Northcote Primary School, school number 1401, was first opened on the 1st of May 1874, high up on what is locally known as Ruckers Hill. The school buildings retain the original Victorian and later Edwardian heritage style of brick buildings. The beautiful barrel-vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows in the hall take your breath away and give you a sense of the grandeur of times gone by.
It was the first state school to open in the Northcote area after the government passed the Education Act in 1872. Francis Beaver and the Board of Advice decided on the Helen Street location after looking at the local educational needs: the Wesleyan School was too small, and the Church of England school was not in an ideal location to serve the community. Both schools had no playground. The Helen Street location was in the perfect area to accommodate the number of pupils expected and in a central area. During the 1980s the number of students reached 500.
Extensive internal refurbishments to original classrooms have created modern, flexible learning spaces in all areas of the school to meet the needs of twenty-first century learning community. These building works have been beautifully completed to tie the old with the new, in a way that is both respectful of the history and charm but also practical and functional. This has allowed us to shape the physical environment and transform the teaching and learning practices to more contemporary, innovative styles. The Art Room is a perfect example of this, with its old-world charm captured in the traditional façade which beautifully houses all the fittings and fixtures of a modern classroom down to the interactive whiteboards and hover cams used on a daily basis.
