QLD suburb’s ‘vertical school’ aims for 2024 opening
The first vertical school in Greater Springfield offering an international education program could be open by 2024, providing a “town and gown experience” for students.
The Springfield International School will be vertical in design, as will all schools built in the area in future, according to Meera Honan, the director of Springfield City Group Education and Health Services.
“We will adopt a high-rise design more akin to a CBD-style development,” Honan told The Courier-Mail.
She says the school’s fee structure will depend largely on the consortia pulled together and the business case developed between project partners.
“It will operate under a private, selective-entry model catering for up to 1500 full fee-paying students comprising a mix of domestic and international senior students (Years 7-12),” Honan says.
“Delivering the International Baccalaureate program, it will cater to a global and diverse learning community, providing integrated pathways into higher education within Australia and abroad.”
The Baccalaureate program is aimed at 16 to 19-year-olds and provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education in many universities worldwide.
Springfield is one of southeast Queensland’s biggest growth areas and Honan says by 2036 the Greater Springfield school-age population is expected to double to 20,000.
“With our existing 11 schools catering to our current school-age population of 10,000, conservatively we would expect to build another 10 schools in Greater Springfield in that time,” she says.
“While true vertical schools are common abroad, they are still far from the norm in Australia. In the CBD, where space is a premium, efficient use of space and sharing of facilities is preferable in school designs, especially as young families seek to live closer to main employment hubs and amenities. It offers the ability to provide a true ‘town and gown experience’ for senior students.
The innovative design will be the first for the Springfield area.
“A vertical school model reimagines what a school provides and how it functions. It forces educators and architects to consider how teaching and learning spaces must perform and how they might need to perform in the future.”
Honan says Springfield has created its own economy with some great amenities for its residents, including retail and entertainment offerings and rail links to Brisbane city.
She says Springfield also offers diversity in its housing, catering to first-home buyers to buyers building their dream homes on the Brookwater Golf course or Springfield Lakes.
“Apartments, townhouses as well as executive homes on large homesites are all part of our residential offering,” she says.
She says school catchments are a major consideration when purchasing for families.
“The fact that there are six state schools in Greater Springfield means people have to choose a location to suit their schooling preferences,” she says.
“There are not many other areas where you can live where there are 11 schools within 10 minutes of home.”
Expressions of interest from experienced consortium partners for Springfield International School are now open.
For more information visit greaterspringfield.com.au/education/international-school.
