Wirrigirri Primary opened in January 2025 as a brand new government school in Wollert. From day one, it has been busy, energising, at times overwhelming, but above all, fun. There has been little time to stop and take stock of what has been achieved. Now, eight months on, it feels like the right moment to pause and share some reflections on what this adventure has looked like so far.
I keep coming back to one truth: the most important thing we have done at Wirrigirri is bring the right people on board. Opening a new school is not for the faint-hearted. It asks for educators and staff who are willing to take a risk, to step into a place that did not yet exist, and in this case, to back a principal who does not always think inside the box. It asks for people ready to take a vision that, while clearly articulated, was still untested in practice, and make it come to life.
At a recent curriculum day, we revisited our Day in the Life narratives, stories I wrote before the school opened. They described the culture we wanted to create, the actions we hoped to see from staff and educators, and the sense of joy and purpose we imagined for our community. They painted a picture of what Wirrigirri could feel like: the hum of collaboration, the buzz of curiosity, and the way students and staff might move through their day with connection. We used them at our staff induction in January, when all we had were ideas and empty spaces.
These stories echoed much of what Toby Russo (Wirrigirri’s Assistant Principal) and I captured in our article for Australian Educational Leader, Leading the Future at Wirrigirri Primary: From Research to Practice. At the time, they were hopes, plans and dreams on a page. Reading them again eight months on was powerful because so much of what once lived only in those words is now happening every day. The energy of staff working together, the way students move confidently through their day, the culture of curiosity and collaboration beginning to take shape, and the learning growth we are already seeing, it is all echoing the vision we set out to create. It reminded me of how far we have come in such a short time, and how much of our imagined future is already taking a strong hold.
None of this would be possible without our staff. Every person, from our business manager and support staff to our Kin Teachers, has played a part in making it possible. The pace of change has been fast and, at times, unpredictable and unrelenting, yet their commitment has never wavered. They have embraced the challenge of building something new while constantly reflecting, refining practice, and supporting one another through the ebbs and flows of a new school. There have been moments of glorious chaos, moments of deep pride, and everything you could imagine in between, but through it all they continue to carry the vision forward.
Are we there yet? No. Is it unfolding as quickly as I would like? No. But have we already achieved more than I thought would ever be possible in just eight months? Absolutely. That realisation has made me pause. On one hand, I am impatient to see the full vision in action, to have every piece working seamlessly (goals!). On the other, I can already see so many elements of that vision becoming part of the everyday life of our school.
It is a reminder that leading a new school is about holding both urgency and patience at the same time. The urgency drives us to keep moving, to push for better, to challenge ourselves and our practices. The patience reminds us that building a culture, growing trust, and embedding deep learning takes time. Both are necessary.
What I know for certain is that we would not be this far along without our staff. Their willingness to take risks, to reflect openly, and to support one another through the fast, unpredictable pace of a new school is what makes progress possible. The fact that our imagined future is already taking hold, even in these early days, tells me that while the journey is far from finished and we have many years ahead of us, we are exactly where we need to be.
~ Bec