Lowanna Public School is a small, government-funded, co-educational primary school located at 54 Grafton Street, Lowanna, New South Wales 2450 — a rural locality in the Coffs Harbour hinterland region of the NSW Mid North Coast.

The school serves students from Kindergarten through Year 6 and is one of NSW’s genuinely small schools, with an enrolment of approximately 25 students and a maximum enrolment ceiling of 62 students.

Despite — and in many ways because of — its small size, Lowanna Public School offers a uniquely personalised and community-connected education. The school’s Relieving Principal, Elizabeth Rathgen, describes it warmly: “Lowanna might be a small school, but we offer big opportunities — a place where learning is fun, relationships matter and every student can shine.”

A Close-Knit Community School

What makes Lowanna Public School distinctive is not its size, but the quality of community relationships it fosters. In a school of 25 students, every child is known, valued, and personally supported by name from their very first day. The school’s philosophy — built around Safe, Respectful, Learners as core values — ensures students feel secure, included, and ready to engage with their learning.

The school has a special relationship with the local community that extends to the most practical level: the Lowanna General Store generously provides Friday lunch orders for students each week, with order forms sent home and lunches delivered to the school — a genuinely unique community partnership that reflects the warmth of rural NSW school life.

Curriculum and Student Support

Lowanna Public School follows the NSW curriculum, offering a broad and balanced programme across all key learning areas:

• English — with a strong emphasis on literacy as a foundation for all learning
• Mathematics — evidence-based numeracy approaches with individual goal-setting
• Science and Technology
• Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE)
• Creative Arts
• Personal Development, Health, and Physical Education (PDHPE)

The school uses evidence-based approaches in literacy and numeracy, setting personalised goals that help each student grow at their own pace. This individual focus is one of the key advantages of a small school environment, where teachers can monitor and support each child’s progress closely in partnership with families.

Support structures include programmes for high-potential and gifted students, students with additional needs or disability, and those requiring wellbeing support — ensuring that no child is left behind regardless of background or learning style.

Enrolment

Lowanna Public School has a formal enrolment ceiling of 62 students and an enrolment buffer of 3 students. Local families within the school’s designated catchment area are given priority. A separate application is required for non-local enrolment, assessed by the school’s placement panel. Families seeking non-local enrolment must provide clear documentation supporting their case; oral submissions are not accepted. Waiting lists may be established for non-local applicants.

In NSW public schools, all financial contributions are voluntary — every student has full access to the curriculum regardless of whether voluntary contributions are made.

Contact Information

Lowanna Public School Term Dates 2026 (Eastern Division)

Lowanna Public School follows the NSW Department of Education’s Eastern Division calendar, which applies to all public schools across the Greater Sydney region and broader NSW Eastern Division.

Lowanna Public School Term Dates 2027 (Eastern Division)

School Holiday Periods 2026

• Summer 2025–26: Mon 22 Dec 2025 – Mon 26 Jan 2026
• Autumn: Tue 7 April – Fri 17 April 2026 (Mon 6 April is Easter Monday public holiday)
• Winter: Mon 6 July – Fri 17 July 2026
• Spring: Mon 28 September – Fri 9 October 2026
• Summer 2026–27: Fri 18 December 2026 – Wed 27 January 2027

Note: ANZAC Day falls on a Saturday in 2026, so NSW does not observe a substitute Monday public holiday.

Last verified: 08 July 2026. Official source: NSW Department of Education — 2026 Term Dates and Lowanna Public School official website

How Families Can Use This Calendar

Knowing the Lowanna Public School calendar in advance helps families:

• Plan travel and family activities during the official term breaks
• Be aware of School Development Days when students do not attend
• Remember to send Friday lunch orders back to school in time — the Lowanna General Store delivers fresh lunch to the school every Friday, a highlight of the week for students.
• Stay connected through School Bytes — the school’s parent portal for payments, attendance management, and booking parent-teacher interviews.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many students attend Lowanna Public School?

Approximately 25 students in Kindergarten through Year 6, with a formal enrolment ceiling of 62 students.

What makes Lowanna Public School unique? It’s exceptional community spirit — including the Lowanna General Store’s Friday lunch delivery — and its highly personalised approach to learning in a truly small-school environment where every child is individually known and supported.

Does Lowanna Public School follow the same term dates as Sydney schools?

Yes. As an NSW government school, it follows the Eastern Division term dates set by the NSW Department of Education.

Who do I contact for enrolment or school-specific queries?

Contact the school at (02) 6654 5243 or lowanna-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au.

Related New South Wales School Calendars

• Crown Street Public School Calendar
• Ultimo Public School Calendar
• Carlingford Public School Calendar
• Hornsby School Calendar