Grandis Primary School in Banksia Grove.
Camera IconGrandis Primary School in Banksia Grove. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Grandis Primary School grows in Banksia Grove

Lucy JarvisWanneroo Times

MORE than 300 children are enrolled to start term at a school in one of Perth’s growing outer suburbs.

Grandis Primary School in Banksia Grove will open its gates to students from Years 1 to 6 on February 3, as well as Kindergarten and Pre-Primary classes which started last year in transportable buildings.

Principal Stephen Bevan said there would be a significant increase in student numbers after Crothers Construction finished building the school designed by Oldfield Knott Architects late last year.

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“Our enrolment at the end of last year was 304 – this year there people already coming to enrol,” he said.

Grandis Primary School principal Stephen Bevan with deputy principals Michelle Drage and Trudy Jones.
Camera IconGrandis Primary School principal Stephen Bevan with deputy principals Michelle Drage and Trudy Jones. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

While there were more students in the younger classes, Mr Bevan said the numbers for Years 3 to 6 had grown steadily as well, with children transferring from other schools in the area or because their families had recently moved to Banksia Grove.

He said the school would open with 15 teachers and eight educational assistants as well as employing office staff and cleaners.

Mr Bevan said classroom teachers had been trained to use an online program to teach the school’s chosen language, Indonesian.

Grandis Primary School library officer Katy Yates setting up.
Camera IconGrandis Primary School library officer Katy Yates setting up. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Facilities include a library, undercover area, staff room, a nature playground funded by the school and specialist learning areas.

“We have a visual arts teacher (and) we are doing performing arts,” Mr Bevan said.

“We are also doing physical education.”

Grandis Primary School’s nature playground and banksia sculptures.
Camera IconGrandis Primary School’s nature playground and banksia sculptures. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

The classroom blocks are named after native trees and there are four sets of sculptures by Simon Gauntlett and Margaret Dillon at Concreto, designed to show elements of the banksia trees.

As the start of term drew near, Mr Bevan said there was an atmosphere of “nervous excitement” as teachers and staff set up classrooms and resources.

“Everyone is very keen for students to arrive and get settled into classes,” he said.

“In the community, there’s a lot of nervous excitement there too – parents are very excited for their children to be coming to a new school.”

The Grandis Primary School staff room.
Camera IconThe Grandis Primary School staff room. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Mr Bevan said the P&C had already been active, holding a fundraising sausage sizzle during the holidays.

The school will have shared use of an oval, tennis and basketball courts with the community.

“Those courts have lights so at night people will be able to use them,” Mr Bevan said.

The shared oval at Grandis Primary School.
Camera IconThe shared oval at Grandis Primary School. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

He said a limestone wall around part of the oval created amphitheatre seating which people could use to watch sports events.

The Grandis Boulevard school will host a welcome barbecue for new students and their families to see their classrooms and meet teachers this Thursday.

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