Napoleons Primary School (No. 1072)

Learn about the history of Napoleons Primary School, one of Victoria's oldest public schools.

Key information

Address:
4721 Colac-Ballarat Road, Napoleons 3352
Opened:
1 November 1870
School type:
Primary
School number:
1072
Other names:
Napoleons Common School, Napoleons State School
Email:
napoleons.ps@education.vic.gov.au
Phone:
03 5342 0414
Status:
Open

Location of records

Digital records are kept at the school. To request access, contact the school directly.

Hard copy records created before records became digital are stored in the Department of Education’s archive. To request access, contact the records team.

If you’re not sure whether the records you need are digital or hard copy, the records team can check for you.

Contact the Department of Education records team

Email: archives.records@education.vic.gov.au

Phone: 1800 359 140

Some older records for this school are held at the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV).

See what records PROV holds for this school

The history of Napoleons Primary School

  • 1870s

    Napoleons opened as a common school in 1870. The first head teacher was John W. Russell and 207 students were enrolled. However, the average attendance was only 94. It replaced a Church of England school that operated between 1864 and 1870.

    A new school building opened sometime in the 1870s and the old building was used for infant classes.

    The school became a state school at some stage between 1873 and 1878.

  • 1884

    The old school building was no longer used for infant classes. It was now used as a shelter shed.

  • 1888

    The old school building was should and removed in 1888.

  • 1915

    A new building opened in 1915 and the old one was renovated and used as a public hall. The police quarters were bought to be used as a teacher's residence.

  • 1953

    The old building was removed from the site and continued to be used as a public hall.

  • 1970

    The school was renamed Napoleons Primary School in 1970.

  • 2022

    Napoleons Primary School is still in operation.

Find more information about this school

The Public Records Office (PROV) is the archive of Victoria's State and local government. They look after some of our oldest school records, and we can use these records to help us understand what school life used to be like.

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