Enrol
Choosing the right school is an important step, and at Blackburn Primary School we are here to help families feel informed, welcomed and confident from the very beginning.
Why Choose BPS
In addition to our strong learning programs, at BPS we strongly believe that our extra curricular programs and community connections set us apart from other schools. We offer many opportunities for learning and development beyond the classroom and we are committed to developing the whole child, including a focus on wellbeing and emotional resilience. We value voice, choice and action both in our classrooms and approach to student leadership.
At BPS we have a well thought out motto and mission, which has been informed by our students, parents and teachers.
Motto:
Believe, Persevere, Succeed
Mission:
We nurture students to believe in themselves as learners who persevere through challenge. Our students graduate with kind, compassionate hearts, ready to be positive changemakers in our community and world. BPS graduates understand that our school values are fundamental human values. They leave our school as curious, confident, life-long, open-minded learners.
As educators we respect the powerful impact we have on our students’ learning. We feel a sense of belonging and community towards one another and our school. We teach in a way that exemplifies best practice with a commitment to continuous self and student learning. We accept responsibility for upholding our collective professional values.
As a school community of learners we:
- believe in providing the opportunity for all to strive to be their personal best in learning.
- respect and celebrate the diversity of all cultures, identities and abilities in our community
- provide opportunities for student voice, choice, action and encourage our students to be confident and successful learners.
- work together to foster a love of learning to produce students who are independent, confident and engaged problem solvers with high self-worth.
- are positive about the school experience.
BPS Band
The BPS Band Program is an incredible opportunity for students in Grades 3 – 6 to hone their musical talents alongside a community of like-minded musicians, taught by experts in their field. Our Band has a prestigious past and is 100 years strong. Taking part in an award-winning ensemble of this scale in a primary school setting is a truly unique experience.
How it Works
Students receive an individual lesson each week on their instrument and attend a band rehearsal or ensemble session. Band rehearsals are held before school while individual lessons take place during the school day on a rotating timetable so students do not miss the same subject each week. We offer tuition in a wide range of instruments including:
- Flute
- Clarinet
- Saxophone
- Trumpet
- Trombone
- Euphonium
- Bass guitar
- Guitar
- Percussion
Performances and Examinations
Through their lessons, students learn a variety of music for soloists or small groups and many undertake Australian Music Examination Board (AMEB) exams.
Our bands perform several times across the school year at school events and concerts, and OXFAM Concert and Victorian School Music Festival. Students in the program also showcase their talents at many of our whole school special events and notable celebrations.
Joining the Band
Entry into the program takes place after the annual Band Recruitment Evening held in Term 4 every year.
School Wellbeing Support
Our School Wellbeing Officer is regularly on-site to provide pastoral care and strategies that nurture the emotional wellbeing of our students and the broader school community. Pastoral care means looking after the personal and emotional needs of our students, not just their academic growth. Wellbeing services are flexible and tailored to student needs. They can be provided through:
- One on one discussions with a student
- Small group sessions with peers
- A combination of both individual and group settings
Accessing Support
If you feel your child would benefit from accessing the School Wellbeing Officer at Blackburn Primary School, please speak directly with your child’s classroom teacher. You will then be asked to complete a consent and referral form. This ensures our Wellbeing Officer has all the relevant information needed to provide the most appropriate and effective support for your child.
If you need any assistance with this process or have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.
Patch
The Patch is a kitchen garden program with a difference. We include all students in the program from Foundation through to Grade 6. Our aim is to bring integrated studies to life by engaging students in hands-on investigations, both in the natural environment and in the classroom.
We are fortunate to have a large sustainable garden accessed by the entire school which students built themselves using recyclable materials. Students learn to plant, care for, harvest fruit and vegetables and prepare, cook and eat food from their own garden.
Through The Patch, students enjoy:
- Learning about indigenous cultures through growing and eating bush tucker foods.
- Practising sustainability by caring for worm farms and composting food scraps.
- Bringing history into the present through cooking and gardening experiences.
- Applying literacy and numeracy skills to real-world gardening projects and scientific explorations.
We have our very own Kitchen/Garden teacher who collaborates with classroom teachers to create lessons that link to the curriculum and allow students to experience hands on learning in a natural setting. Students also learn basic cooking skills and regularly enjoy a ‘farm to plate’ experience, preparing and enjoying food they have grown themselves right here at school.
Chinese Sister Schools & Study Tour
Blackburn Primary School is currently working closely with two sister schools from China. We established a sister school partnership with Nanjing Fuxing Primary School in 2011 and with Beijing FCD International Yuan Yang Primary School in 2015. Our sister school partnership is based on the principles of mutual benefit and cooperation in promoting Chinese & English language learning and in-depth exchanges in the fields of Sports, Art, Science and other subjects. This partnership aims to encourage our Chinese friends to learn better English and motivate us to work hard on improving our Mandarin speaking skills. The sister school program enriches our learning experiences, broadens our students’ perspectives and develops their intercultural understanding. The project positively contributes and builds teacher and student communication, learning and collaboration.
From 2011 to 2019, Blackburn Primary School has organised seven successful China Study Tours. More than fifty B.P.S. families and nine teachers have participated in these Tours in the past seven years. Trips typically go for fourteen days and students are exposed to modern Chinese culture while exploring the past and rich historical culture too. Students journey through Beijing, Xi’an, Nanjing, Suzhou and Shanghai and immersed ourselves in the languages, the art and the history. Another important part of the Tour is spending time with both of our sister schools and experiencing daily school life in China. These fascinating visits strengthen the sister school partnership.
How to Enrol
Enrolments are welcome in all year levels and are being taken now – please see below how to enrol your child to Blackburn Primary School.
Our School Zone
Our school zone is available on findmyschool.vic.gov.au which hosts the most up-to-date information on school zones in Victoria.
Students residing within our school zone are guaranteed a place at our school. Your school zone is determined based on your permanent residential address.
Our school manages enrolments using the Placement Policy to ensure that students have access to their local school. Students may enrol at another school if there are available places.
For more information about our school zone, please contact our school. For answers to frequently asked questions about school zones, visit School zones.
2027 Foundation (Prep) enrolments
Welcome to Blackburn Primary School!
We warmly invite you to come visit our school in person, meet our teaching staff and Principal team, and see our school in action.
Our regular school tours give prospective parents and their children a wonderful opportunity to see our learning and school in action as well as ask questions about our many exceptional programs here at Blackburn Primary School. If you considering Blackburn Primary School we would love to meet you and get to know you.
School Readiness Program
Our School Readiness Program are one hour, community events open to pre-school aged children and their parents. Focused on storytelling, robotics, science, music, physical wellbeing, art and language arts, these programs are run by the very teachers who will be teaching your child. We welcome you to join in, get to know other families in our community and enjoy some time creating and learning with your child. This program is open to all families in our school community regardless of whether you have officially enrolled yet.
Transition to School
Once you have enrolled at Blackburn Primary School your child will take part in a comprehensive Transition to School program which runs throughout November and December. Across 5 weeks, your child will have the opportunity to meet their class mates, their future classroom teacher and our specialist teaching team as well. During this time, we also run a variety of parent information sessions, inviting you to stay, take part and meet some new friends and families that will be starting school alongside you and your family.
How to Enrol
All Victorian government primary schools follow the statewide Foundation (Prep) enrolment timeline. While the initial statewide application period opened earlier in the year, we continue to warmly welcome 2027 enrolments from families residing within our local school zone.
To confirm your designated neighbourhood school, book a tour, or begin the enrolment process, please contact our school office directly.
Other year level enrolments
We also accept enrolment applications for students in other year levels. You can submit a request at any time in the school year.
Eligible students who live within our school zone are guaranteed a place, while students outside the zone may be enrolled if there are available places.
If you are seeking enrolment at any other year levels, please contact our school for more information.
Choosing a school for your child is an important decision, and we are here to support you through this process as much as possible. A school tour with our principal team is a great opportunity to see our school in action and to get a ‘feel’ for the school and assess if it will meet the learning needs for your child. Interested parents are encouraged to book a school tour.
School Tours
2026 SCHOOL TOUR DATES AVAILABLE THROUGH “BOOK A TOUR” LINK
We extend an invitation to parents/guardians considering enrolment at Blackburn Primary School to attend a tour of the school. You will get an opportunity to see our school in action and visit our classrooms, guided by one of our principals. An information pack, including enrolment forms, will be offered at the end of the tour.
Tours for the 2027 school year will be advertised shortly.
Booking is essential. Please call 9878 1483 or book online.
School Zone
Blackburn Primary School zone is available on findmyschool.vic.gov.au.
Findmyschool.vic.gov.auhosts the most up-to-date information about Victorian school zones.
Students residing in this zone are guaranteed a place at our school, which is determined on the basis of your permanent residential address.
The Department provides guidance through the School Placement Policy to ensure that students have access to their designated neighbourhood school and the freedom to choose other schools, subject to facility limitations. Currently BPS has the capacity to accept enrolments outside of our nominated school zone.
You can find more information and answers to frequently asked questions on the Department’s website under School zones.
International Students
Studying in Victoria
Victorian government schools are a destination of choice for international students. Our schools provide international students with a high-quality education, excellent English language tuition and caring welfare support services. To learn more about studying and living in Victoria as an international student, see: www.study.vic.gov.au
How to apply
Most international students must apply to the Department of Education in order to study in a Victorian government school. To learn about the application types and to apply, see: How to apply
Contact our school
For more information about international students, please contact one of the below staff members.
International Student Coordinator (ISC): Deb McGowan/Skye Thornton/Lisa Ismay
Phone: +61 3 9878 1483
Email: blackburn.ps@education.vic.gov.au.
Blackburn Primary School is accredited under the Department of Education’s CRICOS registration (CRICOS provider name and code: Department of Education, 00861K). For more information, see: www.study.vic.gov.au
