Works on stage one of the school’s expansion project are off to a running start with successful Tamworth tenderer Shay Brennan Construction approved last Monday and on site the very next day.

The Gunnedah school plans to introduce Year 7 from 2019, with the middle school in Little Barber Street to house Years 5-7. Stage two of the project is the construction of a senior school building, and stage three is construction of a new early learning centre. By 2022, Carinya will cater for prep to Year 10. 

School principal Chad Kentwell said the middle school “could well be done by the end of the year”, with enrolments already open for 2019.

“One of the driving forces [behind the project] was that our families did indicate overwhelmingly that if we did have up to Year 10, they would support it,” he said.

Mr Kentwell said it would also give parents an opportunity to keep their children at Carinya when they reach high school and new students to come in.

“We’re really excited about the middle school concept where they have the opportunity to experience school in a different way,” he said.

“It’s a really good transition in what is always a challenging time for kids.

"We really believe the middle school concept assists with [the changes].”

The principal said growth in prep and Kindergarten would see the year groups swell as they moved up through the school.

“We’ll pretty much have full classes going through from prep,” he said.

Mr Kentwell said a head of middle school had already been appointed, along with a number of teachers.

An information session on Year 7 will be held at the school at 6.30pm tonight, with plans to hold more sessions in the coming months in outlying towns including Boggabri, Narrabri and Coonabarabran.

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