The ACT Government has completed a tender process that will see the first independent school built in the Molonglo Valley.
The Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn has been successful in obtaining the site reserved for an independent school in Wright, Minister for Planning and Land Management Mick Gentleman said.
”As the first non-government school for the Molonglo Valley, the new independent school will be a welcome addition for the region,” Mr Gentleman said.
“In selecting the successful tender for this project, we made sure that the new school will meet the needs and desires of a growing community.”
The school will be completed in stages and will eventually cater to more than 1800 students from early learning to year 12.
The early learning centre and kindergarten are due to open in 2026, with the primary and secondary schools and college due to follow suit over the following three years.
The school is also aiming to be one of the first zero energy-certified schools in Australia, under the International Living Future Institute’s certification program.
ACT Minister for Education and Youth Affairs Yvette Berry said the decision by the ACT Government to accept the tender from the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn would provide further educational options for the growing population of Molonglo.
“I’m looking forward to seeing a vibrant school community spring up here in the years to come, enabling more students to be educated close to where they live,” Minister Berry said.
Bishop Mark Short, from the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn, said he was “thrilled” by the announcement.
“Our team has worked on developing this proposal for a long time and is excited to have the opportunity to deliver new school places and educational options to the people of Canberra,” he said.
“It is important to us that our education program keeps pace with modern learning and is delivered in a high-quality environment that gives all students the chance to explore their options to reach their full potential.”
The Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn currently runs five diocesan schools and three “company schools”.
The diocesan schools are Burgmann Anglican School, Gungahlin and Forde; Riverina Anglican College, Wagga Wagga; Sapphire Coast Anglican College, Bega; St Peter’s Anglican College, Broulee; and The Anglican School, Googong.
The company schools are Canberra Girls Grammar, Canberra Grammar and Radford College.