Willowbank Primary School

We built a new primary school in Gisborne. It opened in 2022 and helps the growing local population get great education close to home.

Rynn Anderson was appointed as the first principal of the school.

The school was known by its interim name, Bridge Road (Melton), during the planning phase. We consulted with the community on the school's name from 11 June to 25 June 2021. The school is named after the suburb it is located in.

Facilities

Facilities include the following:

• an administration building, including library, art, food and science learning spaces
• a performing arts and physical education building
• 2 learning neighbourhoods
• 2 outdoor hardcourts
• a sports field
• a bike shed
• playgrounds

Design consultation

In 2018, we engaged local communities in Melbourne about establishing new schools. We gathered valuable insights, which served as the foundation for our concept designs.

Between January and February 2020, we conducted a second round of engagement. We invited residents to share their ideas and knowledge. This helped identify elements that would shape their new school.

We received valuable feedback from the school community about the outdoor areas. We heard they value:

• large playgrounds that they can use outside of school hours
• all-ability facilities that stimulate play-based learning
• spaces where kids can grow their own produce.

Willowbank families told us they valued the environment and wanted their school to integrate with the natural surrounds.

Our consultation received strong and consistent feedback about the school's design. Our architects used your feedback to help shape your school's interior and its landscape design.

Co-located kinder

We have built a kinder at the school. Having the kindergarten and school together may help local children make a smooth transition from pre-school and can also make drop-off time simpler for some families.