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Phoebe Loomes

Road risks around packed Sydney school

A parent has told an inquiry of overcrowding and road dangers at a southwestern Sydney school. (AAP)

A southwest Sydney public school with 18 demountable classrooms has become too crowded to allow students to take lunch breaks together.

Concerned parents have told a NSW parliamentary inquiry some carers arrive an hour early for school pick up and many park long distances away from Gledswood Hills Public School.

"At the moment we have 18 demountables on site ... and there's not much room left for the kids to play," Kate Laney, a parent from the school told the inquiry into the delivery and planning of education infrastructure.

"They've also separated the break times ... because there is not enough room for the kids to play at the same time," she said on Wednesday.

Parents arrive up to an hour before the bell rings to try and get a close parking spot, parent Hanna Braga said.

"Some parents get there at two o'clock but I don't have that kind of time," she said.

"I just walk or park further away ... because that chaos really close to the school, I feel like it can be quite dangerous," she said.

Ms Braga and Ms Laney said poor road planning and construction works nearby meant B-double trucks often barrelled down the road, and many parents found it unsafe.

"You could not let a primary school-aged child walk home - unless they were in year five or six," " Ms Laney said.

"It's so dangerous.

Parents in a Facebook group routinely discussed children having near misses with vehicles while walking or cycling to and from school, she added.

Planned construction works due to begin at nearby Gregory Hills Public School was originally slated to open next year, however an update from the government last month said it was too early to say when it would be completed.

A final design has not been delivered and a contractor is yet to be appointed.

"I just feel like this area is completely neglected," Ms Braga said.

"Things aren't thought about and it's affecting the kids, the teachers, the community. Everyone."

Members of the Wentworth Point Public School Parents and Citizens Association said they were concerned about staged plans to deliver a new high school in the western Sydney suburb.

The government has committed to building a 1500 student capacity school in two stages, the first stage delivering a capacity of 850.

Mark Green, a former deputy principal, told the inquiry the first stage lacked vital infrastructure including a school hall, open play area, and had a temporary basketball court as its only sport facility.

No timeline had been firmed up for stage two.

"You've got two and a half hours a week per child that they must provide in PE," Mr Green said

"I'm just at a loss to figure out how they're going to actually get accreditation."

Labor's education spokeswoman Prue Car said the government had fallen short on its 2021-22 budget promises for 113 school infrastructure projects, an underspend of $1.26 billion.

The budget revealed some $2.71b was promised for major school infrastructure projects in the 2021-22 budget, but the spending commitments were never met, she said.

"This government has failed to keep up with the infrastructure needs of NSW families while education outcomes continue to decline," Ms Car said.

"We don't have an education premier, we have an education failure".

AAP has contacted the Department of Education for comment.

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