A $550,000 project has seen the junior school students accommodated on the senior school site.

Previously there was about one-kilometre between the sites.

Principal Tony Hand said a refurbishment to the senior campus to accommodate the younger years started in term three last year.

“One wing of the secondary college main building is dedicated to primary classrooms,” he said.

“We’ve had purpose built primary aged toilets.

“Some of the building work is ongoing, things like external ramps and doors.”

He said most of the works were completed by the end of term four last year.

The school received $180,000 from the state government for the project.

Mr Hand said the school raised $370,000 to complete the refurbishment.

“Some were locally raised funds, money was also saved from previous years with this in mind,” he said.

The school has been a prep to year 12 consolidated school since 2012.

Mr Hand said the community had hoped for the school to be situated on one site since the merge.

There are currently 102 students that attend the school.

Mr Hand said the project had been a big win for the school.

“It’s been really nice having students from five to 18 on the one site,” he said.

“It creates a bit of vibrancy in the school.

“Having good role models for the younger students has been a real positive.

“The younger students can also see how things are done in the senior school.”

One of the last elements to the project will be the opening of the new school library and textiles room.

The rooms will be ready for use next term.

Mr Hand said the move had also helped the school’s teachers.

“I don’t think people realise teachers’ loss in time travelling between the two campuses,” he said.

“Some staff were travelling two to three times a day between campuses.

“Not having that unproductive time has made a massive difference.”

Mr Hand praised the Hopetoun community for helping the project come to fruition.

“The job has taken a bit longer than we would have liked but everyone has been exceptionally patient,” he said.

“It’s a real credit to staff at the school to make sure things were done on time.

“All staff came back to school a week early to make sure everything was right for the kids when they got here.

“I’d like to thank the school council for their support as well.

“We also had a massive amount of parents turn out to a working bee before school started.”

Mr Hand said the community seemed to be happy with the project.

“Once people have seen what we’ve got they’re really impressed by it,” he said.

Mr Hand said there would be an official school opening for the Hopetoun community on June 3.

He said the former primary school site was still in the school’s control.

Mr Hand said there were still things from the old site that needed to be moved to the senior site.

He said the eventual fate of the site would be the decision of the education department.