Peak Hill Central School

Pictured here is part of the original building which still stands today.

In November 1889 when the gold field at Peak Hill was new, local families made application for a school to the Department of Education.  Ten families involved stated that although they only had 21 children of school age, "more were arriving daily" and they soon were expecting to have 50 children.  After finally receiving approval to build a school, Albert Mitchell, a young school teacher in his twenties, set up teaching in a rented hall measuring 40 by 20 feet,  whilst the new school was being built.  Mitchell had 77 children on the roll.  At the end of the first month those numbers grew to 120.  Mitchell was afforded an assistant teacher within the next two months.  The new teacher was very young, just a little over sixteen. Mitchell was expected to give him lessons after school on teaching methods.

Today, Peak Hill Central School caters to the needs of children from Kindergarten through to year 12.  The school is a leader in the state in the development of a co-operative multi-cultural educational environment.  Small secondary class sizes ensure that students are offered a wide and varied range of subject choices.  In senior years, an extensive curriculum is offered through the school's involvement in programs such as the Western Access Program and Joint Secondary Schools TAFE program.  Matriculation Higher School Certificate and Vocation Education courses are offered for those who wish to continue with tertiary studies.