facilities to enable students to thrive.
"When we came to government, these projects had no contracts, no approvals and no construction which meant students were squashed in temporary facilities like sardines in a tin.
"Demountables should only be used as a temporary measure, but under the former Liberal-National Government they became a permanent fixture at far too many schools across the state.
"Under the leadership of the Deputy Premier and Education Minister, Prue Car, the Minns Labor Government is filling teacher vacancies, removing demountables, and rebuilding public education."
Projects underway or already completed nearby Carlingford West Public School and Cumberland High School include:
- Carlingford West Public School - upgrade
- Cumberland High School - upgrade
- Darcy Road Public School - upgrade
- Dundas Public School - upgrade
- Ermington West Public School - upgrade and new public preschool
- Girraween Public School - upgrade
- Melrose Park - new high school
- Melrose Park Public School - redevelopment
- Newington Public School - upgrade
- Northmead Public School - upgrade
- Parramatta East Public School - upgrade
- Rydalmere Public School - upgrade
- Rydalmere East Public School - upgrade
- Telopea Public School - upgrade
- Wentworth Point Public School - upgrade (Stage 2)
- Westmead Public School - upgrade.
