Secret Harbour Primary School was actually opened in a Shopping Centre to cater for the students living in the new Secret Harbour area.  Prior to the school opening students were required to commute to neighbouring schools.  Many of the students attended different schools from their neighbours and the community was not sufficiently large enough to qualify for the building of a Department of Education school facility.  

See the Minister for Education's Official Announcement regarding the Opening of the School in Shops.

Parents, students and staff worked together to form a school with an ethos that encourages student achievement and involvement along with the community ideals that are encapsulated in the school’s Mission Statement and Ethos.  

Although the original school plan was only designed to cater for 200 students (which was the projection for the end of 2001) the school grew considerably.  The school lacked the usual facilities found in a normal purpose built schools (such as wet areas and hard court play areas) and thus had to adapt its educational programs to suit the environment. Despite the difficulties and problems the staff, community and students  worked together to make the concept viable.