First Class: Catherine McAuley's $4.3m expansion design a lesson to others

Catherine McAuley Catholic Primary School is the latest to join the teaching revolution with classrooms that have portable walls and technology at students’ fingertips.

The new-age design and construction will cost $4.3 million. 

The expansion is well under way and when finished will mean all students from kindergarten to year 6 will be under the one roof. 

Currently younger grades are housed in the site off Byng Street with older students at the Hill Street site. 

Principal Michael Croke said enrolments were expanding exponentially and the school had to move with the times to accommodate the growing need. 

“We’re starting next year with 550 kids ... in the coming years it could go well over 600,” Mr Croke said. 

“For those that remember St Joseph’s School, well it is totally re-jigged.”

He said staff, students and parents alike were all waiting with baited breath to have a glimpse at what the new-age design would look like.

The expansion will bring 21 classrooms together in the building facing Hill Street but the classrooms will be bigger to accommodate more students.

Each area will fit three classes from each grade which means teachers only have to move the portable walls and the entire grade is together for group learning. 

Catholic Education Office head of administration Brian Morrissey said staff members had travelled to “innovative” schools in Sydney to gain an idea on how best to approach the design.

“It’s a flexible design, very contemporary with state-of-the-art facilities ... a complete refit,” he said.

Builders at Meridian Construction hope to have the first part of the construction, which involves a new administration centre, finished by Christmas and phase two, the classrooms, finished by mid 2015. 

The site on Byng Street will remain and will be used for drama, music and additional needs programs. 

nicole.kuter@fairfaxmedia.com.au