Member for Hume Angus Taylor today officially opened the newly-constructed Johnson Cottage at Wollondilly Anglican College in Tahmoor.

Students and staff at Wollondilly Anglican College now have full use of a two storey building consisting of general learning areas, seminar rooms, a resource centre, a covered outdoor learning area, staffrooms, offices, a drama and dance studio and student change rooms and amenities.

The Turnbull Government provided $1,400,000 in funding from the Capital Grants Programme.

Mr Taylor attended the opening of the new building on behalf of Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, Minister for Education and Training.

“It was great to visit Wollondilly Anglican College and see the new facilities firsthand and the impact they will have,” Mr Taylor said.

“Students and the whole school community will benefit from using the new facilities.

“These new learning spaces take into account the latest in education research and will see students learn more effectively.”

The Turnbull Government is providing higher levels of school funding than ever before – a record $73.6 billion in total Commonwealth funding over the forward estimates in all states and territories.

Nationally, that represents funding growth from a record $16 billion this year to $20.1 billion in 2020, all to be allocated based on need.

Minister Birmingham said the Coalition’s funding growth was sustainable but will be tied to a range of evidence-based initiatives to support students by focussing on outcomes in literacy, numeracy and STEM subjects, helping lift teacher quality and better preparing our children for life after school.

“While buildings alone do not make a great school, I hope students and staff will enjoy learning and be inspired by these new facilities,” he said.

“The Turnbull Government is committed to improving the quality of our schools and equipping students with the skills they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive world.”

Minister Birmingham is responsible for the Capital Grants Programme, which provides funding for non-government schools to improve capital infrastructure where they otherwise may not have access to sufficient capital resources.