Education WAÂ introduces Dandenong Primary School in Dandenong, for all your education and learning needs.
The Dandenong Primary School community is committed to the provision of outstanding educational opportunities for every child, always striving to the best of our ability to achieve excellence through a spirit of partnership, in an environment of respect and consideration.
Dandenong Primary School has a long and rich history, having served the local community for nearly 140 years. The first State School was built at the corner of Robinson and Foster Streets and officially opened its doors on May the fourth 1874. The first Head Teacher was Malcolm MacPherson.
The school moved to its present site on Foster Street in 1881. The Gothic inspired building took nine months to construct and at the time its ornate style was considered to add significantly to the architecture of the township. The building contained three rooms – one for boys, one for girls and a gallery (possibly for infants). It had very modern fittings that included a porch, a hat rack and ventilation. About two hundred scholars attended the school at this time. The building was extended in 1901 with the addition of a classroom, conversion of portion of the lobby (the lavatory) into the Head Teacher's office and erection of a new lavatory. A further addition of another four classrooms was completed in 1909. Further classrooms, including the Bristol and Light Timber Construction buildings, were added in the 1940’s and 1950’s to cope with expanding enrolments.
The school had an enrolment of approximately 200 students when it moved to the Foster Street site in 1881. This steadily grew through the first half of the twentieth century and then the peak enrolment of 760 pupils was reached in 1960. Enrolment numbers dropped as schools in Doveton and Noble Park opened. We now have 320 students, with families representing 45 different nationalities.
