From 1957, Mr Van Tyjn, a local resident along with other residents wrote to the Education Department and parliamentarians requesting a school at Hawthorndene because of the expected increase in the number of residents. At that time, children had to walk from ‘Blackwood Estate’ to and from Blackwood school, a distance of 2 miles each way, no matter what the weather.

After a meeting on the 31st March 1960 in the Baptist Church, corner of Pasteur Ave and Myrtle Road, which 31 residents attended, a committee was formed to petition the government. Finally, 8 acres of land was requisitioned and advice regarding the building of the school was given in The Advertiser in 1962. The school opened on 25th May 1965 with 154 pupils, most of whom transferred from Blackwood. At the mid-year intake on 28th June another 9 boys and 9 girls commenced school. Students occupied only 4 classrooms, mostly because older children chose not to transfer, although The Department thought the school would be full at the outset. The following year there were 215 students and 5 teachers.