History

Diamond Valley Special Developmental School was previously Heidelberg Special Developmental School, which was formerly known as the Ivanhoe Helping Hand Day Training Centre.

1939	The branch commenced in Ivanhoe as a group totally funded by parents and conducted in a private home. When the attendance built up to approximately twelve, the group transferred to St. George’s Church hall and activities were conducted for five mornings each week. The group later moved to the Sea Scout hall in Ivanhoe where it functioned four full days a week.
1957	A house was purchased in Upper Heidelberg Road. State Government subsidies for buildings and maintenance were introduced prior to the purchase of the property in Upper Heidelberg Road.
1961	The Church of England offered for sale St. John’s Church hall in Hawdon Street, Heidelberg. This property was purchased with the proceeds from a “Door Knock” and the sale of the existing school premises.
1972	Approval was given for the building of new premises at 88 McNamara Street, Macleod. The senior section of the Ivanhoe Helping Hand Day Training Centre moved into its new premises in 1975. The junior school section remained at 64 Hawdon Street, catering for children 5 – 16+ years.
1974	Because of overcrowding at the Centre, a group of parents, together with the mothers of very young intellectually disabled children in the area, formed a cradle roll (or Early Intervention Program) which was eventually to develop into the first separate pre-school in the State of Victoria. This pre-school is known as Kalparrin and is located at Greensborough.
1976	In November, parents at the Junior school formed an interim committee which became the core for the existing School Council, as the Ivanhoe Day Training Centre Committee of Management had requested the Victorian Education Department to accept responsibility for the education of school age pupils.
1977	The senior section at Macleod changed its name to Ivanhoe/Diamond Valley Activity Therapy Centre. The junior school at Heidelberg transferred to the Education Department and the School Council changed the school name to Heidelberg District Special Developmental School.
1978	Negotiations to purchase two properties adjacent to the Hawdon Street property were commenced. 46 and 48 Banksia Street were subsequently purchased and both were modified to facilitate the educational needs of the students.
1984	Negotiations with the then Northern Region to relocate the school were undertaken.
1985	Funding was received as a Ministerial promise by the then Minister for Education, Mr. Robert Fordham, to relocate to a site at Brentwick Drive, Greensborough. Mr. Anthony Styant-Browne of Andrew Reed and Associates was engaged as the project architect.
1987	Building of the new school at 14-24 Brentwick Drive, Greensborough was completed in September. The move took place on Friday, 4th September and the students attended their new school for the first time on Monday, 7th September.
1987	30th October. The Official Opening by Mr. Kevin Collins, deputising for the then Minister for Education, Mr. Ian Cathie, took place on Friday. The school was officially renamed Diamond Valley Special Developmental School.
2006	Locally raised funds used to construct school hall.
2007	Extension to school car park top and construction of a parent car park.
2008	Diamond Valley SDS celebrates its 21st Birthday.
2010	National Pride funding used to construct an extension to Pavillion 1 to include a program Withdrawal room.
2011	Undercover area and softfall area added to Pavillion 1 to enhance outside programs.
2011	Diamond Valley Rotary Club construct Horse Riding shed to enable mounting station to be under cover and additional storage space for equipment.
2012	Locally raised funds used to construct new secondary playground area.
2012	Donation from Ivanhoe Grammer used to construction Horticultral area in secondary playground.
2012	Building Education Revolution funding used to construct a school pool.
2017	The Whittlesea campus opened.