Rose Park Primary School

Infobox Aust school
name = Rose Park Primary School


motto = Vincit Qui Se Vincit
"He conquers who conquers himself"
established = 1893
type = Public
principal = Mr Brett Darcy
city = Adelaide
state = South Australia
country = Australia
campus = Suburban
enrolment = Approximately 450
colours = Blue and Gold
homepage = http://www.roseparkps.sa.edu.au/

Rose Park Primary School is a coeducational R-7 school (5-12 year olds) located in the Adelaide inner suburb of Rose Park. The school is located at 54 Alexandra Avenue and occupies the land between Alexandra and Grant Avenues. It is one of South Australia's earliest established Primary Schools and currently has an enrollment of approximately 450 students who come from different cultural backgrounds. [http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/locs/a8_publish/modules/locations/school_detail.asp?id=0169&type=AZ Department of Education & Children Services] (2007). Rose Park Primary School. Retrieved online 3 November 2007.]

History

The school is named after the Right Hon. Sir John Rose, who was the chairman of the South Australia Company at the time it subdivided the district. The land was purchased for £800 in 1892, and the original building was planned to accommodate 500 children. The original school building comprised seven classrooms with verandahs and two shelter sheds at the back.Davies, Kerrie et al. (1993). "Rose Park Primary School 1893 - 1993". Lutheran Publishing House, Adelaide SA. ISBN 0 646 11698 3. [http://worldcat.org/oclc/38327855 OCLC: 38327855] ]

The school was opened on 30th January 1893 with Mr. C A Wittber Headmaster, 4 assistants and 294 pupils. By the end of the year, 591 children had enrolled. The eastern wing was built in 1899, to provide a total of 9 classrooms. The verandahs at the back were removed and a large classroom was added on each of the eastern and western corners. The Grant Avenue building was completed in 1923, and extensive alterations were carried out during 1977 to make it suitable for contemporary teaching methods. [http://www.roseparkps.sa.edu.au/context/2006/Rpps_2006.doc Rose Park Primary School] (2006). History. Retrieved online 2 November 2007.]

The old St. Theodore's Church was purchased in 1924 for £925 and was opened as a woodwork centre in 1925. The building has served a number of roles such as a drama area, creative dance area and even as a lunch-time recreational area supervised by a roster of parents.

After the opening of Linden Park Primary School, student numbers gradually declined, levelling off at around 400. Developments in the buildings since the 1950s have related to cirriculum changes, rather than to pressures of numbers. Thus, the Grant Avenue building was remodelled as an Open Unit, in 1977 and subsequently re-divided in 1981. A strong library/resource centre developed, with particular space requirements. Activity rooms were set aside from ordinary classrooms for multi-purpose usage, assemblies, music, dance and drama and wet-weather activities.

Since 1970, the school grounds have been expanded by the purchase of two properties adjoining the school on the east, three properties on Grant Avenue and the take-away shop on the corner of Alexandra Avenue and Victoria Terrace. The closure of Victoria Terrace to through-traffic in 1976 and the development of the park helped to reduce crowding. The 1989 re-routing of the service lane enabled the final linking up of the original school with the church building and the shop block. Adjoining houses east of the school on Grant Avenue were demolished and the two sites developed to form the "block" currently used for after-school sport.

1993 was the Centenary Year of the school and celebrations were held throughout the year.

Head Master / Principal

Present Day

Rose Park Primary School has an enrollment of approximately 450 students in 16 classes from Reception to Year 7. About 15% are School Card Holders, who are exempt from some school and associated fees. Classes are arranged in composite year groupings. [Council of Parents and Teachers Association (2004). [http://www.schoolparents.canberra.net.au/composite_classes.htm Composites - Stages not Ages] . Retrieved online 19 March 2008.] The school is recognised for its ‘Family Unit’ which has has 3 classes (R-2, 3-5, 5-7) and is housed in an old church hall on site.

Due to enrolment restrictions, the school's catchment area is zoned. The zoned area includes part of the City of Burnside bounded by Fullarton Road, Greenhill Road, Portrush Road and Kensington Road, and part of the City of Norwood, Payneham & St Peters bounded by George Street, William Road, Angas Street and Dequetteville Terrace. This area falls in District 4 - East. The school is also referred to as 0169. [ [http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/portal/community.asp?group=matters&id=pszoning Department of Education & Children Services] (2007). Primary School Zoning. Retrieved online 3 November 2007.]

Curriculum

The school curriculum is based on the South Australian Curriculum Standards and Accountability (SACSA) Framework. Staff have developed SACSA Snapshots [What are "SACSA Snapshots"?] in English, Maths, Health and Physical Education (PE). Japanese is taught at all year levels for 100 minutes per week. Some First Impression Resources (FIR) is converted to provide specialist PE teaching. Classroom Music is taught R-7, closely linked to classroom program celebrations. [What are "classroom program celebrations"?]

The R-7 Family Unit

The R-7 Family Unit comprises three combined classes. Established in 1978, it provides an alternative style of education within the State School system on the same campus as a mainstream school. Collaboratively developed Unit programmes emphasise development of student self esteem, positive relationships, and social, communication and team skills in an R-7 setting. Staff are committed to child centred learning of non-competitive, cross-age mixing and tutoring, empowerment of students, social justice, and extensive parent and student participation in programme development, implementation and evaluation. Programmes emphasise cross-age interaction, which is basic to the R-7 Unit philosophy and structure. This is firmly integrated into the programme, rather than an addition to an otherwise conventional programme. A fundamental feature of the Unit is collaborative planning, organisation, implementation and evaluation of programmes, which involves parents, students and all staff, and which has profound implications for staff selection. [ [http://www.roseparkunit.com/ Rose Park Unit] (2007). R-7 Family Unit. Retrieved online 3 November 2007.]

ports Activities

Participation of all students for fun and fitness is encouraged. Physical education, fitness, health and games skills are taught by all teachers and a specialist Physical Teacher. A strong Out of School Hours Sport Program exists within the school and is coordinated by parents and an SSO employed oversee all out of hour sports. A number of sports such as cricket, kanga cricket, tennis, football, sofcrosse, hockey, minkey hockey, netball, basketball, dance and soccer are offered each year. Availability of parent coaches and managers determines which sports can be offered. Most teams are open to boys and girls. Many of the students are involved in SAPSASA competitions. A yearly Sports Day is conducted and some students participate in District and State sporting events. R-5 students are involved in a swimming programme at Thebarton Indoor Pool, with Year 6 students attending a Surf Education Camp, and Year 7 students attending an Aquatics Camp. The school has a strong program of visiting sporting clinics.

Old Scholars Association

A strong Old Scholars’ Association meets periodically and holds a reunion each year in October. Old Scholars maintain one of the largest archival collections of public schools in the State; the archives provide an outstanding history of the school since its inception.

Notable Students

References

External links

* [http://www.roseparkps.sa.edu.au/ Rose Park Primary School Homepage]