Balgowlah Heights Public School

Balgowlah Heights Public School
The original school building
Location
Map
9B Lewis St, Balgowlah Heights, New South Wales
Coordinates33°48′22″S 151°15′29″E / 33.80605°S 151.25801°E / -33.80605; 151.25801
Information
Former nameBalgowlah Heights Infants School
TypePublic, co-educational, primary, day school
Established1933
Educational authorityNew South Wales Department of Education
OversightNSW Education Standards Authority
PrincipalDavid Shuster
Enrollment704 (2023)
WebsiteOfficial Website

Balgowlah Heights Public School (commonly formatted as BHPS) is a public co-educational primary school located in the Sydney suburb of Balgowlah Heights, New South Wales, Australia.[1][2] It is administered by the New South Wales Department of Education, with an enrollment of 704 students and a teaching staff of 35, as of 2023.[2] The school serves students from Kindergarten to Year 6.[2]

It originally opened as an Infants' school in 1933 but lost the classification in 1946.[3] The name of the school was officially recorded as a geographical name by the Department of Lands on 16 July 1976.[4]

History

In 1916, the land was reserved for school purposes, but it wasn't until 1929 that the land was cleared and surveyed.[3] An order to begin construction was issued on 6 July 1932 and the construction was completed on 18 January 1933 at the cost of £384.[3]

At the request of the local population,[5] the school opened at the beginning of the 1933 school year as an infants' school in a portable room.[6] The school population was not large enough to justify a permanent building.[5] It was officially opened by the then member for Mosman, Herbert Lloyd on Saturday, 4 March 1933.[7]

26 students from the school knitted 163 square tiles for a quilt for the Lady Mayoress's Clothing Fund in 1937.[8]

In 1939, the Assistant Federal Treasurer, Percy Spender was disgusted at the conditions of the school during his visit and stated he would bring the matter up with the state premier.[9] In response, the education minister at the time, David Drummond explained that if funds were not diverted to technical education to meet defense requirements, there would be fewer complaints about the condition of state schools.[5] The school population was still not large enough to justify a permanent building at this time.[5]

In 1942, after five weeks volunteers spent digging an air raid shelter for the 31 students, a Works Department inspector deemed it unsatisfactory.[10]

Tenders were being taken by the Education Department in 1948 for the erection of a weathershed and a toilet block, along with the associated sewage installation.[11][12] In December of the very same year, the headmaster, James Bede announced his retirement, his last day was 7 March 1949.[13]

As part of Education Week in 1954, the pupils planted 100 trees around the school grounds.[14][15] 70 students, along with their parents took part.[16]

The school went under extensive refurbishment in 2006 to cater for the new student at the time, Sophie Delezio.[17]

In 2015, the premier of New South Wales at the time, Mike Baird visited the school and was popular among the students.[18]

A man attacked a volunteer during a federal election set up outside the school in 2019.[19]

Demographics

In 2023, the school had a student enrollment of 704 with 35 teachers (35 full-time equivalent) and 5 non-teaching staff (4 full-time equivalent). Female enrollments consisted of 332 students and Male enrollments consisted of 372 students; Indigenous enrollments accounted for a total of 0% of total enrollments and 22% of students had a language background other than English.[2]

Notable alumni

See also

References

  1. ^ "Balgowlah Heights Public School". Australian Schools Directory. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "ACARA Data Access Program - School Profile 2023". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "School History". Balgowlah Heights Public School. 25 August 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2024 – via The Wayback Machine.
  4. ^ "Geographical Names Act, 1966 - Sydney Heads 9130-11-N". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 16 July 1976. p. 3027. Retrieved 30 October 2024 – via Trove.
  5. ^ a b c d "Problem of Rail Holidays - School Finances". The Sun. 30 May 1939. p. 3. Retrieved 30 October 2024 – via Trove.
  6. ^ "The Schools - Notes". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 January 1933. p. 6. Retrieved 30 October 2024 – via Trove.
  7. ^ "A FEW LINES TO SAY– New Infants' School". The Daily Telegraph. 24 February 1933. p. 9. Retrieved 30 October 2024 – via Trove.
  8. ^ "Children Work for Poor". The Sun. 1 July 1937. p. 41. Retrieved 30 October 2024 – via Trove.
  9. ^ "MEMBER AMAZED - Conditions at Infants' School". The Maitland Daily Mercury. 26 May 1939. p. 7. Retrieved 30 October 2024 – via Trove.
  10. ^ "Shelter Rule Relaxed - School Shelter Complaint". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 March 1942. p. 7. Retrieved 30 October 2024 – via Trove.
  11. ^ "Education Department Tenders". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 17 September 1948. p. 2432. Retrieved 30 October 2024 – via Trove.
  12. ^ "Education Department Tenders". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 9 July 1948. p. 1692. Retrieved 30 October 2024 – via Trove.
  13. ^ "Retirements - Department of Public Instruction". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 3 December 1948. p. 3290. Retrieved 30 October 2024 – via Trove.
  14. ^ "Pupils plant 100 trees". The Sun. 17 August 1954. p. 13. Retrieved 30 October 2024 – via Trove.
  15. ^ "Highlights in big week". The Daily Mirror. 17 August 1954. p. 2. Retrieved 30 October 2024 – via Trove.
  16. ^ "Blind Children Won Battle - City Office". The Daily Telegraph. 18 August 1954. p. 10. Retrieved 30 October 2024 – via Trove.
  17. ^ a b Masters, Clare (1 February 2006). "Sophie gives another lesson in determination as she begins school". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  18. ^ Hasham, Nicole (23 March 2015). "NSW election 2015: Premier Mike Baird mobbed at Balgowlah Heights Public School". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  19. ^ "Liberal volunteer stabbing part of 'ugly campaign' in Warringah, Abbott says". ABC News. 17 May 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2024.