Narrabeen Sports High School has produced three Olympians, including a current student who went to the Paris games last year.

But shortly a different set of talents will be taking centre stage at the school – it will soon have a multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art Centre for Creative and Performing Arts.

The announcement of the new centre is music to the ears of principal Heidi Currie.

“We’re known as the sports high school, but this will provide our drama, dance and music students the opportunity to flourish as holistic students,” Ms Currie said.

“I’m just thrilled.”

Currently, the dance, music and drama students share spaces across the sprawling campus.

The head music teacher once measured that she walks 12 kilometres a day just to get to the different classes.

The school’s dance coordinator, Lidia Marrocco, said this would be a game changer for her students, most of whom take dance classes through distance education.

“Having their own space is going to be huge for them,” she said.

“They’re so passionate and dedicated and watching them dance makes you so proud. For them to have facilities that match their energy and passion for dance is so exciting.”

The hall will consist of a stage and seating for up to 500 students. Next to it will be music rooms with acoustic panelling and an additional performance space including a sprung wooden floor for dancing.

For Jacqueline Hampson, the head teacher of secondary studies, the centre is more than just a building.

“It’s not just going to be a hall; it’s going to be a launchpad for future possibilities,” she said.

“This will give us a stage to spotlight our hugely gifted students – their passion, their energy – to showcase their talents to their parents and the broader community.”

Year 8 dance student, Mia Murdoch, said her friends were over the moon.

“We’re very excited! I think it will be great to have our own space like all the other sports do. It will definitely help us develop as artists,” she said.

“It means a lot to me,” said Madison Lazich, also in year 8.

“I know the school’s called Narrabeen Sport High but dance for us, and music for the music students, is just so important to us, so to have the school support us in this way is amazing,” she said.

The head of the P & C, Suzie Stanford, can’t talk about the announcement without tears welling in her eyes.

“We are just thrilled and overjoyed. It’s been the culmination of a lot of effort and finally this dream’s coming true,” she said.

“It’s a huge turning point for us. It’s going to mean school pride; it’s going to open doors for our students and allow them to shine.”

The school has also had major upgrades to its science labs and technical and applied studies classrooms.