Our school has a rich history and tradition. It was opened on 10 October 1870. The first Principal was Mr William Arthy and the first student was Miss Ellen Lane. The school has always enjoyed a reputation for academic excellence and our students continue to excel academically, as evidenced by our results in National competitions and numeracy and literacy tests.

We are a highly multicultural school and are proud to have students representing over 50 nationalities. Approximately one third of our students were born outside Australia. At Ironside our children grow up surrounded by a range of cultures, religious beliefs and languages. We believe that this environment helps our students develop tolerance, understanding and an outward looking perspective on life.