As part of Aspect’s three-year strategic plan to invest in our physical infrastructure, Aspect is committing close to $20 million to significantly refurbish several Aspect schools, and further develop best practice, autism-friendly spaces for our students.
This includes repositioning a number of key schools to ensure they offer high quality, safe and innovative education facilities that have the flexibility to adapt as technology and learning models change and refurbishing internal areas and classroom furniture, external landscaping and playgrounds, and signage.
These refurbishments will allow for expansion in some of the schools where there is a waitlist and immediate need for Aspect's education services. Current estimates indicate the expansions will cater for an additional 50 students in total, whilst maintaining the specialised, individual teaching, and student-teacher ratios. Below is an overview of capital works projects currently underway.
Western Sydney School Construction Works
The Aspect Western Sydney School is undertaking minor internal upgrades to the Administration building. Appropriate submissions have been submitted to Fairfield Council and can be reviewed below:
Vern Barnett School Construction Works
The Aspect Vern Barnett School was first built in 1971 and turned 50 years old in 2021, it was Aspect’s first autism-specific school and is of historical significance. The scope of works for the refurbishment includes increasing classroom sizes throughout, newly landscaped and sensory playgrounds and incorporating autism specific design improvements to support sensory requirements in the classroom. When completed there will be 15 classrooms in total (up from the current 9 classrooms), new calm, sensory and active playground spaces (indoor and outdoor) and a new multipurpose space with improved furnishing throughout.
Work is expected to be completed in August 2023.
Central Coast Primary and Senior campuses
Under the Aspect’s Capital Works Master Plan, Investing in Our Future, we are undertaking a significant renovation and refurbishment of our Terrigal school campuses, including new calm, sensory and active playground spaces (outdoor) and refurbished classrooms incorporating autism-specific design improvements to support sensory requirements in the classroom.
Work is expected to be completed by December 2022.
South Coast Campus – Corrimal
Our South Coast School campus at Corrimal is undergoing a significant renovation and refurbishment, with the addition of two new classrooms, a new library, new sensory room and a new multi-purpose building to allow for indoor recreation activities. All classrooms are undergoing a complete refurbishment incorporating autism-specific design improvements to support sensory requirements in the classroom for our students. Newly landscaped outdoor play areas with new play equipment is also underway.
Once complete the school will have a total of 6 classrooms (up from the current 4 classrooms) is will be able to accommodate approximately 36 students on the autism spectrum from kindergarten to Year 4.
