Banksia Park International High School, in Adelaide’s north-west, has continued to build on its global reputation with a $9 million facilities upgrade officially opened by the Minister for Education, Training and Skills Blair Boyer today.

The school, which has just over 1000 students, opened in 1973, but became an accredited International school in 2000.

It has sister-school arrangements with schools in Japan and currently hosts international students from five other countries, including Germany and France.

Banksia Park is also one of five schools in South Australia to be accredited as a specialist entrepreneurial school. It delivers learning programs that promote and encourage entrepreneurial mindsets in students.

Banksia Park International High School Principal Natasa Penna said the even it a great opportunity for the school to reflect on both their journey to this point but also the future of the school as they continue to embrace diversity.

“We are proud to be supporting and educating students with a view to their place in the global community. The capital works projects have particularly contributed to this with the construction of both the new performing arts space and the commercial kitchen providing world-leading facilities," she said.

The $9 million facility upgrade was completed ahead of the 2022 school year, however the official opening was delayed by a number of factors including the impact of COVID-19.

Key features of the upgrade include construction of a new performing arts building, including a new commercial kitchen, refurbishment of existing building to provide contemporary learning spaces and construction of a new covered outdoor learning area to cover refurbished courts.

The kitchen came to the fore earlier this year when the school celebrated its 50th anniversary, with students preparing the food for an Old Scholars and Staff Luncheon.