Financial blessing to help school grow our future engineers

Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan met with school principal Jeff Allen and building project manager Howard Penn yesterday to discuss the Government's sizeable contribution to the school's proposed sixth stage of development.

"I'm really pleased to be announcing $700,000 from our government's Capital Grants Program for this school today as it will enhance the education outcomes for both secondary and primary students," Mr Conaghan said.

This announcement comes three months after the official opening of the school's multi-million dollar auditorium, which was built using $1 million in Federal Government funding contributions.

Mr Conaghan said student enrolments had grown quickly at the school which meant its existing facilities were at capacity: "Nambucca Valley Christian Community School has grown from having 46 students in 2012, to having 270 students this year, so it clearly needs more facilities to accommodate students' needs".

The school community will also contribute a further $1.4 million for the project which will see a new wing built in the high school, ready to house woodwork and metalwork workshops.

Principal Jeff Allen said he was especially excited about metalwork being added to the school curriculum for the first time once the workshop is completed.

"We have a bus building business in Macksville, and we're about to get a new industrial estate here. We're preparing for the future and hoping to help in the areas where there are skills shortages in the Valley. We're all about equipping our students for life," he said.

This year Engineering Studies was introduced into the school's HSC curriculum with the subject's first participants already achieving at a rate 2.4 per cent above the state average. With a dedicated space to bolster learning, Mr Allen is hopeful that rate will only improve.

In addition to the new workshops, two new general learning areas will be added to the primary school.

With the increased space the new rooms provide, existing rooms will be repurposed, and the music studio enlarged.

"These new facilities will result in better education outcomes for students and will dramatically free up space in our library," Mr Allen said.

They are currently working towards an Easter project start date, with Mr Allen keen to see the workshops busy with students before next year is out.

Nambucca Valley girls shine in this year's HSC result

Outpouring of pride for Nambucca's latte art champ