Site manager Chris Hill (left) and Matt Jarman who was recently appointed principal of the Yanchep primary school opening next year.
Camera IconSite manager Chris Hill (left) and Matt Jarman who was recently appointed principal of the Yanchep primary school opening next year. Credit: Supplied/Emma Reeves

New school takes shape

Lucy Jarvis, North Coast TimesNorth Coast Times

Matt Jarman grabbed the reins this month to establish a north Yanchep primary school, which students will enter at the start of 2014.

Having spent almost five years as principal of Middle Swan Primary School, Mr Jarman told the Times he had already seen similarities between that community and this.

‘The school is about people working together ” it actually does deliver a partnership between parents, students and staff,’ he said.

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‘Those are the kinds of aspirations that I’ve got for north Yanchep.’

Mr Jarman said he had already held one parent night, and was planning to have another meeting with parents yesterday, July 29, to discuss the school name and applying for independent public school status.

‘The level of enthusiasm and motivation was really high,’ he said. ‘I’ve had nothing but great vibes from the community.’

The principal said he hoped the new school, which will start with about 300 students from kindergarten to Year 6 and grow to 460 at most, would allow the community to come together.

‘It has got specialised facilities ” art, music, physical education, a dental therapy clinic,’ he said.

‘The most unique thing about the school is the early childhood unit block ” it’s quite a unique L-shaped design.’

The school will have 16 fixed classrooms as well, and a sports field which he hoped would be a community facility.

‘The oval is enormous ” all of this is going to be open to the community after hours,’ Mr Jarman said.

With two sons aged nine and 11 and a wife who also teaches, he said his life was balanced between work, his children’s sport and family. He started teaching in 1992, and took up his first principal’s position in 1999, spending 14 years working in the Wheatbelt before a short stint at Mullaloo primary and then Middle Swan.

Although there will be 199 car-parking bays around the school, Mr Jarman said he would encourage students to walk or ride.