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Red Hill Primary School

Australia, Canberra

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees A$4,200 - 11,100
Ages 3 - 12 years
Pupil numbers 750
Type Co-educational
Opened 1960
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), Australian Curriculum
Taught languages French, Mandarin
Strengths Sport, Visual and Creative Arts, Languages
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Social and Hobbies
Stages Preschool, Primary School
Introduction

Red Hill Primary School is a coeducational primary school for children aged 3–12, on Astrolabe Street, Red Hill, ACT. It offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) alongside the Curriculum, delivered through Programme of Inquiry. English learning sits within the PYP framework, with a focus on language and literacy. The curriculum integrates language, mathematics, science, social studies, technology, the arts, and personal, social and physical education, through six units of inquiry: Sharing the planet; Who we are; Where we are in place and time; How we organize ourselves; How the world works; How we express ourselves. Arts are integral and include dance, drama, music and visual art. The school provides French and Mandarin, as well as library and education programs, plus ICT facilities. Facilities include a library hall that doubles as a sports centre, refurbished classrooms, upgraded playgrounds and sick bay. Before/after school care and holiday program support families.

Astrolabe Street, Red Hill ACT 2603, Australia

The Essentials

Red Hill Primary School has 750 pupils, instruction in English.

Location
Astrolabe Street, Red Hill ACT 2603, Australia. The school is located in the inner south of Canberra. Walking or riding to school is the preferred travel option. Transport Canberra provides a connected network of bus and light rail services for travel to and from schools.

Stages
Preschool to Year 6. The preschool operates two units on the school campus: Red Hill Preschool Unit on the Red Hill School Campus and Griffith Preschool Unit in Bannister Gardens, Griffith. Primary runs from Kindergarten to Year 6 and the school offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme.

Type
Co-educational primary school.

Additional learning support
Adjustments for students with disability include providing extra visual cues and information, breaking down tasks, additional practice, changes to the environment, and access to quiet spaces to support regulation.

Country affiliation
Australia
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
Uniforms are strongly encouraged. The colours are green and gold. The Uniform Shop is operated by the P&C Association with online ordering via Flexischools; uniform orders placed by 3:40pm on Wednesdays are delivered to the classroom by Friday.

Food Options
Canteen operates as a Fresh Tastes school with Healthy Kids Association; it runs Tuesday to Friday for lunch orders and counter sales, with orders placed online via Flexischools; the canteen is operated by Woden Community Services under the Social Enterprise Program.

Governance and Ownership
The school is part of the ACT public education system and is governed by a School Board.
Fees

Annual tuition at Red Hill Primary School ranges from AUD 4,200 to AUD 11,100 for 2026/27.

Application fees
- For families who are Australian citizens or permanent residents there is no application or tuition charge to enrol a child at this ACT public primary school.
- For temporary-visa holders or full-fee international students an application charge and an international tuition charge apply under the ACT international/temporary-resident arrangements; an application fee is commonly charged as part of the international enrolment process. Typical ACT international-program figures reported for the 2026 school year include an application charge and annual tuition levels for preschool and primary; these international tuition fees are billed on a term-by-term basis as part of the international enrolment process.

Tuition and contribution fees by year group (per year and per term)
- Domestic students (Australian citizens and permanent residents): No tuition fee. Families may be invited to pay voluntary contributions to support school resources and programs; these contributions are voluntary and do not affect a child's access to education or school services.
- Preschool (Red Hill Preschool): A parental voluntary contribution is in place and is currently set at AUD 150 per year. Payment and discount options are offered for this contribution. Excursions, specialist programs and class photos may incur additional optional charges. (Preschool sessions are part of the Red Hill preschool program and operate under the ACT preschool arrangements.)
- Kindergarten to Year 6 (Primary): No compulsory tuition for domestic students; the school requests voluntary financial contributions for P–6 but does not publish a single standard fee figure for all primary year groups on the published contribution page. Incursions, excursions, camps (where offered for older primary year levels), instrument lessons, specialist programs and other optional activities are charged separately when they occur. Parents are billed for such optional activities on a case-by-case basis.
- International / temporary-visa students (fee-paying): Reported ACT international tuition benchmarks for the 2026 year (when children are enrolled as fee-paying international students or when temporary-resident rules require tuition) are in the following ranges per child per year; these international tuition figures are typically invoiced per term (the annual fee divided across the school terms):
- Preschool: AUD 4,200 per year (reported benchmark).
- Primary (K–6): AUD 11,100 per year (approx. AUD 2,775 per term if divided evenly across four terms).
- Junior secondary and senior secondary have higher published benchmarks for the international program; primary and preschool benchmarks are shown here for context. These international tuition rates are subject to the Education Directorate's international-student schedules, and the international enrolment process includes an application charge. Families on some visa subclasses may apply for waivers or exemptions under ACT rules.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Voluntary contributions for preschool may be paid in full or by instalments; the preschool material notes that discount and payment options are available and that voluntary contributions are confidential. Similar voluntary-contribution billing for primary (K–6) is managed by the school and school board; contributions are normally invoiced as an annual request and may be accepted in instalments where offered.
- Optional program charges (excursions, camps, specialist programs, instrument lessons, photos) are billed separately as required and must be paid according to the payment terms on each activity notice. Excursion/incursion permission notes normally accompany any request for payment.
- International / temporary-visa tuition is normally invoiced on a per-term basis (the annual tuition split across terms) and must be paid according to the Education Directorate's international-student enrolment and billing procedures; application fees for international enrolment are generally payable at the time of application or acceptance.

Boarding fees
- Not applicable. Red Hill is a day primary school (preschool to Year 6); there are no boarding facilities or boarding fees.

Other costs and routine charges
- Uniform: School uniform items are sold through the school P&C-operated uniform shop and are available to order online through the Flexischools platform. Second‑hand uniforms are sold periodically; a small supply of second‑hand items is held for families in financial difficulty. Parents should allow a budget for required uniform items (prices vary by item and purchase method).
- Book packs / stationery: Year-level book pack and stationery lists are published for each year (Preschool through Year 6). These book-pack lists set out the required stationery items and any pre-packed pack options; costs for book packs depend on the supplier and pack option chosen. Parents normally purchase required items or order the school's recommended pack.
- Canteen and event payments: The school uses an online payments and ordering platform (Flexischools) for canteen and uniform shop orders; canteen purchases and event tickets are paid through that platform where offered. Additional fundraising, P&C activities and voluntary donations to P&C fundraising are separate to school contribution charges.
- Optional activities: Specialist music programs, instrument hire/lessons, camps (for older primary year levels where applicable), excursions and class photos are additional and charged separately; these appear as individual notices and invoices when scheduled.

Refund information
- No dedicated refund schedule for voluntary contributions or routine school levies is published on the school's contribution pages or in the preschool handbook. Refunds for optional activities (for example, an excursion that is cancelled or a paid activity not taken) are handled according to the terms of the specific activity and the Education Directorate's international-student rules where international tuition or program charges are involved. International-student enrolments and fee refunds are also subject to the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) framework and the provider's international-program refund procedures.

Fee payment options (accepted methods)
- Online school ordering/payment platform: Flexischools is used for uniform and canteen payments and for many event payments; Flexischools accepts card payments (Visa/Mastercard) through its platform.
- International payments: Where families pay international tuition from overseas, payments are accepted in Australian dollars by electronic funds transfer/telegraphic transfer and other bank payment methods as required by the Education Directorate's international-student procedures. Credit‑card payments and bank cheques/bank drafts are commonly used for international and interstate payments in the ACT international enrolment system.
- Local payment handling for voluntary contributions and activity charges is managed by the school and P&C (payment methods offered can include online card payments via Flexischools or school-managed EFT/bank transfer and instalment arrangements where available); preschool materials specifically note discount and payment options. Exact accepted payment channels for any particular charge will be listed on the school invoice or event notice.

Summary of items not published as fixed figures on the school's materials
- The school publishes book-pack lists, uniform ordering arrangements and a preschool voluntary contribution amount (AUD 150 per year). The school's primary (K–6) voluntary contribution page does not publish a single fixed dollar figure for the family contribution request; newsletters and notices reference the contribution code but do not publish the K–6 contribution amount. Information on international/temporary‑resident tuition levels is set by the ACT Education Directorate; reported 2026 benchmark international tuition figures (for fee‑paying students or temporary‑resident tuition cases) are available through the Directorate's international‑student channels and compiled reference pages, and those international tuition amounts are billed per term. Parents requiring exact, current dollar figures for K–6 voluntary contribution requests or for international tuition and application fees should obtain the school or Directorate statement of fees for the specific enrolment category.
Academics

Red Hill Primary School teaches IB (PYP), Australian Curriculum for students aged 3 to 12.

Curriculum
Red Hill Primary School offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) from preschool to year 6, delivered through a transdisciplinary Programme of Inquiry. English is taught within the PYP framework, aligning Australian Curriculum requirements and focusing on Language, Literature, and Literacy. The school uses Reader's and Writer's Workshop and Daily 5 routines to support reading and writing, with six reading areas: oral language, phonological awareness, letter-sound knowledge, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. Arts, including dance, drama, music and visual art, are integral to the IB PYP and are taught through units of inquiry. The curriculum is inquiry-based and designed to connect learning across subjects while aligning with the Australian Curriculum where relevant.

Gifted and Talented
Gifted and Talented Program: Red Hill School recognises the unique educational needs of gifted and talented students and has developed a policy detailing nomination, identification and support processes for these students.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Positive Education at Red Hill Primary School links academic learning with wellbeing and resilience. The school uses Restorative and Relational Practices to create a safe and supportive learning environment, supported by a Relational Policy and Procedures. Mindfulness is practised daily as part of wellbeing routines.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Students with disability are supported with adjustments to access learning. Adjustments include providing extra visual cues and information, breaking down tasks, providing more practice, checking for understanding, changes to the environment, alternative ways to communicate, addressing sensory needs, and access to quiet spaces to assist with regulation. These adjustments may be made in smaller groups and may involve additional educators.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
English is the language of instruction and is taught through a balanced approach that covers the Australian Curriculum English standards. Specialist teachers deliver French and Mandarin, with younger students studying French and older students studying Mandarin. The school provides opportunities to learn two UN official languages, with continuing French classes, a lunchtime French club, and after‑school French and Mandarin classes offered by the ACT Community Language Schools Association. The school also supports English as an Additional Language/Dialect (EAL/D) learners with targeted instruction in vocabulary, grammar and spelling, and EAL/D progress is formally moderated twice a year to determine funding needs.

Mental Wellbeing
Mindfulness and wellbeing practices are integrated into the daily routine as part of the school's wellbeing framework. Positive Education also emphasizes four domains—Relationships, Health, Purpose, and Strengths—to support students' social and emotional development and resilience. The school uses restorative and relational practices to foster wellbeing and supportive peer relationships.

Safeguarding
The school is committed to keeping children safe and has adopted the 10 ACT Child Safe Standards to strengthen safeguarding practices. Keeping students safe online is addressed through ACT Education Directorate webinars and online safety resources. Personal electronic device, photo and video restrictions on preschool grounds are in place to protect student privacy and safety.
Parent Experience

Community
The school creates partnerships with parents and the community that assist students to be active, compassionate lifelong learners who are internationally minded global citizens. The IB mission focuses on developing inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better world through intercultural understanding and respect. The school teaches the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) from preschool to year 6. The school is located in the inner south of Canberra.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The school has a Parents and Citizens Association. The PCA provides opportunities for parent involvement in the life of the school. The school has a School Board. The PCA and School Board are part of the school's governance structures. The PCA supports ways for parents to engage with staff and students. The school encourages ongoing involvement of parents through the PCA.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Red Hill Primary School features a library hall that doubles as a sports centre and is equipped with ICT facilities. Additional refurbishments introduced new classrooms and specialist teaching areas and upgraded playgrounds. Specialist French, physical education, arts and library programs are taught. The school has sick bay facilities. The school offers before- and after-school care, a holiday program and an after-school activities private tutor program.

Sports Facilities
Library hall/sports centre provides indoor space for physical activities and events. Outdoor spaces include upgraded playground areas for active play.

Academic Facilities
The school has a library hall, ICT facilities, new classrooms and specialist teaching areas; specialist French, physical education, arts and library programs are taught.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Before- and after-school care, a holiday program and an after-school activities private tutor program.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school delivers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) for children aged 3–12. The PYP is an inquiry‑based, transdisciplinary framework that builds conceptual understanding through six units of inquiry each year: Sharing the planet; Who we are; Where we are in place and time; How we organize ourselves; How the world works; How we express ourselves. The program emphasizes student agency and the development of an IB Learner Profile. The curriculum integrates language, mathematics, science, social studies, technology, the arts, and personal, social and physical education.

Arts & Creative
Arts are integral to the IB Primary Years Programme. Students experience a broad range of visual arts and performances, including architecture, ceramics, painting, photography, and more. West African percussion and dance programs (West African Percussion, Wassa Wassa, West African Dance) are offered, with high engagement in performances; The IMPACT Instrumental Music Program provides year 5 and year 6 bands with regular rehearsals and opportunities to perform at school assemblies and community events, including Bandstrav.

Cultural & Language
French and Mandarin are offered as the Language Other Than English (LOTE). The language program emphasizes intercultural understanding and global citizenship, with face‑to‑face authentic learning experiences connected to PYP units. The communicative approach covers language achievement standards, and EAL/D families are valued and supported to maintain languages, with Harmony Day used to share stories and cultures.

Social & Hobbies
The school offers extensive extracurricular arts activities, including West African percussion and dance ensembles. The Wassa Wassa ensemble is audition‑based for year 5 and involves a two‑year commitment, performing traditional rhythms with singing and dancing. IMPACT Band Program runs year 5 and year 6 bands with regular rehearsals; bands perform at school assemblies, music evenings, and events such as Bandstrav at Llewelyn Hall, providing many performance opportunities for students.

Leadership & Professional
The principal, PYP Coordinator and staff undertake IB workshops and a range of professional development as part of IB accreditation requirements, reflecting a commitment to ongoing leadership and professional growth.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Physical Education is taught weekly by a specialist PE teacher, with lessons designed to improve fundamental motor skills and promote a long‑term healthy lifestyle. The program includes movement learning across contexts and offers sporting clinics, a learn‑to‑swim program, cross country and athletics carnivals, and inter‑school competitions. Our Community section provides Before and After School Care and a School Holiday Program via Woden Community Service, with additional after‑school activities offered by external providers.
Languages

Language Provision
French and Mandarin are studied as additional languages. The language programme uses a communicative approach to meet the French language achievement standards and includes cultural understandings. EAL/D learners are valued and supported, with active involvement of families in language learning. The school promotes multilingual education to foster fluency in mother tongues and English and intercultural understanding.
Reputation

Accreditations
International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) accreditation; first government IB World School in the ACT and NSW implementing the Primary Years Programme; accepted 20 October 2006.
Admissions

Admissions
The school has enrolments from students living in its Priority Enrolment Area and enrolment is processed through the Education Directorate's online enrolment application.
School Events
The school has not added events
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