Our Story

Established in 1939, Holy Name Primary School was originally staffed by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan to service the diverse needs of the children in the area. The school is made up of a variety of nationalities incorporating a multicultural flavour into the school community.

Over the years, Holy Name has witnessed many physical changes as different renovations and/or extensions have allowed the school to adapt to school needs and curriculum demands. The School has an amazing community feel with many of our students participating in after school local activities. Our families have a strong presence in the school with representation in the School Advisory Board, Parents and Friends and the Maintenance and Development Group. Holy Name prides itself on being an inclusive school.

Holy Name Primary School offers progressive, individually focused and challenging education programs based on the Victorian Curriculum F-10. The curriculum is the common set of knowledge and skills required by students for life-long learning, social development and active and informed citizenship. In addition to this is the Religious Education curriculum, which teaches our students how to navigate this world with a Catholic lens. Therefore students at Holy Name receive a holistic education equipping them with the skills to navigate the next stage of their education journey.The school also provides:

Learning Support Officers
Sacramental programs-Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation
Swimming program (at various levels)
Extra Curricular activities (eg. Year 3/4 Gymnastics/Dance and interschool sports)
Year 5/6 Camp
Year 3/4 Long day camp
Prep Buddy program
LOTE (Italian), STEM, Visual Arts and Physical Education
School Productions (on a rotation basis)
Before and After school care
Music and instrument sessions (External Provider)
Coding (External Provider)
Free lunch time clubs (vary according to teacher availability ie. Choir)
Canteen Available ( Tuesday and Friday) Hot orders and over the counter sales

Holy Name Primary School is a feeder school to:

Holy Name is a school which operates with the consent of the Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne and is operated and governed by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Ltd (MACS). MACS governs and operates 292 Catholic schools in the Archdioceses to continue the mission of Catholic education to proclaim the Good News and equip our young people with the knowledge, skills and hope to live meaningful lives and enrich the world around them. Because the good work of educating the young is a co-responsible task led by every member of the Catholic school community, School Advisory Councils have been established to provide a crucial point of connection between the wider school community and school leaders. This governance model was designed to ease the administrative burden on our schools and parishes, allow parish priests to focus on the mission of education in the parish, enable greater collaboration between schools and ensure greater consistency in school policies and procedures. More information on MACS is available at www.macs.vic.edu.au.

Our Beginnings

The foundations of Holy Name Parish were laid in pre-war days, when the late Father O’Grady purchased land in Robb Street for future developments. On 2nd April 1939, His Grace Archbishop Mannix blessed and opened the Church-School. Revered Father A.J.Cleary was appointed the first Parish Priest on 1st September 1952, when Preston East was separated from the Sacred Heart Parish and became a new parish known as Holy Name.

Originally Holy Name Primary School was staffed by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. We acknowledge the work of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan for their contribution to our school.

Holy Name School is situated in the municipality of Darebin in Robb Street Reservoir. The school was originally registered as being in the suburb of Preston East but its address is now officially Reservoir.

The original school population was mainly from Anglo-Saxon backgrounds with its first enrolment of 45 children. Today the school experiences the enrichment of a number of different nationalities.

The school building is located adjacent to Holy Name Church to which we have access to for Liturgies and School celebrations.

From 1939 the school experienced a steady growth in its number of enrolments thus necessitating its building expansion. Over the years the school has catered to the needs of staff and students with extensions being made in various areas. By 1959 there had been the addition of 11 rooms which saw the school through its height in enrolments. There were no further extensions until 1986-1988 when the new school Library and administration block were built and then later in 1996 when there was the need for a Performing/Visual Arts Centre and shelter areas in the playground.

In 2020 the school underwent its most recent renovation, however work is continually being done to ensure that our students have access to a safe and aesthetically pleasing environment.

Our Vision

Holy Name is an inclusive, Catholic community that pairs innovative teaching with life-long learning. We foster critical thinkers and independent learners to become active contributors to a better future, inspired by the life of Christ.

Our Mission

HOLY NAME SEEKS TO CREATE AND PROMOTE A DEEP FORMATION OF THE WHOLE PERSON THROUGH:

Leading a faith inspired learning environment
Building a community of learners inclusive of the students, teachers, parents and the wider parish
Calling all to live in the image of Christ
Establishing the learning dispositions that are central to our school

Formation of the whole person - Developing the whole person by focusing on the academic, spiritual and social/emotional aspects of the individual in order for them to develop into the best version of themselves.

Faith inspired - Inspired by the word of God to live a life that was modeled by Jesus when he was on this earth.

Learning environment - Creating a learning environment where the children feel safe to make mistakes in order to grow as an individual and as a learner. An environment that is aesthetically pleasing and fit for purpose.

Community of learners - We are all continuously trying to come together to build a network where each individual feels safe. Within this community, we collaborate as one, to represent Holy Name in whatever capacity/connection we have with this school. A community of learners involves all who are associated with Holy Name, including those in the wider community.

Calling all to live in the image of Christ - Belonging to a Catholic school, we are called to make this world a better place. Jesus Christ was born human and was placed on Earth to show us how to live out the Catholic values and created us in his image, we too are called to be an example of Christ's love for others.

Establishing the learning dispositions: Holy Name’s learning characteristics/dispositions enable us to develop students who have a love of learning and a growth mindset, regardless of how challenging the task. These dispositions enable the students to develop characteristics which when embedded, provide them with tools such as being inquisitive, reflective, collaborative, persistent, creative and risk takers in their learning.

Our Mission