Construction has begun on a $1.5 million upgrade to the entrance of Woombye State School on Pine Grove Road on the Sunshine Coast, with the project focused on making the arrival and departure area safer and more accessible for the school community.

The redevelopment is designed to provide a clearer separation between pedestrians and vehicles, addressing the movement of students, parents, staff and delivery vehicles around the school's entrance. The project also includes improvements for people with disability, making the school entrance easier to access and navigate.

Member for Nicklin Marty Hunt said the beginning of construction marked an important step for the school community. The project had moved from planning into the construction phase, with work now taking place on site.

A major component of the project will be a new covered disability-access ramp with handrails. The ramp will connect the road entrance with the administration building's front steps, providing a safer and more accessible route for people entering the school.

A dedicated pedestrian walkway and stairs with handrails will also be constructed. Importantly, the new pedestrian walkway will be separated from the road access area and from administration drop-off and delivery bays by fencing. This separation is intended to reduce interaction between pedestrians and vehicles and create a more organised entry point.

Woombye State School principal Matthew Meharg said the project would make a significant difference to the school community. The upgraded entrance is expected to provide safer and smoother access to and from the site while also giving the school a modernised entry area.

The project has also been designed to retain established feature trees around the entrance. School representatives said the trees provide an attractive and welcoming character to the existing setting, and their incorporation into the new design will allow the upgraded entrance to retain some of its established appearance.

Construction is already progressing, with demolition, earthworks and block-wall footings underway. A concrete slab pour is scheduled for late September, followed by installation of structural steel and roofing structures expected to be completed in November.

The project contract was awarded in June, and practical completion is currently forecast for the end of February.

The entrance redevelopment forms part of wider investment in school infrastructure across the Nicklin electorate. This year's State Budget also included $1.3 million in minor-works funding across Nicklin schools, while Nambour Special School received $550,000 for accessibility improvements.

Other schools in the area are also receiving infrastructure support, including funding for improved oval access at Palmwoods State School and a new security fence at Noosa District State School's Cooroy campus.

For Woombye State School, the $1.5 million project represents a significant improvement to one of the most frequently used parts of the campus. Once completed, students, families, staff and visitors are expected to benefit from a safer, more accessible and better-organised entrance.