Students at Croxton Special School are a step closer to getting the facilities they need to get the best start in life, as the next stage of their masterplan gets underway.

Member for Northcote, Kat Theophanous, today announced that Peter Elliott Architects have been appointed to design the school’s almost $8 million upgrade and modernisation project.

These upgrades will deliver modernised facilities for the Croxton School as part of the Andrews Labor Government’s largest ever investment to upgrade specialist schools across the state.

Croxton School has been a part of the Northcote community for over sixty years, delivering a safe and supportive learning environment for students with intellectual disabilities.

In 2019 the Minister for Education joined Ms Theophanous at the school to celebrate the completion of Stage 1 of the school masterplan. The $5 million project delivered new therapy, learning and play spaces as well as a state-of-the-art sensory courtyard.

Students have also benefited from a $198,000 investment that supported the creation of an outdoor sensory play space as part of the Government’s Inclusive Schools Fund. At the time, Ms Theophanous was instrumental in supporting the school to secure an additional $10,000 for a Permaculture Food Forest – giving students an opportunity to learn about nutrition, food preparation and for some to create a pathway to employment.

In the past five years, the Labor Government has invested more than $9 billion in more than 1,600 school upgrades – creating more than 10,000 construction jobs – and is now ahead of schedule its commitment to open 100 new schools by 2026, with 48 new schools opening between 2019 and 2022.

Quotes attributable to Kat Theophanous, Labor Member for Northcote

“This investment is an incredible outcome for Croxton Special School and an exciting time for the school community.”

“We are making sure all our students have the facilities they need to get the best start in life by making our local specialist school even better.”

“I look forward to working closely with Principal Fegan and the Croxton School family as we finalise the designs and deliver an even better learning environment for these wonderful students.”