Upgrades to Pittwater House in Collaroy have started more than a year after the school received approval for its development application. Once completed, the $14.7 million revamp will see the school with a new library, new classrooms, and an improved drop-off/pick-up zone that will fix the traffic issues in the surrounding streets.
Pittwater House lodged DA2019/1274 in November 2019 outlining the masterplan for its senior school building, library and resource centre, reception and admissions office, classroom upgrades, and the drop-off and pick-up zones.
The school cited the need for the upgrades as it projects an increase in the student body to more than 1,000 by 2030. The school also stated in its masterplan that there is a need to “augment existing facilities with more modern facilities that reflect new ways of learning” to continue to provide high-quality instruction for the children.
The DA received approval in October 2020 with the construction, spread out in several stages for four to five years, set to start by Term 4 2021.
In September 2021, the school had the turning the sod ceremony with Dr Nancy Hillier, the school’s principal for more than three decades. The first stage will cover the Kiss and Drop zone and then followed by the Senior School upgrades.
The drop-off/pick-up zone will consist of a new driveway on South Creek Road to allow cares to enter the campus. This driveway will be closed to the public outside of the drop-off/pick-up times and will be used as a play area for the kids.
“This is a plan for renewal, not expansion,” school officials stated. “Our School will continue to operate on-site as normal, so the construction program will be managed to minimise dust and noise. Careful design and supervision of building works will allow for our students to continue to engage in all the activities that comprise each day with minimal adverse impact.”
Pittwater House was established as a preparatory school for boys in 1961 with just six students. In 1975, the school opened its Girls’ College and throughout the ’80s and ’90s, the school expanded with more blocks and facilities.
Today, it has more than 900 students with a student-teacher ratio of just 9.4 per class. The school said that the small class size will remain the same, amidst the upgrades, so every student will get equal attention from the teachers.
