Williamstown Primary School

Williamstown Primary School is the oldest school in the district with a history stretching back over 140 years. While a great deal has changed over time we remain an iconic institution in our local area, continuing to provide a high quality, broad and relevant education for our students.

The school has a well-planned, sequenced and relevant curriculum with a strong emphasis on the core subjects of literacy and numeracy. Our integrated units of work draw on the disciplines of science, history, health, geography and the environment. We have a comprehensive specialist program, which includes Art, Music, Italian, Information Technology, Physical Education and Library. We also have special assistance classes in literacy, educational aides to support classes for children with particular needs, as well as extension programs for children with special talents.

Central to the school’s development of resilient, respectful and good-humoured students is the Willy Kids Are Friendly Kids Program. This school-based social skills initiative has been the cornerstone of developing happy, friendly and resilient students for nearly twenty years. The values reflected in the program are an essential part of the school’s ethos and underpin its approach to all areas from parent participation to curriculum delivery.

During the past ten years three new buildings have been constructed housing library, art, music and physical education classes. Both our older buildings have been refurbished and a learning gallery established as a 5\6 learning space. With our building projects completed attention is now focussed on our grounds. A commitment to environmentally sustainable practices is evident in the development and maintenance of our play spaces and gardens.

The school is organised into three key areas: the junior school (Prep, 1 and 2), middle school (years 3/4) and the upper school (years 5/6). We have a policy of maintaining smaller class sizes in Prep-2 and a maximum of 28 students in all other grades. The school operates on a rotating six-day timetable to ensure that all classes have equal and regular access to our specialist program.

Our partnership with parents and families is strong with active family participation being encouraged through the Friends of Willy. We value and recognise the many and varied ways that families of students and the broader community contribute to our school and the positive impact this has on students and the school.