Primary school fund reopened amid student growth

A QUEENSCLIFF Primary School council member is leading the charge to raise important school funding by reopening the school’s Building Fund.

Father of three and first-year school council representative, Richard Fewster said the school’s enrolments had grown exponentially in the past eight years, increasing from 10 students in 2015 to 165 students in 2023.

“I did some digging and found out Queenscliff Primary used to have a building fund a few years ago but it was closed due to inactivity,” Mr Fewster said.

“The school council just had to agree to restart it, which we did in May.”

Mr Fewster said the school had accommodated as best it could for the increase in students but additional teaching space was needed.

“Although the school has done a great job to maximise the limited internal space it has, we are arguably a classroom short of optimal operation at the moment,” Mr Fewster said.

“We have already raised $5,000 in less than two months which is a great start.

“We’d like to raise $50,000 by this time next year so we can begin the process of deciding as a school community how we can best use this money to enhance the quality of teaching and learning.”

Queenscliff Primary School principal Mat McRae said the school’s library has been repurposed as a classroom, and the school needs an undercover space for assemblies, events and performances impacted by weather.

The school is also undergoing a refurbishment of its toilet block and roof, following a $498,000 state government grant announced by former state member Lisa Neville last year.

“I’d love to see our funding donations go towards a space that supports our specialist programs such as performing arts, our garden program, physical education, First Nations, and visual arts,” Mr McRae said.

“We absolutely welcome any contributions from the community that can assist us to look after our future generation’s learning, and I really welcome school parents to donate as well.

“We’d love to continue building our school to be able to foster rich learning for our students and we are grateful for the State Government’s grant to fund the refurbishment of toilets and the replacement of the school’s roof.”

State Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant says she will continue working with and advocating for the school and the community into the future.

“As part of my ongoing engagement with schools across the electorate, I have met with Queenscliff Primary School,” Ms Marchant said.

“I’m proud that since 2017, the Andrews Labor Government has invested more than $708,000 for capital works and $35,000 in planned maintenance at Queenscliff Primary School.”

To donate to the school’s building fund, call or email the school office on 5258 1696 or [email protected]

All donations over two dollars are tax deductible.