Frensham School

Frensham School was established by Winifred Mary West (1881–1971) on 17 July 1913. Starting with only three pupils and five staff, the school has grown substantially since then. West originally moved to Australia in 1907 and met Phyllis Clubbe, sparking the idea to create a school. Both went back to England to gain further educational experience before returning to Australia in 1912 to scout for the perfect location. In June 1913, they rented a house called Y Berth owned by Mr Tooth, with an option to buy. The school was christened Frensham, the name of West's birthplace in Surrey. By 1918, word of mouth had swelled student numbers to 100, 250 by 1943, and 330 by 1963. A book featuring photos of the school and its students titled The Frensham Book was published by Harold Cazneaux in 1934. S. E. Emilsen also authored a book about the school in 1988. In 1941, the Sturt Craft Centre was established by Miss West, providing local students with skills such as weaving, spinning, and carpentry. More crafts were added later on. Sturt hosts art-focused Summer and Winter schools and started a school for fine furniture designer makers in 1985. A preparatory school for Frensham, Gib Gate, was set up in 1954, despite an initial attempt in 1939 that was foiled by bushfires. Gib Gate opened its doors to both sexes in 1970, accommodating day students from pre-school to Year 6 and providing boarding for Years 4 to 6. Faced with a lack of profitability, Frensham ran a successful mass recruitment campaign in the mid-1970s which lasted for about five years and saw the number of enrolments double by 1983.