Bentleigh West Primary School

Bentleigh West Primary School is a government primary school located in the suburb of Bentleigh in the Glen Eira, about 15 km out of Melbourne, Australia. The current principal is Steven Capp, who succeeded Craig Johnson. Current enrolments sit at around 530 students from prep to grade 6. There are 33 non-teaching and teaching staff.

History

The school was established in the 1930s. The school was originally named Bentleigh West, despite the noted lack of a suburb of that name, as it was considered more fashionable to live on the western side of Bentleigh (west of the Frankston railway line) as it is closer to Brighton East and Brighton.

Buildings and grounds

The school over the past decade has evolved greatly due to the increased funding. The original set-up of the school consisted of the Main Building, Junior Permanent Portables, Arts, Library Block and Gym + Annex (circa. 2002)

In the last five-six years, certainly during Principal Jennifer Small's era, major building works went on and finished in late 2010. The school, which is dedicated to open-plan, team teaching, has:

• a Grade 5/6 Learning Suite upstairs in the completely refurbished building
• a Grade 3/4 Learning House
• a Grade 1/2 Learning House
• a Prep Learning House
• a huge Gymnasium
• a modern and fully functional canteen
• an Amphitheatre overlooking the netball courts

Environmental awards

In recent years, the school has won several environmental awards, noting the considerable effort that has been invested in the environment by students and staff.

For example, in 2007 the school has been recognised for its efforts in the Education Programs category of the prestigious Savewater! Awards.^[1]

It has been awarded the Australian Sustainable Schools Accreditation 5 Star Award,^[2] the Water Wise Accreditation,^[2] the Water - Learn it! Live it! accreditation,^[3] was 2005 Regional Winner of the State Gardens Award^[4] and winner of the Leader Educational Awards.

The school is one of 10 selected for a 'greening grant', in May 2005, worth several thousand dollars from Greening Australia.^[5][6]

The school has also built a 'wetlands' area, made up of different native plants.

Other awards

The School has also been awarded Performance and Development Culture Accreditation. The school awards students in grade 6 at their graduation ceremony awards such as; Visual arts, Sport, Performing arts, Academic, All rounder, ICT, and environmental

The Paul Jennings award is a competition that takes place every year. Grade 5 and 6 students each enter a short story containing a sentence from one of Paul Jennings' books. The award is presented to the best story and the medal is presenting on the last day of term 4.

Faculty awards

Leonie Brown, who co-ordinates the school's environmental program, was chosen from 2,400 teachers to win one of the Australian Scholarships Group Community Merit Awards 2005.^[7][8]

Sport

Student Theodore Petrakos won one of four 2006 Victorian School Sports Awards. Minister for Education and Training Lynne Kosky said the awards recognised outstanding achievement.^[9]

Notable alumni

• Paul Jennings, Australian children's author^[10]

References

External links

• Official site

Coordinates: 37°55′11″S 145°01′38″E / 37.91972°S 145.02722°E / -37.91972; 145.02722