Edge Hill State School - Overview

Overview

The school is located along Pease Street on low lying land immediately backing on to remnant Cairns Central swamp, first reserved by the State of Queensland to be a State School on 17 December 1938

The school was built to service school aged children then living in a small, newly emergent rural township that had been forming along the higher edges of low lying, swampy lands progressively being transformed into market gardens, dairy paddocks and cane fields

The emergent township was locally known as Edge Hill, and this, then, became the name of the new 'Edge Hill' state school. It started as a single classroom, three verandahs, two earth toilets, eight school desks, 40 hat and coat hooks, 31 students, and a single "Acting Head Teacher".

Seventy years on from its beginnings as land reserved for a State school, it still immediately backs on to remnant Cairns Central swamp, but is now located next to a large water drain, within the suburbs of Cairns, with student numbers capped by the Queensland Department of Education at just over 900.

It has:

• multiple buildings and facilities (including shops, covered assembly, library, internet technology facilities, music rooms, environmental interpretive centre, swimming pool, swimming club, after school care, plus dental centre);
• 37 class room teachers, plus 6 specialist teachers (including teachers in the fields of Music, Health & Physical Education, Resource Education, Languages other than English, Enhanced Learning, plus Special Education); and
• a full time administration consisting of one Principal, two Deputy Principals, a Business Services manager, and 3 permanent administrative staff.