Thornton Public School upgrade

About the project
Get involved
Library

As part of the NSW Government's plan to rebuild public education, the NSW Budget is delivering $2.3 billion for new and upgraded schools in regional NSW. This targeted investment will ensure growing communities get access to a world class public education.

A project is underway to upgrade Thornton Public School to accommodate the future needs of the growing communities in the area.

The upgrade will be delivered in stages to allow students and staff to enjoy upgraded facilities as soon as they are finished. The scheduled completion date is early 2028.

We are pleased to share that the planning approval for the upgrade was granted by the Department of Education’s Planning and Assessment team on the 3 July 2026.

The updated REF, along with a Decision Statement has been published on the Planning Portal for Division 5.1 (Part 5) Activities:

www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/part-5/thornton-public-school-upgrade

The benefits

A new three-storey building with 16 permanent classrooms and 3 specialist support classrooms
New library
New covered outdoor learning area (COLA) over the existing basketball court
Relocating staff parking on Taylor Avenue
Upgrading the existing Taylor Avenue parking to improve the pick up/drop off area for the support learning unit.

Timeline

Planning

Design

In progress

Complete

Progress summary

Next steps

During the spring school holidays, we will start Stage 1 of the upgrade which includes building a new staff car park off Taylor Avenue, northwest of the basketball court. The new staff car park will also be used as a temporary Assisted School Travel Program (ASTP) pick-up and drop off area until Stage 4 is finished. We will also be installing a covered outdoor learning area (COLA) over the existing basketball court.

In Term 4, we will celebrate the start of construction with a smoking ceremony and traditional ‘turning of the sod’ event. This milestone is common in Commonwealth nations, blending tradition, publicity and community engagement.

Additional information

Fast facts

Architect

SHAC

Builder

Lipman Pty Ltd

Electorate

Maitland

Address

28 Government Road Thornton NSW 2322

News

First look at concept designs for Thornton Public School upgrade

Designs for a multi-million-dollar upgrade for Thornton Public School to be shared with the community.

Get involved

We are committed to working together with our school communities to deliver the best possible learning facilities for students.
Opportunities for school communities to get involved in the project will be shared on this page.

Past events

2 Dec 2025

2:30 pm to 6 pm

Community information session

A community information session was held about the upgrade at Thornton Public School.

School hall, Thornton Public School, 28 Government Road, Thornton

Get in contact

Your feedback on this project is important to us. For more information or to make an enquiry please complete the contact form or call us on 1300 482 651.

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Information packs
Project updates
Reports
Works notifications

Everything you need to know about your new or upgraded school.

Community Information Session - information boards - December 2025

(PDF 54 MB)