Building the Education Revolution – CEO Schools ACT and NSW

Client:     Catholic Education Office
Size:     3,500m²
Cost:     $9M
Date:     2009

AMC Directors have been involved with the Catholic Education Office (CEO) for some 15 years now with a wide range of refurbishment projects in Canberra and regional NSW. We have undertaken numerous masterplan strategies for school sites underpinned by collaboration and consultation with the CEO, School leadership team and the wider school community. These masterplans provide a strategic framework for identifying short and longer term projects be that new building, refurbishment or landscape works. They inform the Block Grant Authority application process and identify works that schools may be able to undertake in their own right (eg.landscaping)

In February 2009 the Australian Government announced the $16.2 billion Building the Education Revolution program, as part of its Nation Building – Economic Stimulus Plan. The program funded the building and refurbishment of primary and secondary school infrastructure at over 9,000 schools across the nation. AMC was engaged by the Catholic Education Office, Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, to deliver BER projects at three ACT and three NSW country schools. These included a range of projects including new / refurbished classrooms, libraries, auditorium and external play areas.

These projects included:

• Sacred Heart, Pearce – Masterplan, new gymnasium, new and refurbished classrooms and library
• Holy Family, Gowrie – New administration, new staff room and associated courtyard, new and refurbished classrooms and refurbished library
• Trinity Primary School, Murrumburrah – New administration, new staff room new and refurbished classrooms, new covered basketball court and new toilet amenities
• Sacred Heart, Cootamundra – Masterplan, Refurbished class rooms, extended / refurbished TAS building, new staff room / administration, new library, refurbished toilet amenities
• St Josephs, Boorowa – New administration building, new library, new toilet amenities, refurbished classrooms
• St Peter and Paul Primary School, Garran – Refurbished class rooms and new Environmental Centre

In recognition of the size of the BER delivery in totality, and the requirement to ensure onerous completion dates were met, AMC allocated a dedicated Project Manager to the project noting 3 of the 6 projects were delivered in the first round of works with just 10 weeks between the initial commission and construction works commencing on site. As well, AMC recommended a ‘construction management’ delivery, rather than the CEO’s preferred ‘lump sum’ delivery for some of the schools, to ensure deadlines were met.

At the conclusion of these projects it is clear that the CEO and the six primary schools involved have been provided with modern, purpose-built education facilities within “iconic” looking buildings, and excellent value for money.

See more of our Education projects.