Minns Government Education Achievements

In the epicentre of the North West Growth Area, where we’ve got more youth than almost anywhere else in the State, we’re delivering world class facilities for a world class education. This includes:

We have received funding for a new preschool in Nirimba Fields as part of 100 new preschools being built across NSW.
Construction is now underway for Tallawong Public school
Nirimba Fields Public School – construction underway
Tallawong-Schofields High School – site secured.
Upgrades to Riverstone, John Palmer, Riverbank and Schofields Public Schools and The Ponds High School to support their growing student base.

Our kids deserve the best possible start in life and, with more and more of them moving into my electorate, I am proud to be advocating for the continued bolstering of education infrastructure in our community.

Media Releases

New public schools for thousands of students in Sydney’s growing North-West

13 December 2024

The Minns Labor Government is delivering for families in Sydney’s rapidly growing North-West as construction begins on the new Tallawong Public School.

The new Tallawong Public School will feature 24 modern classrooms with additional multipurpose rooms, three support learning classrooms, a multipurpose hall and covered outdoor learning area (COLA), a modern library, canteen, a new sports court and designated play areas, space for parking, and landscaped grounds.

With construction underway, Tallawong Public School’s permanent facilities will open in 2026, catering for up to 600 students. The school is currently operating in purpose-built temporary facilities at Riverstone Public School, after opening in Term 1, 2024.

Sydney’s growing North-West is also set to gain two new public schools, with a new primary school fast-tracked and delivered ahead of schedule by the Minns Labor Government.

Accelerated construction progress means the permanent Melonba Public School will open six months ahead of schedule, on Day 1, Term 1, 2025. The new public school had previously been due to open in temporary facilities, with the transition to permanent facilities to take place in Term 3.

Melonba Public School will cater for up to 1,000 students with 44 classrooms, three specialist support classrooms, a new library, canteen, administration facilities, and a multipurpose hall. There will also be covered outdoor learning areas (COLA) and outdoor play areas, including sports courts and outdoor learning areas.

Also opening on Day 1, Term 1, 2025 is the new Melonba High School, where students will be moving to permanent facilities, after the school opened in temporary buildings in Term 1, 2024.

Melonba High School will cater for up to 2,000 students, with 97 classrooms, including specialist classrooms for science, wood and metal workshops, performing arts, textile, hospitality and kitchen spaces, multi-media and visual arts classrooms and three specialist support classrooms.

It will also feature a new library, canteen, administration facilities, multipurpose hall, outdoor activity areas and on-site parking for staff.

Delivery of these three new public schools will provide new school places for up to 3,600 students in Sydney’s growing North-West, which is the number one area for student enrolment growth in the state, according to recent Enrolment Growth Audit. The overall population in the area also tripled between 2016 and 2021.

Providing new schools for Sydney’s growing North-West is part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to rebuild public education, with the 2024-25 Budget delivering record education funding including $3.6 billion for new and upgraded schools in Western Sydney.

Minister for Education and Early Learning, Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car said:

“Delivering these schools is part of our long-term plan to repair the state’s public education system and provide world class learning facilities for our growing families.

“The Minns Labor Government is building the much-needed new primary school for the Tallawong community, where the population has grown significantly in recent years.

“It is also fantastic news that Melonba Public School and Melonba High School will open in permanent facilities from Day 1, Term 1, next year.

“For too long, families in Sydney’s North-West had their educational needs ignored by the Liberals and Nationals. We are now working harder than ever to rebuild world-class public education in Western Sydney.”

Member for Riverstone Warren Kirby said:

“The communities here in Sydney’s north-west are growing at a rapid rate. As the area continues to expand, it is essential that school infrastructure is delivered at the same rate.

“The new permanent Tallawong Public School and new permanent primary and high schools in Melonba will help meet the demand for the area and I am beyond proud to be part of a government that is delivering for these growing families.

“I know I speak for our North-West families when I say we cannot wait to see the new Tallawong primary school take shape and to see students learning from the two new permanent facilities at Melonba in only a few weeks’ time.”

Tallawong Public School Principal Julie Grennard said:

“I am thrilled to see this milestone achieved and to know that our Tallawong Public School students and staff will soon benefit from these wonderful new permanent facilities.

“To be a part of building this school from the ground up has been a great privilege and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Tallawong school community to bring this new school to life.

“The coming months will be an exciting time as we see progress made on our new permanent school and I can’t wait to see it take shape.”

Melonba Public School Principal Larissa Maraga said:

“Our Melonba Public School community is so impressed that we’ll be opening on Day 1 2025 from our permanent site.

“To have these new state-of-the-art facilities ready earlier than expected for our students to start the year in is simply incredible and I’m so grateful to everyone involved for their dedication and commitment which helped make this a reality.

“I can’t wait to welcome our students and families to the permanent site on Day 1 next year and I am really looking forward to providing opportunities for every student to learn, grow and belong at Melonba Public School.”

Melonba High School Principal Leon Weatherstone said:

“I am delighted that our growing community will soon be settling in to our new, permanent school buildings.

“This is an exciting time for our school, and our teachers, students and families have been amazed watching our new school take shape.

“The new, permanent Melonba High School offers the best in contemporary learning, and is setting this community up for the best in academic success.”

Mobile phone ban improves learning, concentration, and socialisation

21 October 2024

The Minns Labor Government’s decision to ban mobile phones in all NSW public schools has improved student learning, concentration, and encouraged young people to socialise more, according to a new survey by the NSW Department of Education.

One year on from the change, a survey of almost 1,000 public school principals found almost universal support for the ban, at 95 per cent, and most say removing the unnecessary distraction has improved students’ focus and reduced social isolation.

The NSW Department of Education’s Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation survey further found:

81 per cent say students’ learning has improved since mobile phones were banned
87 per cent of principals say students are less distracted in the classroom since mobile phones were banned
86 per cent of principals say socialising has improved since the mobile phone ban

Since this election commitment was delivered at the beginning of Term 4, 2023, public schools across NSW are continuing to report widespread benefits.

At Riverstone High School, Principal Rosemary Daubney said students are more focused during class time, and at recess and lunch are now socialising with one another. Sport is now popular, with students taking up touch football and basketball.

At Kurri Kurri High School, Principal Alan Hope said the universal policy had provided staff support in leading settled and focused classes. Students were now engaged in lunchtime sporting competitions, reading and chess clubs.

Banning mobile phones in schools is part of the Minns Labor Government’s ongoing work to address the harms posed to young people by social media. Initiatives in this space include:

Partnering with the South Australian Government to host a Social Media Summit, exploring new public health responses to minimise the harms caused by social media.
Launching the Spotlight on Cyberbullying website in collaboration with the eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant to support parents, carers, teachers and schools with evidence-based resources to address cyberbullying.
Launching a $2.5 million research fund to investigate the impacts of excessive screen time, video games and mobile phone use on young people and their learning.
Delivering new syllabuses for teachers explicitly addressing respectful relationships, online safety, cyberbullying, consent education and online harassment and abuse.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“One year in it’s clear, this was the right decision.

“Without the distraction of a mobile phone in their pockets, students have been able to focus on their learning, while building stronger relationships with their classmates.

“This is also about supporting our state’s teachers to be able to teach engaged classrooms without the distraction of social media in every student's pocket.”

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“We are committed to putting the safety of young people first, and the results in schools show that learning without distracting mobile phones is making students happier and healthier.

“Feedback from teachers, staff and students show the mobile phone ban is an overwhelming success – it was one of the first calls made by the Minns Labor Government and it was the right one.

“Without mobile phones our students are more engaged in the classroom and are building stronger relationships with their peers.

“Importantly, our election commitment to ban mobile phones in schools has delivered more productive classrooms with students who are less distracted and arriving in class ready to learn.”

Principal of Riverstone High School Rosemary Daubney said:

“We see greater engagement in the classrooms and more positive social interactions. Students can concentrate and focus.

“In breaks, I used to see students sitting alone, looking at their screens. Now, they are playing games, touch football and basketball.

“They are laughing and running around, having a good time and talking to each other.

“The statewide policy helped us win backing from parents.”