Wembley Primary School (No. 4788)
Beginnings
1950’s - Severe overcrowding at the nearby schools Spotswood, Yarraville West and particularly Kingsville
1955 – Education department looks at identifying site for new primary school.
1957 – Land purchased and school buildings built; 6 classroom block, staffroom, office, toilets & store.
1958 – School opens with 265 pupils
1959 – 2 extra classrooms added to school, enrolment increases to 300
The 1960's - 'years of rapid growth'
1961 – the main building block is extended to 10 classrooms, the grounds are fenced and boundary trees planted.
1962 – an asphalt assembly area and basketball court are provided
1966 – enrolments hit 426, additional asphalting on the east-side and cricket pitches formed
1967 - first portable classroom erected
1968 - two more permanent classrooms & G R Evans Memorial Library in use
1969 - enrolment in 1969 reached 447 and extra room requested.
The 1970's - 'a multicultural school'
1970 – Enrolment hit 451, Migrant English classes commence (held in sick bay then shelter shed)
1974 – Enrolment declined to 375 removing class size pressure, school-based curriculum development, canteen available
1975 – Art & Craft Centre opened (destroyed by fire two years later)
1978 - Rebound wall erected
1979 - Boys shelter shed converted to two withdrawal rooms with covered way, complete revision of school policy and curriculum statements.
The 1980's - 'consolidation'
1980 – Enrolment level 303, two adjoining rooms converted into a General Purpose Room, due to high migrant population, school is declared a Disadvantaged School enabling the employment of three `Special Needs’ teachers for the Child Migrant Education and P.E. programs
1981 - International Committee formed for social and fundraising purposes
1982 – A further two rooms converted into a new Art & Craft Centre
1983 - $260,000 upgrade of the administration area and a fitness course constructed. 25th Anniversary Celebrations held.
1985 – 2/3 school enrolments from non-English speaking backgrounds, 17 nationalities - School Improvement Plan funding to revise English Language Program
1986 – Shelter shed converted into a Community Room, a sprinkler system installed, and an arboretum commenced
1987 – School purchased new computers
1988 - runner up Footscray Municipality Beautification Competition for schools.
The 1990's - 'striving for sucess'
1990 – After Hours School Program initiated. New school canteen completed
1993 - Italian replaces Macedonian as the L.O.T.E. component
1994 – `Friendship School’ relationship established with Koriyama Elementary School, Japan.
1995 - $250,000 major maintenance and administration/ staffroom upgrade. Wembley becomes a `School of the Future’.
1996 - New School Hall opened, Reading Recovery introduced
1997 - Triennial Review
1998 - 40th Anniversary Celebrations
2000-2009 - 'The changing face of Wembley'
2000 – Library / Corridor extensions completed
2001 – Triennial Review
2001 – Completion of Early Numeracy Research Program
2002 – Enrolment level 420, Before School Care Program commences
2003 - complex of 5 classrooms, student toilets and canteen was built, and the school’s administration area and staffroom were relocated and renovated along with two classrooms in the main building.
2005 – enrolment 461
2006 – grounds improvement - artificial grass soccer field installed, large sandpit / long jump areas constructed, and the outside basketball courts covered with an artificial grass/carpet.
2007 - interactive whiteboards installed in all classrooms and significant purchases of laptops.
2008 50th year of operation. New entrance gates were built at the main entrance in St Leonards Ave and at the school crossing entrance in Wembley Ave.
2009 – enrolment 526
2010 - 2020 - 'Wembley as a professional Learning Community'
School Principals
1958 - 1996 E C Howell
1962 - 1966 R G Evans
1967 - 1969 A O Bird
1970 - 1972 E J W Miller
1973 - 1975 B L Burns
1976 - 1982 G J Murdoch
1983 - 1996 J M McConville
1997 - 2005 S W Lyon
2006 - 2011 S R Warner
2012 - T Lawless
School Council Presidents
1958 - 1964 R R Carruthers
1964 - 1965 K J Hatt
1965 - 1970 D J Kent
1970 - 1980 A Boyd
1980 - 1984 R A D MacDonald
1984 - 1985 B D Charlton
1985 - 1989 B J Jones
1990 J A Regan
1991 J Gardener
1992 - 1997 M Webb
1997 - 2001 A N Smith
2001 - 2002 R Glenn- Smith
2002 - 2010 P Morgan
2011 - 2014 Scott Walker
2015 - Janet Condy
Full School History