Learning for life

Planning for the next decade of growth in kindergarten classes, schools and TAFE will support more Victorians to learn for life.

Victoria will need around 900 new kindergartens, up to 60 new government schools and 20 per cent more teaching space for TAFE over the next decade to give more Victorians access to education and training as the state grows. Private and not-for-profit providers will meet some but not all of this demand. By focusing its investment where it is needed most, the Victorian Government can deliver the kindergartens and schools required in the future.

Infrastructure Victoria’s 2024 report, Learning for life: preparing kindergarten, school and TAFE infrastructure for the future, finds much of the demand for new education facilities will be in Melbourne’s growth areas.

“Our modelling shows Greater Melbourne will need up to 60 new government schools over the next decade or so,” says Infrastructure Victoria chief executive officer, Dr Jonathan Spear. “Ninety five per cent of these schools will be in Melbourne’s fast-growing communities, including Wyndham and Melton in the west, Whittlesea in the north and Casey in the south-east.”

Dr Spear says there will also be a need to expand existing schools in Melbourne’s inner and middle suburbs as those communities continue to grow.

“Our modelling shows the best way to deliver the schools we will need beyond 2026 is to build larger new schools and expand existing schools where there is land to do so,” says Dr Spear. “We’re recommending the government begin this delivery and expansion before 2030.”

The report finds building larger new schools can save up to $1.5 billion to 2036, compared with the government’s historical approach to delivering school infrastructure. Providing schools that communities need in this way will mean more funding is available for teaching, learning and student wellbeing.

Strong demand for kindergartens over the next five years, much of it driven by the government’s policy to increase learning opportunities for three- and four-year-olds, will mean more investment is needed in the early education sector.

“The government can make the most of its funding in kindergarten infrastructure by focusing its investment in areas where private and not-for-profit providers are less likely to invest. Our research shows that the north, west and south-east growth areas of Melbourne would benefit the most from this investment,” Dr Spear says.

“We recommend the government immediately publish its priorities for kindergarten investment over the next five years. Sharing regularly updated information about the demand for and supply of kindergartens will reduce the likelihood of gaps in access and gives private and not-for-profit providers more confidence to invest.”

The report finds demand will also continue to be strong for the TAFE sector, especially in areas of skilled worker shortages such as construction, health and energy.

“By 2030, TAFE campuses in Melbourne’s west, north and south-east growth areas will need 125,000 square metres of extra space to train more students,” Dr Spear says.

“By building more facilities on existing TAFE sites or adding a campus to an area with no TAFE facilities, more students can be trained. Many TAFE campuses have spare land and are near public transport, jobs and services that can attract more students.

“Places such as the Werribee campuses of Victoria University and Gordon TAFE can work in partnership to expand and provide more teaching space for healthcare and trades. Melbourne’s northern growth suburbs have some of the worst access to TAFE courses. A new TAFE campus in the Craigieburn to Kalkallo corridor can bridge this gap.”

Dr Spear says planning for the pipeline of future kindergartens, schools and TAFE needed in the coming decade will deliver big benefits.

“Many things go into delivering students a high-quality education — skilled and experienced teachers, student and parent engagement, a strong curriculum and quality education infrastructure are all factors,” Dr Spear says.

“Access to education gives more Victorians the chance to learn new skills and get a good job. With long-term published plans, updated as areas change and grow, more Victorians can access quality education and learning facilities for life.”

Planning for a decade of growth in regional Victoria

Regional Victoria will need more than 100 new kindergartens, larger TAFEs and expanded schools in growing regional centres to improve access to quality education as these areas grow. Learning for life: preparing kindergarten, school and TAFE infrastructure for the future, finds that much of this demand will be in Geelong, Bendigo, the La Trobe Valley and Ballarat.

The state’s independent advisory body, Infrastructure Victoria, has found that the Victorian Government needs to invest in early education infrastructure across rural and remote Victoria, which faces a severe lack of kindergartens and is not serviced by the private and not-for-profit sectors.

“People living in rural and remote Victoria, such as parts of Gippsland, the La Trobe Valley and Greater Shepparton are more likely to live in ‘childcare deserts’. These are locations where there are more than three children for every childcare place,” says Dr Spear.

“The Victorian Government has already committed to 50 new kindergartens in communities where early education is not accessible. Our modelling shows that areas like these will need more than 100 extra kindergartens to meet demand over the next 12 years. Private and not-for-profit providers will meet some — but not all — of this demand. The government should direct its investment in areas where other providers are least likely to invest,” says Dr Spear.

Across all of Victoria, strong demand for kindergarten education over the next five years, much of it driven by the government’s policy to increase learning opportunities for three- and four-year-olds, will mean more investment is needed in the kindergarten sector.

“Private and not-for-profit providers are less likely to deliver kindergartens in regional areas,” says Dr Spear. “The government can make the most of its funding by filling that gap, meet its plan for increasing early education for three- and four-year-olds and deliver the largest benefits to communities.”

The modelling shows that many regional government schools will be able to meet future enrolment needs by expanding existing schools. “In the longer term, places such as central and outer Geelong, the Surf Coast region, Warragul and the Macedon Ranges can expand existing schools to meet demand,” says Dr Spear. “Without the need to purchase new land and build whole new schools, the government can invest in delivering better teaching and learning environments.”

The report also finds opportunities to redesign TAFE infrastructure to meet future demand and support a better learning environment. Together, TAFEs in regional Victoria will need around 50,000 square metres of extra teaching floorspace to meet future demand.

By upgrading regional TAFE campuses, particularly in areas of future high demand such as Ballarat, Geelong, Bendigo and the Latrobe Valley, regional Victoria can help meet the state’s skills shortage in key industries. “Victoria’s TAFEs will need more facilities over the next decade to train the workers needed to help fill shortfalls in industries such as construction, energy and healthcare. This is on top of the new campuses the government has already committed to,” Dr Spear says.

“By 2030, regional Victoria’s TAFE campuses will need around 60 per cent more space than they currently have. Updating campus facilities and locations in regional centres and increasing maintenance funding can improve access to training.”

Co-locating kindergartens on TAFE campuses can help people balance study with other commitments. This will provide more opportunity for more people who would otherwise be unable to access further education. Campuses such as SuniTAFE and La Trobe University in Mildura are already co-located with a kindergarten and other services.