Toolangi Primary School: ‘Every child by name and need’
by Sally Herbert, Principal
At Toolangi Primary School our vision is to cultivate curious and innovative young minds. We encourage a life-long passion for learning through the promotion of academic excellence, communication skills and creativity. We engage in individualised teaching and learning in a beautiful natural environment that enables us to maximise the academic achievement and well-being of every student.
Our school values of Responsibility, Respect, Understanding and Integrity are essential in all aspects of student learning and school operations. We ensure every child has the opportunity to be heard, included and extended in their learning journey whilst participating in a supportive and engaging learning environment. Our current enrolment is 19 students with our class structure being Junior school (Prep to Year 2) and Senior school (Years 3 to 6). The school is an integral part of the Outer Eastern Melbourne area within the Yarra Valley network.
Toolangi Primary School is nestled in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range and is located approximately 25 minutes from Healesville. Our grounds are abundant with nature and lush vegetation providing a natural bush setting for our students to play and learn. The school boasts an extensive kitchen garden that is a feature of our inquiry approach to learning and is utilised by the school community. The school buildings are representative of the Toolangi history and offer engaging and specialist areas for learning. The school contains a wealth of history and community connection, with many generations of families attending our school over the last 125 years. The school will celebrate its 125th year in October of this year (2021).
Toolangi Primary school has an enthusiastic and committed staff comprising a Principal, a Business Manager, a full-time teaching staff member, a part-time teaching staff member, a part-time Education Support staff and three part-time specialists including Physical Education, Art and MARC (Mobile Area resource centre).
The core business of English and Mathematics remains a high priority. Specialist staff focus their teaching all year levels on a weekly basis. Students are given opportunities to develop their Performing Arts capabilities in the area of Music, led by our Junior school teacher. This program is a highlight of our school’s curriculum with students performing regularly both within our school and extending to the wider community. Toolangi Primary School is widely recognised for the kitchen garden program led by an Education Support staff member. This program provides students with engaging opportunities to learn about sustainability, science (including cooking), horticulture and biology through an inquiry approach to learning. The kitchen garden and music programs provide the stimulus for the school’s annual events of the Harvest Festival, School concert and community events.
Toolangi Primary School has a strong community connection, with families regularly participating in community events, strong representation on school council, trade expertise in maintaining buildings and grounds and working together with the Parents and Friends Association to fundraise through local community events. We currently run a weekly playgroup with an open invitation for families to attend and we plan to offer an Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) program in the near future.
Extracurricular opportunities are varied and include school camps, excursions, swimming and athletics programs and in-school activities such as sewing and cooking. Through the Sporting Schools Grant, Toolangi Primary School collaborates with the other small schools in our district to participate in swimming carnivals, tennis tuition, athletics and gymnastics events, providing our students with the opportunity to strengthen their skills, socialise and compete with other students within different sporting environments.
We invite our school community to tour our beautiful school and individual appointments can be made by contacting us by phone (5962 9255) or by email (toolangi.ps@education.vic.gov.au). For more information, please visit our school website: toolangips.vic.edu.au. In the week leading up to the Toolangi-Castella local History Exhibition on 16-17 October 2021, Toolangi School will have an open week, to celebrate 125 years of the school, and the community is invited to come and share the history and culture of our beautiful community school.
