Maitland students will soon be enjoying new play space and modern classrooms as the Minns Labor Government delivers a multimillion-dollar upgrade for historic Thornton Public School in the 2025-26 Budget.
The major upgrade for the school, which dates back to 1919, will include a new, state-of-the-art building with 16 new contemporary classrooms, a new library, new student and staff bathrooms, additional parking and a covered outdoor learning area (COLA).
Due for completion in 2028, the upgrade will expand the school’s capacity and help cater for the population boom in the local area.
Maitland is one of the fastest-growing areas in NSW, with significant population growth underway southeast of the Maitland city centre. In the Thornton and Chisholm communities, the number of students has already increased from 2,100 in 2018 to 3,000 students in 2025. It’s expected these areas will expand by close to 9,500 people in the coming years.
Despite this rapid population growth, the Liberals and Nationals denied Thornton Public School needed an upgrade, saying the school was dealing with temporary “fluctuations” in enrolments in 2022.
After 12 years of mismanagement and neglect by the Liberals and Nationals, the Minns Labor Government is building a better a better NSW.
We are providing the essential school infrastructure that young families rely on, giving our children a head start and setting our state up for long-term prosperity.
As part of our long-term plan, the Minns Labor Government is delivering better public school facilities for families across the Hunter region.
This includes delivering a new public school and high school at Huntlee, a new high school for Medowie, major school upgrades at Newcastle High School, Hunter River High School and Irrawang High School, and a full redevelopment of Gillieston Public School in Maitland, which will deliver a new co-located public preschool.
These upgrades are part of the Minns Labor Government’s record $9 billion investment over four years to deliver new and upgraded schools across NSW.
Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos said:
“In recent years, the community in and around Thornton has rapidly grown – but the Liberals and Nationals denied this school needed an expansion.
“The Minns Labor Government, with the leadership of Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car and the tireless advocacy of Jenny Aitchison, have listened to the community, and I am delighted to announce we will deliver this long-awaited major upgrade for the Thornton Public School community.
“This new project, as part of the Minns Government’s budget, demonstrates our commitment to continue delivering the vital school infrastructure that Hunter families need.”
Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison said:
“This is a huge win for our community. This area is growing rapidly, and our schools need to grow, too. This upgrade ensures our kids have the learning environment they need.
“This is about future-proofing education in one of NSW’s fastest growing areas.”
Thornton Public School principal Stuart Wylie said:
“Our school community is thrilled to see this project get the green light. We are rapidly growing, and this upgrade will make a real difference to our students and teachers.
“We’re excited to see our school evolve to meet the needs of our growing community while keeping learning on track every step of the way.”