Telopea Park School / Lycée Franco-Australien de Canberra

On September 11, 1923, amidst a significant gathering that included 600 children, the Honorable Sir Austin Chapman, Federal Minister for Trade and Customs, officially inaugurated Telopea Park School. The institution was named after its geographical location, which is identified as Telopea Park in Walter Burley Griffin's city plan. The term "Telopea speciosissima" refers to the waratah, the floral emblem of New South Wales, which is prominently displayed in the school's logo. Initially, Telopea Park School commenced operations with a staff comprising two individuals: the headmaster, Mr. Cecil Henry, and one assistant. Within the first two days, the school enrolled fifty-eight students. By the conclusion of the academic year, enrollment had increased to 120. In December 1925, eleven teachers were responsible for approximately 400 primary and secondary students, with the first cohort sitting for the Intermediate and Leaving Certificates. As the student population expanded, the school facilities were enlarged in 1926 and again in 1929. In May 1927, the school temporarily closed for nine days to accommodate celebrations for the opening of Parliament House, during which it served as a makeshift hospital. Later that year, it was designated as a secondary school and recognized as a District School. Telopea also became the venue for an Adult Evening Continuation College. In 1929, the institution was elevated to the status of an Intermediate High School, a designation it maintained until 1938. In 1930, Canberra University College, the precursor to the Australian National University, began operating on the school premises after regular hours. The teaching staff includes Australian educators who instruct in English, employed through the ACT Education Directorate, while French instructors, qualified by the French National Ministry of Education in Paris, are seconded to Telopea Park School to teach in French. The school is currently led by Australian Principal Jason Holmes, with Florence Llopis serving as the Proviseure of Le Lycee Franco Australien (K-6, EFS Y7-10 at TPS, EFS Y11-12 at Narrabundah College). Telopea Park School operates under the administration of the Australian Capital Territory Government school system.