| Wyndham College | |
|---|---|
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"Working Together to Widen Horizons"
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| Location | |
| Quakers Hill, New South Wales, Australia | |
| Information | |
| Type | Government, Public Co-Educational Day School |
| Denomination | Non Denominational |
| Established | 1999 |
| Principal | Mrs Karen Smith |
| Staff | 60 staff |
| Enrolment | 850 students (Year 11 & 12) |
| Colour(s) | Blue, Grey and White |
| Slogan | The Wyndham Way |
| Website | web3.wyndhamcol-h.schools.nsw.edu.au |
Wyndham College is a government senior secondary school located at Quakers Hill, New South Wales, Australia.[1]
Established in 1999, its intake of students comes from three surrounding high schools, namely Quakers Hill High School, Riverstone High School, and Seven Hills High School. They, with Wyndham College, make the Nirimba Collegiate Group of Schools. The Collegiate group operates in such a way that each school maintains its independence yet they are closely related through the collaborative leadership of the four principals involved and through sharing at all levels including staffing and resources.[2]
The College is situated on the Nirimba Education Precinct co-located with: the University of Western Sydney, Blacktown; Western Sydney Institute of TAFE-Nirimba College and Terra Sancta College, Senior Campus.[3][4] Set in a bushland environment, Wyndham College has native award winning gardens and a tributary of Eastern Creek flows through the campus.[5]
The College provides an academic and vocational subject offering for students with a range of learning experiences. Students have the opportunity to access courses offered by the College, University and TAFE. The HSC Life Skills Program is provided for support students identified with mild or moderate disabilities.
Visual artworks completed by students from the college are regularly nominated and featured in Art Express.[6]
Contents |
Wyndham College was named after the previous NSW Director General of Education, Harold Wyndham who was visionary in implementing the HSC for Year 12 students and the School Certificate for Year 10 students. The structure of the Nirimba Collegiate recognises that an emphasis on links between Universities, TAFE Colleges and schools helps to cater for the needs of all students in an "adult style" learning environment. It allows students to be treated as "seniors" in the luxury of a separate campus from the collegiate Years 7-10 schools.[7] Wyndham College is built on the former site of the naval training base HMAS Nirimba, and the campus derives its name, "Nirimba Education Precinct", from this historical connection.[8]
Wyndham College's crest was designed by the school's founding principal, Mr Ian Wing, in 1998. The crest features Wyndhams's motto of "Working Together to Widen Horizons", with a representation of a book. Traditionally the book is associated with learning and the motto refers to the broad curriculum that the students have access to through the school's links with the precinct partners - TAFE, University of Western Sydney and Terra Sancta College.[9]
| Facilities | Facilities |
|---|---|
| Gymnasium | Hall |
| Canteen | Library |
| Performance Workspace | Industrial Arts Workshop |
| Photography Darkroom | Swimming Pool |
| Multiple Sports Fields and Open Recreational Areas | Kitchen |
| Science Laboratory | Computer & Laptop Laboratories |
| Retail & Office Training Spaces | Trade School (Hospitality School now open) |
| Good Wheelchair Accessibility | Huge range of subject choices |
| Wireless & Cabled Internet Access: Staff & Students | Onsite Carparking & Security: Staff & Students |
Students who attend the Collegiate Year 7-10 school have automatic right of entry in to Wyndham College for their senior years of schooling. As such, the College serves a large and diverse community from established areas in Seven Hills and Kings Langley, newly developed urban areas in Quakers Hill, Acacia Gardens, Stanhope Gardens, Rouse Hill and Schofields to the more semi-rural communities of Riverstone and Marsden Park. Outside of the collegiate schools, acceptance to Wyndham College is highly competitive with many students applying for limited enrolment places each year. The school's enrolment committee conducts interviews with prospective students and their parents when making their decisions about entry for applicants.[11]
The school life of Wyndham College is different to that of a normal High School in that it offers an adult style learning environment. Students may refer to their teachers by their first name. Students are required to carry an identification card which is used to swipe in and out of school if arriving late or leaving early for study periods. During middle of the day study periods, students are allowed to work in the library or remain within the school grounds. Full school uniform is enforced and parking is available for students driving to and from school. A day at Wyndham college commences at 8am on most days, 9am on Tuesdays, and concludes at 2:40pm Monday and Wednesday finishing at 3pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. School finishes at 12:20pm on Fridays.[12]
The large number of HSC students means that nearly the full range of HSC subjects, as well as a number of other courses designed to meet students' special needs and interests are provided.[13] Wyndham College is registered and accredited with the New South Wales Board of Studies, and follows the mandated curriculum for Years 11 and 12. Over 58 courses are offered onsite to Year 12 students alone including Board developed or endorsed courses, life skills courses and 6 industry curriculum frameworks in the areas of: Hospitality; Retail; Business Services; Construction; Information Technology; and Engineering/Metal. The College timetable is structured to allow students to access TAFE delivered VET courses and University subjects without interrupting other studies. With this flexibility students can complete the HSC year with multiple accreditations.[14] One free line is also incorporated in to student timetables to allow for group study work and access to teaching staff for individual consultation.
A range of sporting and other extracurricular activities occur at the school, including: