Windsor State School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Windsor State School |
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Building in 2015
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| Location | 270 Lutwyche Road, Windsor, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1914–1919 (World War I) |
| Built | 1915–1934 |
| Official name: Windsor State School, Windsor Opportunity (Special) School, Windsor State School & Windsor Infants School | |
| Type | State heritage (landscape, built) |
| Designated | 1 August 1994 |
| Reference no. | 600991 |
| Significant period | 1910s–1930s (historical) 1910s–1930s (fabric) 1915 ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | Garden/grounds, classroom/classroom block/teaching area, school/school room, tower |
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Windsor State School is a historic school in Windsor, Queensland, Australia. It was built between 1915 and 1934. This school is so important that it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. This listing happened on August 1, 1994. It's also known by other names like Windsor Opportunity (Special) School. In 2015, the school celebrated its 150th birthday, a huge milestone!
Contents
A Look Back: The School's Early Days
The first building at the Windsor Campus was Windsor State School. It was built in 1915–1916. The Queensland Government bought the land for the school in 1912 and 1914. This large, two-storey brick building replaced the old Bowen Bridge Road State School. That school was very crowded and even had some fire damage in 1915.
The new Windsor State School officially opened on August 5, 1916. Herbert Hardacre, the Minister for Public Instruction, opened it. However, the school had actually started teaching a week earlier. When it first opened, it was the largest school in all of Queensland!
Why Was a New School Needed?
The area around Windsor was growing fast. This was partly because a railway line was extended in 1899. More people moved to the area, and Windsor became a town in 1904. It included many nearby suburbs. This population boom meant more children needed a school.
The Queensland Department of Public Instruction designed the school. Philip Arthur Edwards, a British-trained architect, created the plans. The building cost £15,154, which was a lot of money back then. It was one of the biggest and most modern brick schools in Queensland. The design focused on good ventilation. It could fit 990 students at double desks.
Growing Pains and New Facilities
When the school opened in 1916, it had 1000 students. By 1918, this number grew to 1093. The school quickly became crowded again. In 1918, the school grounds were fenced. The School Committee also built the first tennis court.
A long concrete swimming pool was built in 1925. It cost £2,000 and was paid for by the School Committee. Dressing sheds were added in 1926. The pool even had lights for evening swimming. It was damaged in a storm around 1927 but was rebuilt.
In 1926, Windsor became a "practising school." This meant that new teachers from the Teachers' Training College came here. They got real classroom experience before becoming full teachers.
By 1927, almost 1500 students were enrolled. Hundreds of students didn't have a permanent classroom. The school even rented rooms in the Windsor School of Arts Building. They used these as temporary classrooms. Many verandahs on the school building were also enclosed to create more space.
Between 1931 and 1933, the school grounds were improved. This was part of a government plan to help people find jobs. The grounds were shaped into three levels. These levels included the school, tennis courts, and playing fields.
Finally, in 1934, a new brick building was put up. This building was for the younger students, called infants. It cost about £6,600. It was a new idea for teaching young children. It had space for 360 students and a large concrete play area.
In 1940, more brick classrooms were added to the main building. This added four more classrooms and cost about £6,000.
The School During Wartime
The Second World War caused big changes at the school. Students living far away had to attend their closest school. Classroom windows were taped to protect against bomb blasts. The playing fields had long zig-zag trenches dug for safety. In 1942, new rules meant half the children went to school in the morning. The other half went in the afternoon.
In 1943, the United States Navy built large storerooms on the school grounds. This reduced the playing field area. After the war, these stores were used for training and for storing Education Department supplies.
Changes in Later Years
The school had many students even after the war. In 1946, about 756 students were in the main school. Another 323 were in the infants' section. However, student numbers started to drop in the 1950s and 1960s. Families moved to newer suburbs as the local population got older.
As student numbers went down, the school changed. An "opportunity school" section opened in the infants' building around 1965. In 1967, the younger students moved back to the main building. This left the 1934 building for the opportunity school students.
In the late 1970s, Windsor became a Special Program School. This was because the area was facing social and financial challenges. By 1980, only 300 students were enrolled. Many of these children came from families who did not speak English. In 1981, a preschool was started in the main building.
Since 1984, older students from the special school have attended a school in Newstead. Many younger special school students have joined regular classrooms. Since the mid-1980s, the state school, special school, and preschool have been known as the Windsor Campus.
Between 2004 and 2016, Stephen O'Kane was the Principal. Matthew Keong was acting Principal for a time in 2016.
What Does Windsor Campus Look Like?
The Windsor Campus is on the eastern side of Windsor Hill. It has two brick school buildings, two toilet blocks, and a swimming pool. The grounds are large and have many trees. The campus overlooks Lutwyche Road and is bordered by Harris Street and Constitution Road.
The main school building is two storeys tall. It has verandahs all around and an open play area on the ground floor. It's located in the highest part of the site. The Infants' School is a single-storey building. It's south of the main building and also has an enclosed area underneath. Both buildings are made of brick with timber roofs covered in terracotta tiles.
The Main School Building
The main school building is shaped like a "U" around a playground. It has a northern and southern wing. These wings are connected at their eastern end by a third wing. There are towers with steep roofs at the corners where the wings meet. Each wing has two levels of classrooms above an open ground floor. The roofs extend to cover the verandahs. The timber verandahs are now enclosed. They still have ripple iron ceilings and decorative shingled edges. You can move between the wings using the continuous verandah.
The eastern side of the central wing is very impressive. It has four-storey stair towers and a small spire on top. This side faces Lutwyche Road and can be seen from far away. The main entrances are on the eastern faces of the stair towers. Wide stairs lead to arched openings on the first floor. The top level of the towers has round windows and openings with small columns. Other stairs on the front lead to the verandah.
On the playground side and the eastern front, there are three-storey brick structures. These tower-like parts have one room on each level. They have sloped roofs that connect to the main roof.
Inside, the classrooms have high windows. The walls and ceilings are made of fibro cement panels. The floors are timber. Large steel beams support the floors. Outside windows have vents above them. A timber honour board is on the first floor of the south wing.
The north wing used to be a mirror image of the south wing. Now, it is twice as long. It has an internal stair at the western end. Near this stair, there's an area with hat and coat racks.
Two brick toilet blocks are located in the north-west and south-west corners of the playground.
The Infants' School Building
The Infants' School is a rectangular building. Its long sides face the main building to the north and Constitution Road to the south. The dark brick walls have concrete bands at the bottom and first floor level. The middle part of the northern and southern sides has a gable roof with a round window. It also has a curved arch opening at the bottom. The brick porches on the eastern and western ends are now enclosed.
The main entrance is on the southern side. Two concrete stairs lead to recessed porches. These porches are now enclosed with glass doors. They open into entry areas. Classrooms and offices are accessed through these areas and a central hallway. The hallway and entry areas have concrete floors. The rest of the building has timber floors. Some classrooms still have folding walls. These can be moved to make bigger or smaller rooms. The classrooms get a lot of light from many timber windows. Tiled awnings over the windows are supported by timber brackets.
An internal concrete stair leads to the ground floor. This area was originally open. Now, it's partly enclosed and used for workshops and storage. Toilets are located under the brick porches.
The tiled roof follows the stepped shape of the building. It has a central octagonal spire for ventilation. It also has small gables at the ends of the main roof.
School Grounds and Facilities
There are several retaining walls with concrete steps. These divide the school buildings from the lower parts of the grounds. A fenced garden is in front of the main building. The concrete swimming pool is on the southern side of the oval. It has a brick change shed at one end. The pool is surrounded by timber seating on the other three sides. Many old trees are found throughout the grounds, especially along the streets.
Why Is Windsor State School a Heritage Site?
Windsor State School was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on August 1, 1994. It met several important criteria.
Showing Queensland's History
The buildings at Windsor State School Campus show how education has changed in Queensland over nearly 80 years. The 1915–1916 school building was built for the most modern teaching ideas of its time. It had verandahs, lots of natural light and air, and open play areas underneath. The 1934 building was specially designed for young children. It had internal hallways, flexible classroom spaces, and an undercroft play area.
A Great Example of School Design
The buildings also show the main features of important cultural places. They reflect how government ideas about school needs changed over many decades.
Beautiful and Unique Design
The 1916 building has a wide front with special towers. Its high position on the grounds makes it a landmark in Windsor. The way the building is designed, with its horizontal verandah wings and vertical towers, is very impressive. The mix of roof shapes, materials like tiles, brick, and timber, and its arched windows make it look like an "Arts and Crafts" style building. This style was popular at the time. The 1934 building fits well with the older one. It uses similar materials and designs. Both buildings are very well built and detailed.
Important to the Community
The school has been a big part of the Windsor community since 1916. It has played an active role in both social life and education. It also shows how the population in the Windsor area has changed over time.
