Department of Education - Victoria

Drouin Primary School, first established in 1877, is situated on Princes Way, the main thoroughfare of the Gippsland town of Drouin, approximately 100 kilometers to the east of Melbourne and is a community focal point. 

The school has just undergone a major building project.  This included a new administration building and staff room.  We also received a new full competition sized gymnasium with canteen. There is a new classroom block comprising 16 classrooms, staff work areas, music and performance arts rooms as well as withdrawal spaces and open learning areas.  Other buildings onsite house another 9 classrooms with an art room and more open learning areas.  We have 5 mod 5 buildings and a double story mod 10 building.  We have a heritage listed building which currently is our welfare hub. 

The school enjoys a large grassed playing area, several sets of play equipment including areas for both active and passive activities comprising a sensory playground as well as an inclusive playground, along with a central courtyard which has multi marking for various games.  The courtyard creates a great area for children from all age groups to meet and play together.  There is also an undercover basketball court another full sized outdoor basketball court.

The school serves a diverse community, representing a range of socio-economic backgrounds. The majority of the students come from the local town and its immediate rural surrounds with a large proportion being driven, some traveling by bus, and some walk to school. Being within reach of the Melbourne metropolitan area several parents commute daily for employment. 

Enrolments for 2025 are approx. 510 students. Drouin Primary School has an SFO of 0.4700, a group characterized by high numbers of families receiving Camps Sports and Excursion Fund and very low numbers of families with non- English speaking background. 

Specialist programs offered at Drouin include Visual Arts, Physical Education,   Science, Performing Arts, Health, Library and Humanities along with lunchtime whole school activities. Maths and Literacy intervention and support is a feature of our school supporting all children's individualised needs. 

The staff prides itself on its enthusiasm and responsiveness to student needs in Literacy and Mathematics and in welfare issues. The staffing profile includes the Acting Principal, Assistant Principal and 25 classroom teachers. Other staffing also includes 1 literacy specialist, 1 disability and Inclusion specialist, 0.4 curriculum specialist, 0.4 Maths specialist, 2 tutors, a Visual Arts teacher, a PE teacher, a Science teacher, part time teachers in health, library, performing arts and humanities.  Additional support is provided in the area of student wellbeing from 3 x .6 welfare support teachers plus a welfare officer who visits four days per week. School Support Officers include a 0.8 Business Manager, 2 x Administration Assistants, a 0.4 Library Technician and 30 teaching aides that assist in classrooms and support students within PSD.

Currently there are 23 classes, including three Prep classes, six classes of grade 1/2, three classes of grade 3, four classes of grade 4, 3 classes of grade 5 and 4 grade 6 classes. A staff team culture is growing underpinned by a very strong focus on ongoing professional learning across the entire school together building a collective approach to good practice in teaching and learning.

Parents support the school in a number of ways. An active School Council is a feature of the school and support financial and resource management, buildings and grounds, and fundraising. Parents also assist in the classroom programs, the Perceptual Motor Program (PMP), sports days and excursions. Open, two-way communication is encouraged as a base for strong community involvement and respectful relationships for all.

Drouin Primary School is experiencing consistent growth with new families joining the school throughout the year.  The next learning phase will enable Drouin to further build capacity, review and firmly establish the school's values and principles and increase rigour for continuous school improvement. 

 

SC1    Demonstrated knowledge of the relevant curriculum, including the capacity to incorporate the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills. Demonstrated capacity to respond to student learning needs.

SC2    Demonstrated capacity to implement high impact teaching strategies, guided by how students learn, and evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth. 

SC3    Demonstrated capacity to monitor and assess student learning. Demonstrated capacity to use data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.

SC4    Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated capacity to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the broader school community to support student learning, wellbeing and engagement.    

SC5    Demonstrated behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated capacity to reflect upon practice and engage in professional learning to continually improve the quality of teaching.