The first school at Kensington (now Leopold) was the Church of England Denominational School situated on the site of the present St Mark's Sunday School. It was opened on 1st of April 1854, with Thomas Richards as the Head Teacher with an enrolment of 19 boys and 14 girls.
In 1869, the Correspondent, Thomas Sutterby applied for a grant of land for the Government school. In April of the following year, 2 acres of land was granted and became the site of the present Leopold Primary School.
Leopold School 1146
In April 1870 the Government granted a 2 acre site in the County of Grant, Parish of Moolap, part of Subdivision 10 of Section 5, Block 1, plus £200 of the total cost of £260 for the brick building of 40ft x 80ft.
Head Teacher Edgegoose [see NOTE below] occupied the school in May 1872 - it was officially opened in July.
Staff were Rachael Tremellan as Sewing Mistress and Andrew Moller as Pupil Teacher.
Originally known as Kensington, the district name was changed to Leopold several years before the school followed suit in 1892.
Head Teachers succeeding Edgegoose [see NOTE below] were Trembath and Bechervaise. Enrolment by 1897 reached 120. Because of building faults, the Department had a new two-room timber school erected in 1904.
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Head Teacher Sims left in 1906 after eleven years of service.
The residence was a four roomed cottage provided in 1875. It was replaced in 1914 with a new house on the opposite side of Kensington Road - this was demolished in 1966.
Formation of the committee in 1944 brought to an end the work of Andrew Moller (former Pupil Teacher) as Chairman for 26 years of the Board of Advice No 97.
The Mothers Club dates from 1930-31. The Young Farmer's Club was formed in 1936.
The trend to urbanisation meant accommodation had to be increased. Over the years new rooms were added to reach a total of eight rooms for 270 children in 1958. Parental support for the school was excellent.
Early teachers at Leopold School :-
- Mr. Richards
- Mr. Sherlock
- Mr. Streaton
- Mr. J K Hardwick
- Mr. Edgegoose [see NOTE below] (lived to be 100)
- Mr. Trembath
- Mr. Clarke
- Miss Henry
- Mr. Sims
- Mr. Wilkinson
- Mr. Warren
- Mr. Quick
- Mr. Tasker
[From the files of the Bellarine Historical Society]
NOTE [The correct name and spelling for this teacher is John James EDGOOSE - the spelling EDGEGOOSE was submitted many years ago in an article from a former student.]
