School Profile
Gooseberry Hill Primary School is nestled in trees on the crest of Gooseberry Hill. The hills environment makes for a unique setting and this is permeated into the educational program offered to the students at the school. The school opened its doors to students for the first time in 1974 and has successively developed an enviable record of being a nurturing school, committed to excellence and supported by a caring community.
The school is located approximately 20 kilometres from the Central Business District and is surrounded by national parks and local reserves making an opportunity for birdlife and other fauna to frequent the school daily. This provides a vital educational setting and one which is not lost by the teachers in providing natural science studies.
Our School Community is involved in a range of environmental programs such as adopting the care of Huntley Street Nature Reserve, continuing to support Kanyana Native Animal Hospital and working with the Ledger Street Community Group. During 2005 the School Council gave support for a twelve month trial of water conservation at the school and was considering a proposal for the school to enter into sustainable energy trial for schools involving solar power. The strong conservation and sustainable energy developments at the school are characteristic of the care and consideration that the school community hold as important values in the education of Gooseberry Hill Primary School ’s students.
The dedicated and committed teaching staff members are experienced and generally have been associated at the school for 1 to 20+ years. As a vital part of the School Community the teachers bring their creativity and talent to life in the classrooms. Many staff collaborate with other teachers’ strengths in learning areas to provide the very best programs for the students. It is this spirit of cooperation and enterprise that sets a vital tone for the working environment of the students.
The Visual Arts Program is an integral part of our whole school program with programs being arranged to support class activities. Students from this program continue to have success winning scholarships to the special Arts program at Kalamunda SHS.
Our Performing Arts Program has been a focus over the past three years and students have successfully participated in Wakakirri (Junior Rock Estedford) and the choir and band have performed at assemblies throughout the year, Kalamunda Central and our 2005 Spring Fair. Students in year 3 have access to violin through the School of Instrumental Music and selected students in Year 6 and 7 have access to tuition in Trumpet, Guitar and Flute through this program.
As well as our normal school sports program funding has been obtained from Department of Sport & Recreation to run an after school sports program with a focus on skill development and fitness with coaching being provided in basketball, athletics, hockey, fitness games and football.
The ethos of the school can be best sumed up in the School Creed which was written by the graduating class 2003.
Here at this school, children,
our future stand as tall as the trees.
Caring is foundation.
Trusting is our walls.
This is the fortress of our commitment.
We strive for excellence to achieve pride and joy.
Friends will be made and never forgotten.
Gooseberry Hill is a school that cares for its students and staff,
we share and work as one,
because alone we do well but together we do better.
Factions :All children are allocated to one of four "Factions". The faction names were originally chosen by the children in honour of people associated with the early history of the Kalamunda district.
MASON (gold) - Benjamin Mason was the founding father. He established a timber milling industry, which led to the development of the district.
0'CONNOR (blue) - C.Y. 0'Connor was well known for his involvement with the nearby Mundaring Weir and the Goldfields Water scheme.
SANDERSON (red) - Archibald Sanderson purchased land in Lesmurdie in 1897. He was a member of the first Darling Range Road Board and later became its Chairman.
STIRK (green) - in 1881 Frederick Stirk cleared the first piece of land in what is now the township of Kalamunda . Part of this land is now Stirk Park .
