Wyndham College
Wyndham College is a government senior secondary school located at Nirimba Fields, New South Wales, Australia.[1]
Wyndham College | |
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Location | |
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Coordinates | 33°43′34″S 150°52′47″E |
Information | |
Type | Government, public co-educational day school |
Motto | Working Together to Widen Horizons |
Denomination | Non denominational |
Established | 1999 |
Principal | Karen Smith |
Staff | 60 staff |
Enrolment | 850 students (Year 11 & 12) |
Colour(s) | Blue, gold and red |
Slogan | The Wyndham Way |
Website | Wyndham College |
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 St John Paul II Catholic 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]
Visual artworks completed by students from the college are regularly nominated and featured in Art Express.[6]
History
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.[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]
School Crest
Wyndham College's crest was designed by the school's founding principal, 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, Western Sydney University and St John Paul II Catholic College.[9]
Admissions and Enrolment
Students who attend the Collegiate Year 7-10 schools of Riverstone High School, Quakers Hill High School, and Seven Hills High School have automatic right of entry into 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.[10]
Curriculum
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.[11] 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.[12] One free line is also incorporated into student timetables to allow for group study work and access to teaching staff for individual consultation.
Sports
- Rugby league, Indoor Soccer,[13] Ultimate Frisbee,[14] Swimming, Athletics, Golf, Cross Country Netball
Notable alumni
- Sport
- Andrew Beato – Open Water Swimming, World Open Water Championships[15]
- Andrew Fifita – Rugby League Player, Wests Tigers
- Kenrick Monk – Swimming, 2008 Olympics, 2007 World Aquatics Championships, 2010 Commonwealth Games
- The Arts
- Kain O'Keeffe – actor
References
- Price, Sarah (16 March 2008). "Experts to Debate lift in School Leaving Age". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
- "Multicampus College Model" (PDF). University of Notre Dame, Western Australia. 2007. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
- Doherty, Linda (14 August 2004). "Recess is over, next step TAFE and uni". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 July 2007.
- "UWS Partnerships and Programs". University of Western Sydney. 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
- "Blacktown City Garden Competition:2004 Best Educational Garden". Blacktown City Council. 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
- Shaw, Roderick (18 November 2008). "Wyndham College's Art Express Hopefuls". The Blacktown Sun. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
- Lawson, Amy (10 October 2004). "Mother of Eight Returns to School to do the HSC". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
- Wilson, L.G.R (2003). Skilled hands at sea: the story of Her Majesty's Australian ship Nirimba, and naval training in NSW, 1855-1983. Naval Historical Society of Australia, (Garden Island, NSW). ISBN 0-9591942-1-5.
- "NSW HSC Online". Charles Sturt University. 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
- "How to Enrol in a Public School". NSW Department of Education and Training. 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
- "Wyndham College in Channel 7 News Clip". UTUBE. 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
- Shaw, Roderick (8 September 2009). ""They're Awesome!" says Mentor". Blacktown Sun. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
- "Wyndham College 2009 Indoor Soccer Clip". UTUBE. 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
- "Western Sydney Gala Day". Ultimate Frisbee NSW. 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
- Cowley, Michael (8 December 2008). "Bondi to Bronte, he's un-beato-ble". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 14 September 2010.