Senior Campus expansion project


A school modernisation and expansion project has commenced at Telopea Park School’s Senior Campus to improve the school and facilities which support students and teachers to thrive.

In the 2023-2024 ACT Budget, $47million was allocated over five years for planning, design and construction for the expansion and modernisation of Telopea Park School Senior Campus. This is part of an overall investment in public school infrastructure of over $800 million.

Once complete, Telopea Park School Senior Campus’s expansion and modernisation will increase the school’s permanent capacity by up to 500 students.

These 500 permanent places will consist of up to 300 new places plus the absorption of the 200 places currently accommodated temporarily in Relocatable Learning Units which will be moved into a new, permanent structure. The Relocatable Learning Units used by the high school are planned to  be removed during the process.

The works will include upgrades to existing classrooms and provide some new school facilities.

Telopea Park School Senior Campus will have new and refurbished learning areas, specialist learning environments, and external learning and play spaces.

The new buildings will be fully electric, contributing to the ACT Government’s zero emissions goal.

The project is expected to be completed during the 2027 school year, although delivery timing will be subject to confirmation as the project develops.

Planning will take place to minimise disruption from the construction for the school and community. Learning will continue onsite during construction.

The safety of our students, families, staff and visitors is of paramount importance, so the building site will be fully enclosed by a construction site fence at all times and traffic management plans will be in place to support road safety.

Keep up to date

The Education Directorate will provide regular progress updates via this page and our school newsletter, including details of any opportunities for the community to provide input and feedback.

You can email the Directorate’s infrastructure engagement team on ACT.Education@act.gov.au

July 2024

Design consultant appointed.

Following a competitive tender process, Hayball Architects was awarded the contract to develop a masterplan for our school’s Senior Campus expansion and modernisation project.

This masterplan will outline the vision, design elements and functionality of the expanded and modernised Senior Campus.

Hayball Architects will spend the next few months working closely with the school community to ensure the plans for the expansion fit with our unique school – Canberra’s oldest school that is still in operation.

These plans will be shared with the community in late 2024, with a delivery contractor to be appointed in 2025.

Once complete, Telopea Park School Senior Campus’s expansion and modernisation will increase the school’s permanent capacity by up to 500 students.

April 2024

‘What We Heard’ report now available

Thank you to everyone who participated in the November 2023 community consultation.

We asked local residents and the school community to provide feedback about where and how the project might affect traffic, parking and the pedestrian experience around the school.

The ‘What We Heard’ listening report is now available.

These important insights from the school and local community will inform the delivery of the modernisation and expansion project.

We invite you to read the full report on the link above or on the Built for CBR website and encourage everyone to join in on our next conversation. We will continue to work closely with the school and community on this important project. As the project progresses, there will be other opportunities for you to have your say.

More information about the project can be found on the Built for CBR website.

February 2024

Design tenders open, RLUs operational

This project has reached an exciting milestone: the Education Directorate is now seeking tenders from design consultancies for master planning and design services.

The request for tender is open until Tuesday 27 February 2024.

For tender information visit: Display 81569-RFT-001 (act.gov.au)

The Relocatable Learning Units (RLUs) delivered at the end of last year were ready to welcome students at the beginning of this school year. The RLUs have capacity for 200 students.

Once the new facilities are built, those 200 student places will be accommodated in the new permanent buildings, which will also provide capacity for 300 new student places.

The Listening Report about the feedback received late last year during the project’s first phase of community engagement – about the parking, traffic and pedestrian experience around the school – will be published soon and made available here.

Keep up to dateThe Directorate will provide regular progress updates via this page and our school newsletter, including details of any opportunities for the community to provide input and feedback.

You can email the Directorate’s infrastructure engagement team any time on ACT.Education@act.gov.au

You can also visit the project page on the ‘Built for Canberra’ website:

https://www.builtforcbr.act.gov.au/projects/education/telopea-park-school

November 2023

Senior campus expansion project: Have your say about traffic, parking and the pedestrian experience.

Telopea Park School’s Senior Campus expansion and modernisation project is in its early planning stages.

See here for a leaflet detailing the steps in the project’s staged approach.

The Education Directorate and Major Projects Canberra staffed a stall at the school’s La Grande Fete on 4 November, in the project’s first community engagement activity.

The Directorate’s communications and engagement team would like to hear feedback from local residents and the school community about where and how the project might affect traffic, parking and the pedestrian experience in the vicinity of the school.

You are invited to visit the ‘YourSay Conversations’ interactive project page to drop a pin on the map with a comment: https://yoursayconversations.act.gov.au/telopea-traffic

This ‘first phase’ feedback opportunity is open until Friday 15 December 2023. There will be numerous further opportunities during the life-cycle of the project.

As the project progresses, updates will be provided here as well as on the Built for Canberra website: https://www.builtforcbr.act.gov.au/projects/education/telopea-park-school

If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to provide any other kind of feedback, please contact the Education Directorate via email to ACT.Education@act.gov.au

October 2023

Senior Campus expansion project: the vision

The ACT Government continues to invest in both new schools and upgrades to existing ones so that every child has a place at their local public school.

The Inner South region continues to see high enrolment growth.

In the 2023-2024 ACT Budget, $47.254 million was allocated over five years to commence the feasibility, planning, design and construction for the expansion and modernisation of Telopea Park School Senior Campus.

This is part of an overall investment in public school infrastructure of over $800 million.

Once complete, Telopea Park School Senior Campus’s expansion and modernisation will increase the school’s permanent capacity by up to 500 students.

These 500 permanent places will consist of up to 300 new places plus the absorption of the 200 places currently accommodated temporarily in Relocatable Learning Units which will be moved into a new, permanent structure. The Relocatable Learning Units used by the high school will be removed during the process.

The works will include upgrades to existing classrooms and the provision of new school facilities.

As at October 2023, the Directorate is preparing for the procurement of the design team. The design consultant along with the Directorate will be keeping the local community well-informed as the project progresses.

Telopea Park School Senior Campus will have new and refurbished learning areas, specialist learning environments, and external learning and play spaces.

The new buildings will be fully electric, contributing to the ACT Government’s zero emissions goal. ACT Education aims to have the refurbished areas fully electric also (but this may not be possible).

The project is expected to be completed during the 2027 school year, although delivery timing will be subject to confirmation as the project develops.

Extensive planning will take place to minimise disruption from the construction for the school and community. Learning will continue onsite during construction.

The safety of our students, families, staff and visitors is of paramount importance, so the building site will be fully enclosed by a construction site fence at all times and traffic management plans will be in place to support road safety.