A CLASS OF THEIR OWN
New music and drama centre for school
EAGER pupils at Whittington Primary School will soon have a state-of-the art music and performing arts centre to hone their skills and uncover new talents.
Students and teachers moved out of their old, decrepit 1970s classrooms and into a suite of portables before a major site demolition.
The school’s 165-pupil population is expected to expand to 250 in coming years, with the master plan catering for a 500-strong student body.
Principal Barrie Speight said the near $7 million build would provide pupils with a “completely new” learning environment.
“It will be a fantastic building. The current building is in very poor condition — it leaks water and it is very hard to keep warm in winter and cool in summer,” Mr Speight said.
“The rooms are very small and they have no sound proofing — which means the students have to be very quiet.”
The school’s music program is an integral part of its curriculum — with 65 students learning an instrument.
Mr Speight said the new music and drama facility would give students an appropriate place to practise and perform for parents and friends.
“In the Whittington community there is not often an opportunity for kids to be exposed to drama or music. So something we try to do at school is expose them to these opportunities,” he said.
“We have two students who have been selected for the Bay Strings and could be concert violinists. These are talents they otherwise wouldn’t have discovered.”
While the move and rebuild is positive, Mr Speight said teachers had to work hard to limit the disruption to students during the process.
“It can be quite traumatic. There is an element of grief and loss. This building has been a part of the community for a long time. We actually ran tours for former students last term and one ex-student told us the best years of her life had been spent at the school,” he said.
Grade 6 school leader Kaleesha said moving to the portable rooms was “confusing and stressful” but said she now enjoyed learning in a new environment.
“The portables are very different, they are very nice,” Kaleesha said.
While she is looking forward to starting Year 7 at Newcomb Secondary College next year, she said her siblings — Ryder, Payton and Zake — would love learning in a “much bigger and more functional” building.
Demolition works are expected to be completed by November with the new build starting in December. Construction is expected to take about 18 months.