Fitzroy Primary School was officially opened in 1855, and has served the community proudly since then.
Fitzroy Primary School has served the local and broader community as an inner city school since 1855 and is a co-educational state primary school for students from Foundation to Year 6. Situated in the heart of Fitzroy, 5kms north of Melbourne’s CBD, the school includes a mixture of historical buildings and state of the art facilities, it also boasts expansive play areas.
Fitzroy Primary School was originally known as George Street School No. 450 and has a long and proud history of catering for local families and the wider community. Our connection to the community is as strong today as it was more than 150 years ago.
The first school was opened in 1841. Hugh Templeton opened a private school in the Presbyterian Chapel in Napier Street. He then moved to Johnston Street where the school was known as the Collingwood Commercial Academy. He built a school on the comer of Greeves Street and George Street which opened on 1 October 1855 and was called the North Collingwood National School. Under the Board of Education from 1862, it became Collingwood Common School No. 450.
The Education Department took over Common School No. 450, renting the building which was on land owned by Hugh Templeton’s son, Thomas. In 1874 a new building was constructed on land bought by the Department for £1800. The architect was Henry Bastow, Chief Architect for the Education Department. Caretaker’s quarters were constructed in 1888, and extra land acquired for playground space in 1914 and 1961. A new infants’ school on Napier St was completed in 1970. This building was then refurbished in 2010 as part of the Federal Government’s Building the Education Revolution Program and now houses modern and contemporary learning spaces. The school facilities now include a mixture of historical buildings and state of the art facilities, it also boasts expansive play areas.
School History Timeline
1855 – Fitzroy opened. The head teacher was Hugh L. Templeton. It was known as Collingwood Commercial Academy when it opened. Classes were held in St Mark’s church hall on Napier Street.
1862 – The school became a common school around this time.
1872 – The school became a state school.
1874 – A new schoolhouse was built on George Street and the school moved to its present site.
1888 – A home for the caretaker was built.
1914 – The playground was made bigger.
1924 – The school building was extended to include extra classrooms.
1930 – Around this time, many people did not have jobs or a lot of money, so free meals were given to the students every day by a local church.
1961 – The playground was made bigger again.
1970 – The school was renamed Fitzroy Primary School. A new building on Napier Streeet opened the same year.
2005 – The school held a big event in 2005 to mark its 150th anniversary. Past and present families attended the event.
2019 – The school adopted a French Bilingual Program.
Currently – Fitzroy Primary School is still in operation.