Wakehurst Public School

Infobox School
name = Wakehurst Public School

motto = "Amicitia, Fidelitas Et Eruditio" ("Friendship, Loyalty and Learning")
established = 1966
type = Public, Primary
principal = Wendy Phillips
enrolment = 310
grades = K-6
colours = Royal Blue, Sky Blue and Gold
city = Glen Street, Belrose, Sydney
state =
NSW
country = Australia
website = [http://www.wakehurst-p.schools.nsw.edu.au]

Wakehurst Public School is a New South Wales co-educational primary school located in the suburb of Belrose, and draws its students predominantly from the surrounding suburbs of Belrose, Davidson and Frenchs Forest. The school has approximately 310 enrolled pupils from kindergarten to Year 6.

History

In 1963 the decision was taken by Mr Ernest Wetherell MLA, Minister for Education, to have a third regional Public school built due to the large growth in the Belrose and Frenchs Forest regions. Frenchs Forest Public School (Est. 1916) was thought to be large enough with 1000 students and 29 rooms and Belrose Public School (Est. 1952) was too small and innapropriate with only 67 students and 3 rooms. For these reasons the decision was taken to build a new school on Glen Street.

The school was opened as Belrose South Public School in January 1966. It was later renamed as Wakehurst Public School in July 1966. It was named after John de Vere Loder, 2nd Baron Wakehurst, KG, GCMG, OStJ, who was a popular Governor of New South Wales between 1937 and 1946. The school recently celebrated its 40th year.

The Fire

On Thursday 20th November 1980 at approximately 10.20pm a fire broke out in the School library thus completely destroying it and almost all of its contents; destroying over 8000 books and irreplaceable documents, photographs, trophies, pennants and a hand painted china plate emblazoned with the school badge. The seat of the fire was under a cabinet in the library office. It is now thought that vandals broke a window and threw in rags, impregnated with something flammable. The roof had fallen in and caused more damage, and the floor boards were no longer. However a large collection of photos and an accession register miraculously survived the blaze.

The Department of Education gave Wakehurst the loan of a demountable classroom to act as a library until the new library was built. The new library was in fact started in 1982 and officially opened on the 16th November 1982. Among those present were: Mr. Paul Couvret JP (President of Warringah Council), Mr. G. Conomy (Assistant Director General of Education), Dr. Terry Metherell MLA, Ph.D, BA (Hons), Dip. Ed., the Rev. C. Knibb, Mr. M. Blanch (Inspector of Schools) and the Principal of the day, Mr. Neville Trotter.

Headmasters/Headmistresses

School Song

"Leaders of Tomorrow"Written by Denis R Ghatt

1. The leaders of tomorrow are the youngsters of today,A little understanding will help them on their way,To make the world a finer place, Much better than before,The Children need encouragement to make their future sure.

Chorus For we are young and you must know,Are quick to reap the good you sow,Let the message they convey help to guide us on our way.

2. Consider one another and give a helping hand,To cure the pain and hunger throughout our troubled land,Admit the wrong and make it right for all humanity,To live together unified, a perfect family.

3. The problems that surround us can be found in any place,They are in any country, colour, creed or race,To dream the dream of brotherhood, the bond of harmony,Is the vision of the children, The quest for unity.

Houses

The current House system is named after four of the five early Governors of New South Wales (excluding Phillip Gidley King): Vice-Admiral William Bligh (1806-1808), Major-General Lachlan Macquarie (1810-1821), Vice-Admiral John Hunter (1795-1800) and Admiral Arthur Phillip (1788–1792). The Wakehurst Houses and their colours are as follows:

*Bligh (Blue)
*Macquarie (Red)
*Hunter (Yellow)
*Phillip (Green)

The annual school swimming carnival is held early in Term 1. The annual athletics carnival is held mid-year at the State Sports Centre at Narrabeen. From these two carnivals, children are selected to represent Wakehurst at Zone level. A squad of long distance runners is also selected each year to represent the school in the Zone Cross-Country Carnival.

Students in Years 3-6 participate in intra-school sports programs as well as participating in the Primary School Sports Association (PSSA) inter-school competitions. Inter-school teams are selected for cricket, softball and T-ball in summer and soccer and netball in winter.

School Grounds

The school campus is located along Glen street. The grounds are roughly divided into three sections: the primary section (3-6) includes the Administration block, computer room, canteen and Library. It is located on the lower section and is separated from the higher infants section (K-2)which includes the School Hall and Infants Administration by a large covered outdoor learning area (COLA) which provides a space for sport, social and daily school activities.

In addition to the classroom blocks there is also a school hall which is used for school functions and assemblies, and also occasionally rented leased by members of the public on weekends. The grassed area (known as "the Oval") and additional facilities include Cricket nets, Sandpit, two playing equipment sets and two separate toilet blocks (one for Infants and one for primary).

Extracurricular opportunities

The school has two bands which provide the opportunity for children to learn a musical instrument and develop musical skills. The Training Band is for students from Year 3 upwards. Expertise is developed in this band, which enables members to progress to the Senior Band.The two bands perform at various events such as music festivals, school performances, fetes and local community activities.

A band camp, at which students have intensive tutoring and rehearsal sessions, is organised each year. The camp culminates in a performance for family and friends.

A wide variety of programs has been developed to extend the gifts and talents of individual students. Such programs include: band, choir, debating, librarian courses, PSSA inter-school sports program, district trials for a wide variety of sports, Japanese language program, dance group, external competitions (writing, art, etc.), drama group and extension programs in the area of technology.

Student Leadership

Students at Wakehurst are given many opportunities for leadership these sare as follows:
* School Captains (Infants year 2 and Primary year 6)
* School Vice-Captains (Infants year 2 and Primary year 6)
* Student Council (Two from each year)
* Band Captains (Year 6 students) (The positions above are all chosen by school and class elections.)
* Library Monitors
* Computer Monitors(These positions are chosen by Teachers concerned e.g. Librarian/Computer Teacher)

See also

* List of Government schools in New South Wales

External links

* [http://www.wakehurst-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/ Wakehurst Public School website]
* [http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/schoolfind/locator/?section=showRecord&code=4368 New South Wales Department of Education and Training] - Wakehurst Public School