New public school announced for fast-growing suburb

A booming, family-orientated Hunter suburb will get a new 1000-student public school to keep pace with rapid population growth and ease pressure on classrooms, the state government has announced.

The Labor government said the new school at Chisholm would be built on a 2.9 hectare site at 547 Raymond Terrace Road and would be fully funded as part of the NSW budget.

The school will open on day one of term 1, 2030, and cater for up to 1000 students, "future-proofing public education in the region and easing enrolment pressure on neighbouring schools", the government said.

Chisholm is among the fastest-growing suburbs in NSW and has seen significant population growth over the past 15 years.

The project will be the first new public school built in Maitland since 2007.

The announcement comes just days after construction began on a major new education hub at Huntlee, where the government has broken ground on a combined primary school, high school and preschool precinct.

That project will serve the rapidly expanding Branxton, Huntlee and North Rothbury corridor, and is aimed at relieving pressure on existing schools as new housing estates drive population growth across the region.

Together, the state government says, the Huntlee and Chisholm projects highlight a broader push to fast-track education infrastructure in growth areas across the Hunter, where thousands of young families have moved into new suburbs over the past decade.

Planning is already underway for the school at Chisholm, with facilities including modern classrooms with shared common areas, multipurpose spaces, support classrooms, a multipurpose hall, games court, sports field, and a preschool.

The government says the projects further expand its record $9 billion investment in new and upgraded schools, which includes $2.1 billion in regional NSW.

"Chisholm is one of the fastest-growing suburbs in regional NSW, and the Minns Labor Government is proud to be investing in the essential infrastructure like public schools to support families in this booming area," Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said.

"This new primary school and preschool will be a landmark investment for the area, providing local students access to a world-class public education that will set them up for life.

"Delivering quality schools for growing regional communities like Maitland is central to this government's commitment to rebuilding public education across NSW."

NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said the budget continued the critical job of rebuilding public education in regional NSW.

"Working families should be able to access a quality education in a world-class learning facility, no matter where they live," Mr Mookhey said.

"This government understands that an investment in public education is one that delivers dividends for a lifetime."

Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison said a great local school would benefit more than just the students who attend each day.

"It strengthens families and attracts new ones, supports local jobs and helps build the kind of connected and thriving community we all want to be part of," she said.

"Maitland is the fastest-growing LGA in NSW outside of Western Sydney for more than two decades.

"This is the first new school that has been built since 2007, and the suburb of Chisholm was built without any new schools.

"This investment is a vote of confidence in Maitland's future."