Cheltenham Girls School

The Cheltenham Girls High School – Stage 1 Upgrade involved the Design, Development and Construction of alterations and additional accommodation for the existing Girls High School, comprising of a new two storey General Learning Unit incorporating new student toilet and staff facilities (Block I), demolition of existing stairs to the existing Block E and other minor structures, new covered link, and associated site works and services.

The new Block I is located within the existing Girls High School and the whole of the school was to remain operational throughout the course of the works. It also lies within an area of Sydney Turpentine, Ironbark Forest (STIF forest) of significant environmental sensitivity. Accordingly, very careful planning was given to the protection of that vegetation to be retained. The building, with a gross floor area of over 2500m2, contains sixteen class rooms, two staff rooms, four seminar rooms, two computer rooms and two new high usage female toilet blocks.

Contract works also involved the demolition of an existing first floor link and associated minor structures and construction of a new 2 storey Link between Blocks A and E including a lift, stairs, elevated walkway, ramp, associated works and alterations to Blocks A and E enabling disabled access to over 50% of the existing school.

External works involved extensive landscaping including the construction of an on site detention basin to aid the removal of stormwater off the site, construction of a conservation area and the installation of screening plants along the western boundary to the requirements of Hornsby Shire Council.

The works were constructed with input from NSW Department of Education staff. The finished building has met Schools Facilities Standards resulting in a highly useable facility and an end product that exceeded the expectations of the Cheltenham Girls High School Staff.