Stanhope brothers a big part of school

By Rohan Aldous

Feb 3, 2023

Brothers in arms: Spencer R is given an armchair ride into his primary school education by big brothers Cooper and Tyler.

Three brothers account for almost half of the Stanhope Primary School population as the youngest in a family of four starts at the 107-year-old highway-side school.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

Spencer R has joined his Year 6 brother Tyler and Year 4 brother Cooper at the school and their older brother Riley recently graduated and is now at secondary school in Kyabam.

In total there are seven students at Stanhope, down from last year’s 13 students, after five students graduated Year 6 in 2022.

Principal Christine Owen said the school council, which would have two newcomers in the next month, was planning to work hard in its promotion of the school.

“Once children are graduating kinder they are going into Kyabram, to the P-12 schools. Often it is because it is easier for parents,” the principal of the past 14 years said.

The school, which started out as Lauderdale-Stanhope primary school, has just one Year 6 child this year and during the 1980s had almost 200 students on its books.

“There were around 51 when I started,” Ms Owen said.

Spencer R is the second “solo” prep at the school in the past two years.

By Rohan Aldous

Contributor