History:
St Raphael’s school was opened in 1936 and is part of the City of Darebin in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. St Raphael’s was originally established by the Good Samaritan Sisters and has had a history of being ‘primary’, then ‘secondary’, and returning to a ‘primary’ school. The two-storey building and hall are situated on a one-hectare site in Cooper Street, West Preston.
Description:
St Raphael’s has 12 homerooms with a combination of straight Foundation homerooms and Year 1/2, 3/4 & 5/6 composite groupings. We have a strong community spirit acknowledging and fostering a home–school–parish partnership. We also ensure Catholic education at St Raphael’s is accessible, affordable and inclusive.
The staff are committed professionals who are highly appreciated and respected by the students and parents. Our supportive leadership ensures a safe, organised, welcoming and well-resourced environment for all members of the school community.
We strive to develop and maintain a positive school culture where students’ resilience is fostered. We also promote a healthy approach to life and general wellbeing. Overall, students at St Raphael’s feel very safe and well connected to the school and their peers, and their morale is excellent.
Learning and teaching are of a high standard. Both the quality and quantity of data indicate that we achieve very good results, particularly in the areas of English and Mathematics. Parents commend teachers for their excellent practice.
Features:
We have specialist programs in physical education, music, Italian and library skills, as well as intervention programs in the areas of Reading Recovery, literacy and mathematics. Support staff provide additional support to a number of special needs students at the school.