Baringa State Primary School ready to open in 2018

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Education Minister Kate Jones have confirmed the new Baringa State Primary School is on track to open for the first day of school in January 2018 after inspecting the worksite at Caloundra South today.

Ms Palaszczuk said the $34 million Prep to Year 6 primary school would probably open with more than 200 enrolments next year.

“I’m delighted to see what progress has been made at this state of the art new school and that everything is on track to open for the new school year in 2018,” the Premier said.

“My Government has invested $34 million in developing Baringa State Primary School.

“It forms part of a wider $118 million investment enabling the construction of three schools in Queensland’s southeast corner, all of which will open next year.

“The other two schools are at Yarrabilba in Logan City and Coomera on the Gold Coast.”

Education Minister Kate Jones said Baringa State Primary School would initially open with 22 classrooms, with another 12 classrooms to be built during stage two of construction ready for the 2019 school year.

“This school will ultimately have built capacity to educate more than 900 students - a figure we anticipate could be reached within five to eight years,” Minister Jones said.

“It will open as a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) school of excellence and will have a range of resources to make sure it gives students the best possible education.

“Interactive screens will be a standard feature in classrooms and the school will also have a discovery centre with library facilities as well as coding and robotics work areas.”

Baringa State Primary School’s Foundation Principal Noel Baggs said he welcomed the challenge of opening the new school.

“I’m very excited to set up a new school with a point of difference being STEM education,” he said.

“It will be challenging to work in a school that is so digitally rich and also having such capacity, through these resources, to respond to the natural curiosity of our students.

“That curiosity is itself something to celebrate and along with all our staff I am looking forward to meeting this challenge.

“I’m looking forward to guiding the development of Stage 2 in 2018 when we will also build a special education unit plus 12 more classrooms.

“It will also be enjoyable to be part of a school that plans to share resources with the local community – we are describing it as a State owned resource used as a school by day and as a community facility by night.”

Media contact:

Premier’s Office:                   Susan McGrady         0488 996 667

Minister Jones’ Office:         Jack Harbour              0419 620 447