North Melbourne Primary School

To enrol at the school, please confirm that North Melbourne Primary School is the designated neighbourhood school for your child.

• Students residing in this zone are guaranteed a place at the school, which is determined on the basis of a permanent residential address. If the school is in your zone, please refer to the schools website for an enrolment form.
• If the school is not in your designated zone, you can learn more about your options through the department's website.

The Molesworth Street Campus will operate as a Prep to Year 2 junior campus. The Errol Street Campus will operate as a Year 3 to Year 6 senior campus.

We built Molesworth Street Kindergarten for 3 and 4-year-old children on level 5 of the campus, incorporating 2 rooms and opening onto outdoor learning and play spaces.

The new campus features multiple learning spaces, breakout areas, staff and meeting spaces within the 4 levels.

Other facilities include:

• food technology
• music/art room
• performance and gathering space
• community hub
• specialist teaching spaces
• administration and library
• outdoor and indoor play spaces

The fifth level will hold a new kindergarten.

Here is a breakdown of facilities by level:

Level 5

• kindergarten reception
• 2 children’s rooms
• children’s bathroom / toilets
• kitchen
• accessible/staff toilet
• laundry
• staffroom/kitchenette
• outdoor learning space

Level 4

• 6 general purpose classrooms
• 4 breakout rooms
• shared reading area, storage, and mini library
• shared learning sapce
• shared landing (welcome landing)
• meeting room
• staff work space
• staff and student toilets

Level 3

• 6 general purpose classrooms
• 4 breakout rooms
• shared reading area, storage, and mini library
• shared learning space
• shared landing (welcome landing)
• meeting room
• staff work space
• staff and student toilets

Level 2

• 6 general purpose classrooms
• 4 breakout rooms
• shared reading area, storage, and mini library
• shared learning space
• shared landing (welcome landing)
• meeting room
• staff work space
• staff and student toilets

Level 1

• outdoor play space
• shared landing (welcome landing)
• canteen
• consulting/meeting room
• 3 general purpose classrooms
• 2 breakout rooms
• shared learning area
• staff work space
• staff, student toilets and cleaner’s storage
• specialist teaching spaces
• food technology
• art room

Lower ground

• basketball court
• community hub
• spectator seating
• change rooms
• gymnasium storage
• music room
• performance and gathering space

Ground

• outdoor play space
• Molesworth Street entrances
• Hardwicke Street play space entry
• future lane entrances
• staff and student toilets
• administration area, library
• covered public meeting space

The campus is designed to support current teaching and learning approaches and to adapt to meet changing needs.

All indoor and outdoor spaces are multipurpose. This helps meet the varying student learning styles, abilities, interests and personality types.

Flexible features

The performance zone has a music room that can turn into a stage. Simply open the retractable walls to reveal a space with tiered seating. Performances, meetings and presentations will work well here.

We built a landscaped outdoor space on the gymnasium roof top next to level 1. It has a kitchen garden and is near the canteen. Some possible uses are outdoor learning, physical education, and active and age-group based outdoor play.

Learning commons can host activities such as group meetings, story time and social interaction. Or if you’re looking for a space for quiet reflection, reading or small group activities, check out the breakout spaces. You’ll find all of these on levels 2, 3 and 4.

Spaces off the staircase on each level (welcome landings), perform many roles.

Here students gather before and after class, view work displays, access their bag storage and pass through to get to other places.

Integral part of campus

The outdoor environment is designed to host a diverse range of school programs including outdoor learning, sports, recreation, structured play, unstructured play, social interaction, participation, events and performances.

Universal design

A continuous accessible circulation path on the outdoor ground level connects a series of accessible and interconnected zones.

Outdoor experiences

Extensive opportunities can be offered for students to engage with nature, sensory materials and the outdoor environment.

Diverse and inclusive

Outdoor spaces, facilities and experiences are designed to cater for students of varying ages, abilities, personality types and interests.

Versatile

Cleverly designed, flexible and adaptable spaces will facilitate multiple uses and programs.

Clear sight lines, circulation and way finding

Fosters safe, welcoming and inviting outdoor amenities.

Shade and screening

More than 80 evergreen and deciduous trees, featuring approximately 17 species provide canopy and privacy.

High biodiversity

Over 3000 plants ranging from water sensitive shrubs, groundcovers, grasses and climbers to herbaceous and flowering plants bring a rich variety of species incorporating local endemic species.

Kitchen garden

Edible local species such as bush tucker plants, an outdoor workbench and sink enable cooking activities.

Connecting community

Spaces for school performances, assembly and events help to build sense of community.

Sustainable design

The landscape’s abundant plant coverage and tree canopy featuring water sensitive urban design, biodiversity and habitat, permeable surfaces and durable, sustainable materials help reduce urban heat island effect and double for nature play.

6 different entrances

A choice of ways to enter and exit the campus, bicycle parking in two locations and a covered public meeting space aim to support sustainable transport – through convenient access close to homes and public transport routes, with multiple drop-off or pick-up options.

Tree shade canopy – key species

• Eucalyptus ‘silver shadow’
• Brachychiton acerifolius
• Ulmus parvifolia
• Acacia melanoxylon

Habitat trees and plants – key species

• Allocasuarina littoralis
• Brachychiton acerifolius
• Eucalyptus species
• Banksia integrifolia
• Brachyscome multifida
• Eucalyptus species
• Xerochrysum viscosum
• Gymea excelsa

Bush tucker and kitchen garden – key species

• Atriplex cinerea
• Billardiera scandens
• Carpobrutus rossii
• Banksia marginata
• Ficus platypoda
• Olea ‘Bambalina’
• Rosmarinus officinalis
• Thymus vulgaris

The new campus is located 350 metres from North Melbourne Primary School.

Its unique, triangular site is bordered by Molesworth Street, Hardwicke Street, and a proposed tree-lined laneway along the southern boundary

We created 6 entrances into the campus. This will help connect the campus with surrounding housing and the neighbourhood.

We built an undercover space on the campus’s Molesworth Street corner. It’s designed for community to connect when dropping-off or collecting students.

We planted over 80 trees and 3000 plants on the campus grounds. This gives children plenty of shade and enriches the environment.

The front wall of the campus on Molesworth Street is made from glazing, (a glazed curtain wall system), with integrated sun shading elements. So the campus will get excellent natural light for learning.

We made the south and west facades from patterned brickwork and concrete panels with sculptural patterning and glazing inserts.

There are spaces for the school community to come together for performances, assemblies and events, both indoors and out.

The gymnasium and ground level outdoor play space have been designed to enable community use. This will be subject to school policy.

We held a virtual information session on 16 December 2020. Local residents discussed the new school with Chris Keating, Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian School Building Authority. Following further consultation, the Victorian Government announced the new school will be a campus of North Melbourne Primary School.

The school community told us that they are keen to make the most of the unique opportunity offered by the proximity of the 2 school sites, and to ensure equity of access to the 21st century facilities the new campus will provide.

We have consulted experts to ensure we factor educational, specialist, technical and specific cultural aspects into the design of the complex, vertical school. We consulted:

• experts on learning environment designs
• specialists in innovative learning environments
• principals at some of Melbourne's newest vertical schools and other primary schools