Victoria will soon have another new vertical government school to address population growth across the inner city – thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.
Minister for Education James Merlino and Member for Northern Metropolitan Sheena Watt today unveiled the innovative designs by ARM Architecture for the vertical North Melbourne Hill Primary School (interim name) at Molesworth Street, with the project now also out to tender.
The designs showcase a range of world-class facilities spanning multiple levels, and will include general purpose classrooms, breakout spaces, gymnasium, kitchen garden and library. The plans include a large flexible outdoor space with universal access, play equipment, seating and a tiered amphitheatre for events and performances.
A tree-lined laneway will be built to the south of the school as part of a broader redevelopment of North Melbourne. This laneway will have separate access to the kindergarten, school and the sports courts, while the local community will be able to access the outdoor play space after school hours.
A kindergarten for three- and four-year-old children will be built on level five of the vertical school with plans for two children’s rooms and outdoor learning, complete with sandpit and cubby.
The delivery of the kindergarten is part of the Labor Government’s promise to build a kindergarten on-site or next door to every new Victorian primary school, reducing the burden of the dreaded ‘double-drop off’ for parents and making the transition to school easier for students.
Construction works will start mid-year on the school and it will open to students in 2023.
The project has been funded by the Labor Government with more than $36 million invested in the Victorian Budget 2020-21, a further $5 million delivered from the Infrastructure Planning and Acceleration Fund and $2.15 million for planning in the Victorian Budget 2018/19.
In the past five years, the Labor Government has invested more than $9 billion in excess of 1,600 school upgrades – creating 10,000-plus construction jobs – and is ahead on its commitment to open 100 new schools by 2026.
Designs for the new school can be viewed at
Quote attributable to Minister for Education James Merlino
“We’re rolling out eight vertical government schools to make sure there are enough school places for young Victorians across the inner city.”
Quote attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt
“The new state-of-the-art kinder will boost capacity as we roll out our landmark Three-Year-Old kinder reforms and make the transition to school even easier for local students.”
Quote attributable to Member for Northern Metropolitan Sheena Watt
“We are delivering new schools right across the inner city so that every child can access a great local school.”
Reviewed 17 February 2021