Changes to the school structure in the Wickham-Roebourne area

17/12/99
Wickham District High School will become a primary school and a new campus of Karratha Senior High School is to be established for the start of the 2000 school year.
Education Minister Colin Barnett said the changes, outcomes of the community-based Local Area Education Planning (LAEP) process for the Wickham-Roebourne area, would increase educational opportunities for students in the area.
The Minister said a range of options for the future of education in the area had been thoroughly explored under the LAEP process, including retaining Wickham as a district high school.
However, after consultation with the local community, it had been decided the best option was to relocate year eight to 10 students to Karratha Senior High School.
This would include its new campus to be established for the start of the next school year in Wickham, and then later in the year at a permanent home in Roebourne.
Acting Education Department Director-General Peter Browne said that more than 120 students from Wickham had already chosen to continue their education in Karratha, leaving less than 50 students in years eight, nine and 10.
"We were also helped to make the decision by the fact that the Roebourne community strongly supports a secondary education facility in their town," Mr Browne said.
"So, with the community's support and due to the reclassification of Wickham, a campus of Karratha Senior High School will be established next year in Roebourne.
"All secondary students from Wickham District High School will relocate to Karratha Senior High School, with students having the opportunity to attend the Roebourne annexe if they wish."
The Director-General said a permanent site for the annexe had yet to be finalised.
"However, we will continue to consult with the local community to determine the best location for the permanent facility,"
Mr Browne said.
He said Wickham Primary School students would have access to the full range of facilities formerly occupied by the district high school.
The Wickham community library, a partnership between the Education Department and local community, would continue to operate in the year 2000 and be reviewed at the end of the year.

Mr Browne said former Wickham students attending Karratha Senior High School would have a wider range of subject choice and access to specialist staff and facilities.
"With all the resources available at the much larger Karratha school, local students will be better off with this move," he said.
"In addition, Roebourne students who choose to attend the campus will remain in close contact with support from their local community, with a specialist education program focusing on vocational training managed from Karratha Senior High School."
Mr Browne said that to make the transition for Wickham students easier, Years 7, 8 and 9 students currently enrolled at Wickham District High School would be eligible for a relocation allowance of $300 when they enrolled at Karratha Senior High School.
The Director-General acknowledged the work of school staff at Wickham, and the strong community support for the school since its commencement in 1982.
"The timeline for implementation is very short, but I am confident that the staff from both schools will be able to manage the changes for the students with the full assistance of the Education Department," he said.
Mr Browne expressed his appreciation of the support and co-operation of the local communities.
He said that this initiative would improve opportunities in secondary education for all students in the Wickham, Roebourne and Karratha areas.
Media contact: Inga Butefisch, Education Department of WA, (08) 9264 5348