A school modernisation process has commenced at Narrabundah College to improve the school and facilities which allow students and teachers to thrive.
On 21 March it was announced that ACT Government has committed funding for the first stage of the modernisation of Narrabundah College.
This investment will develop full campus master plans and include new building works for the first stage of the modernisation. Detailed staging plans for the redevelopment will be shared through the design consultation once completed.
Community Consultation
During 2019, the ACT Government conducted a six-week engagement with the local community. Feedback was sought from the school community, key stakeholders, local schools and the broader Canberra community on modernising Narrabundah College and planning for the medium and long-term future of the College.
This consultation received over 1,000 comments from a variety of stakeholder groups including students, parents, teachers, alumni, community members and organisations.
There were 29 engagement activities undertaken as part of this consultation including workshops, pop-up feedback sessions, one-on-one conversations, meetings, future student workshops and an online scrapbook.
This feedback helped to inform a feasibility study and some preliminary concept designs for how the future campus might look.
Community Feedback
Education is changing all around the world. The way students are taught and the way they learn is shaping learning spaces.
How will changes to pedagogy, curriculum and technology influence the way that learning spaces are shaped and used at Narrabundah College in the future? How can physical spaces enhance the access, agency, voice and diversity of students in the College in the years to come?
Narrabundah College has been part of the local community since 1974. What role does the College currently fill in the community? What potential roles could it fill in the future? What connections, partnerships and opportunities for collaboration might be possible? How could new physical spaces increase these connections and partnerships? How can the community utilise the facilities for their use out of school hours?
It is important to consider how the College will be used and what students and staff need now and into the future. What are the general, specialist and vocational facilities required at Narrabundah College? How would you ensure that the College provides for potential increases to student numbers? How would you make use of outdoor spaces? What size should new buildings be? What would you like it to look like?
The students, staff, community and alumni of Narrabundah College feel a strong connection to the College. What is it that makes these connections so strong? What are the qualities that make Narrabundah College unique and what needs to be maintained, preserved and enhanced no matter what, during the next phase of the College’s development?
Frequently asked questions
Feedback we have received will be used to:
- identify what is important to the community
- inform options to modernise Narrabundah College, and
- will be used to inform architectural concept planning.
In 2019, remediation works commenced with the demolition of asbestos affected buildings and the establishment of the Learning Village.
With funding announced in March 2022, the Narrabundah College modernisation project has now commenced with initial design works underway. A program will be developed as part of this work.
The ACT Government is committed to ensuring that Narrabundah College can continue to operate at its current site and does not plan to relocate the College.
A key goal of this project is to is to maintain the quality and standard of learning at Narrabundah College and aim for minimal impact through this modernisation process. The safety and learning environment for students and staff is a priority of the ACT Government.
The ACT Government has committed construction funding for the first stage of the modernisation.
The investment of this funding builds on the previous design and planning services, including the community conversation, the feasibility study and the initial concept planning work.
If you would like more information about the Narrabundah College modernisation project, contact ACT.Education@act.gov.au.