2026 BUILDING UPDATE
Building Update
2026 is shaping up to be a significant year for St Agnes’ from an infrastructure perspective, as we continue to grow and enhance our learning environment. These developments represent an exciting step forward for our school, supporting both our current students and future growth.
Playground Update
We have two significant infrastructure projects planned for this year. The first, which has already been widely shared and celebrated, is the installation of a new playground later this year. While our students have thoroughly enjoyed our current playground, it is now 17 years old and, at times, has required ongoing maintenance. Importantly, it continues to meet all safety compliance requirements; however, as with all school facilities, upgrades of this nature need to be carefully and strategically planned over a 3–5 year period to ensure they are both sustainable and aligned with the long-term needs of the school.
Thanks to the incredible success of our recent fete, we are now in a position to bring this project forward earlier than anticipated. This is a wonderful outcome for our students, who will benefit from a refreshed and engaging play space, and it speaks strongly to the generosity and commitment of our parent community. We look forward to sharing more details as the project progresses.
In addition to the new playground, we are also excited to be installing a ‘Gaga Pit’ at our school. This initiative was led by our School Captains, who demonstrated wonderful leadership by reaching out to the Black Rock Parish to explore the possibility of acquiring the existing gaga pit from St Joseph’s in Black Rock.
Gaga ball is a fast-paced, inclusive game played in an enclosed space, where students use a soft ball to try and eliminate others by hitting the ball below the knees. It’s a favourite on school camps, with many of our students already familiar with the game. The addition of a gaga pit will provide another engaging and active play option for our students during recess and lunchtime.
We will be using funds raised from our fete to support this project, and we feel it complements the new playground beautifully. It is a fantastic example of student voice in action, and we look forward to seeing it enjoyed by all.
Senior School Refurbishment
The second major project we will be undertaking this year is the refurbishment and refit of our senior classroom spaces. This work is being driven by our continued enrolment growth and the need to ensure we maintain large, contemporary learning environments that support high-quality teaching and learning for our students.
As part of this project, the current Year 5 classroom will be reconfigured and split into two separate classrooms, allowing us to create three general learning spaces upstairs. This will better support our growing senior cohort and ensure each class has a well-designed, functional learning environment.
At this stage, we anticipate the project will take approximately four to five weeks to complete. We are hopeful that a significant portion of the works can occur during a school holiday period to minimise disruption; however, we are still awaiting final confirmation of the timeline. This will be communicated to our community as soon as it is confirmed. The importance of minimising disruption to our students' learning during this time will be a key consideration.
Planning for this project is well advanced, and we are now working through the final steps before we can lock in key dates. We look forward to sharing a confirmed schedule with our community in the near future.
Future Infrastructure Works
As our school community continues to grow, we are very mindful of ensuring that St Agnes’ can continue to meet the needs of our families, whilst also preserving the warm, connected and community-focused environment that makes our school such a special place for students and families. To support this growth, we are currently working closely with MACS to explore future infrastructure funding opportunities that would allow us to expand our learning spaces and facilities.
Following the redevelopment of our School Masterplan in 2024, enrolment growth has already significantly exceeded projected expectations. We are hopeful that this continued growth will assist in unlocking future capital funding opportunities. We are currently working in partnership with the MACS Infrastructure Team, alongside our local State MP Brad Rowswell, as we advocate for the next stage of building development at St Agnes’.
The first stage of this proposed masterplan project would involve the construction of an elevated building with an open undercroft design. This approach would allow us to create additional contemporary classroom spaces while importantly preserving valuable playground and outdoor play areas for our students, a key consideration given the size and geographical footprint of our site. Progressing to this next stage is dependent on securing MACS funding approval, and we are hopeful to receive further updates on this later in the year.
As part of our long-term planning for the future growth of St Agnes’, the school has established a School Building Fund to support future capital works and facility improvements across the school. In line with Australian Taxation Office guidelines, contributions to the fund are tax deductible and are used exclusively for the acquisition, construction, maintenance and refurbishment of school buildings and learning spaces. The fund provides an opportunity for families, community members and local businesses to contribute towards the ongoing development of contemporary, high-quality learning environments for our students as our enrolments continue to grow.
Attached is a letter containing further information regarding the School Building Fund. Should you have any questions about the fund or our future infrastructure plans, please don’t hesitate to come and speak with me. I would be more than happy to discuss this further with you.
Tom Hartney