The Scots College Brighton Preparatory School will officially open its doors on Wednesday – welcoming its inaugural students inside the historic Primrose House.
The school’s inaugural students, numbering 26 boys, will walk through the school gates on Wednesday at Dolls Point for their first day of class.
The grand opening will mark a historic moment not only for the K-6, boys’ school but also for the historic building which was previously occupied by the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District.
Local residents feared it might be demolished when it went up for sale in 2016, but were rapt to find out the Presbyterian Church Property Trust was the successful bidder for the site. During the past 10 months, the building has been transformed into a preparatory school for The Scots College.
Head of school Rod Stoddart said the furniture was being moved in on Tuesday.
He said Wednesday morning would be reserved for photographs of the inaugural group of students, staff and parents.
“In 100 years’ time people will look back at the photograph we take on Wednesday as the first ever at Brighton Preparatory School.”
Mr Stoddart, originally from Hurstville, said the transformation of the site was remarkable.
“It’s brilliant. I can’t believe the transformation,” he said. “The community support has been amazing. I took a former patient through the other day, who was here in 1969, and she was blown away.”
The school can cater for up to 250 students at capacity. It features nine classrooms including a STEM room, as well as a discovery room, a staff room, amenities, a library, tuck shop and offices.
During its inaugural year, the school is only catering for kindergarten to Year 4 students.
Year 5 students will be welcomed in 2019 and Year 6 students in 2020, as there is currently no room for Year 7 students at The Scots College at Bellevue Hill until 2021.
New student Jordan Saba, 9, from Kangaroo Point, said he couldn’t wait to start at his new school.
“Our classroom is the best because around the corner we can see the view – you can see the beach from the window.”
All the students at the school hail from St George or the Sutherland Shire.