BUTLER’S sixth school received confirmation of its official name last week.
Named after the area’s first recorded explorer John Butler, the $26.7 million John Butler Primary College will welcome 360 students in February.
The school, which was known as North Butler during its planning phase, will open under the guidance of principal Brett Lewis.
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READ NOW‘For the past eight years I’ve been in new facilities ” it’s a great experience to build a school from the ground up,’ he said.
‘We are a school that has been in high demand from the local community.
‘We have held weekly consulting meetings with prospective parents and teachers where we listen to their aspirations and help young families to achieve them.’
For its first year of operation, the school will accommodate students from Kindergarten to Year 7 until statewide changes in 2015 when Year 7s will become part of high school.
Mr Lewis said the public independent school would have facilities to support high-needs students, including a special learning unit with a hydro-therapy pool and a specialist early childhood centre.
‘The school will be under the ‘one school’ model, meaning that special needs children and classes will be integrated within the school,’ he said.
‘(It) will be the only school in Perth’s northern suburbs and the second school throughout WA to follow this model.’
It will have a five-classroom early childhood block, three four-classroom general teaching blocks, including an inclusive education classroom and art and craft facilities.
The 4.5ha school will also have a covered assembly area, a library and a staff room block.
An administration block, parking, an oval, cricket pitch, two netball or basketball courts and two tennis courts as well as an onsite dentist and chaplain are also planned for the school.
Satterley Property Group’s chief executive Nigel Satterley said with Butler’s population growth continuing at a prolific rate, the new school was a welcome addition to the Brighton Estate.
‘We aim to create ‘total’ communities designed for modern living,’ he said.
‘We don’t just look at housing lots, but the full gamut of amenities.’