About Us

Principal’s Message

On behalf of the Fairhills Primary School community, I would like to extend a very warm welcome to you and your family. We are delighted that you are joining our vibrant and supportive school, where every child is known, valued and encouraged to thrive.

At Fairhills Primary School, we are committed to teaching the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will guide our students to become active, engaged citizens who contribute positively to society and pursue their dreams with confidence. Our STARR Values of Safety, Teamwork, Achievement, Responsibility and Respect underpin everything we do. These values are embedded in our daily practice and form the foundation of our inclusive school culture.

As a smaller school, we take pride in truly knowing each child as an individual. We celebrate their strengths, talents, interests and cultural backgrounds, recognising that our community is enriched by the unique contributions of every student and family. This sense of belonging is what makes Fairhills Primary School a wonderful place to learn and grow.

Our dedicated and expert staff are passionate educators who go above and beyond to create engaging, high-quality learning experiences that challenge and support all students. They are committed to ensuring that the values, aspirations and traditions of every family in our community are respected and reflected in school life.

We strongly believe that education is most powerful when schools and families work together in genuine partnership. We welcome open communication and collaboration with parents and carers and we encourage families to be actively involved in school life through classroom activities, community events and the many opportunities to contribute to our shared vision for learning.

We look forward to building a positive, supportive relationship with you and your family as we work together to ensure that every child at Fairhills Primary School feels safe, connected and inspired to learn every day.

Tanya Burton
Principal

School Profile

Fairhills Primary School is a small, safe school situated in Ferntree Gully within the city of Knox, Victoria. Fairhills Primary School opened in 1965 and is conveniently located on Manuka Drive near Fair Park Reserve.

With an enrolment of 100 students which includes families who represent the wide cultural and social diversity of Knox including international students. Fairhills Primary School provides a learning environment that nurtures resilience and wellbeing in all students. The school recognises that students are life-long learners with a need to be socially adept, environmentally responsible and are encouraged to realise that they are part of a wider global community.

The recent Strategic Plan has a focus on improving English and Mathematics through the implementation of a student facing Instructional Model and establishing effective processes around the analysis and use of data to maximise student outcomes.
Wellbeing is an important part of the school community at Fairhills Primary School with the STARR Values imbedded in everyday practice and present around the school.

The school has large, beautiful classrooms and buildings that have been recently renovated and these spaces are connected by The CORE, our information and research centre.
Large well-maintained grounds, that include four playgrounds and a recently installed covered basketball court, are part of the school environment.

Our staff are nurturing, dedicated and highly trained and work in partnership with families to meet the challenges of 21st century learning. We are committed to providing the best education for our students through focus on quality teaching and learning, and continual improvement in student learning outcomes.

School Council

The role of School Council is to support the Principal in the running of the school.

All government schools in Victoria have a School Council. They are legally formed bodies that are given powers to set the directions of a school within centrally provided guidelines. In doing this a School Council is able to directly influence the quality of education that the school provides for its students.

School Council does not manage the day to day running of the school. For example, it does not employ teaching staff, decide which classes students will be assigned to, or sort out issues relating to individual teachers and students and/or parents. Nor does it discuss individual issues relating to teachers or staff or parents – these are very clearly management roles, and therefore the principal’s job. School Councillors are not appointed to represent specific interest groups or permit special interests to dominate the agenda of the council.

The School Council meets once a month. For exact dates please check the newsletter or call the office.

There can be up to 15 members of School Council at and within this there are three categories of members:

  • A mandated elected parent category
  • A mandated elected DEECD employee category
  • An optional community member category
  • The Principal is an ongoing member of School Council.

The term of office for all elected members is two years. Parents on school councils help shape the direction of the school through their input to debate issues within Council’s responsibility. You can become involved by voting in the elections, which are held in Term 1 each year, or standing for election or encouraging others to stand for election.

Parent Payments

At Fairhills Primary School we have high expectations that children will be challenged and supported in their education. We are proud of the achievements our students have made, and, to this end, we require support from the school community via Essential Student Learning Items and Voluntary Contributions. We give priority to areas such as English, Mathematics and Wellbeing – areas of study that require large amounts of funding to resource satisfactorily.

All payments can be made via Compass

The Parent Payment Policy can be accessed here.

        2025 Parent Payments