City Beach Senior High School to be autonomous middle school

12/2/99

City Beach Senior High School will become an autonomous middle school for students in years eight to 10 from 2000, instead of forming a multi-campus partnership with Churchlands SHS.

Education Minister Colin Barnett said today that the school community had embraced the concept of middle schooling but had expressed a strong desire to retain autonomy and an individual identity.

Mr Barnett said that formal and visible links with Churchlands Senior High School would still be developed, particularly to assist year 10 students with their progression into upper school. The City Beach middle school would have its own principal and administration.

A transition committee set up last year would now be restructured with the purpose of creating formal links between City Beach and Churchlands.

The Minister said the decision announced last year for City Beach and Churchlands senior high schools to form a multi-campus partnership had resulted in considerable local debate.

"The City Beach school community has assured me it will continue to support the concept of middle schooling to ensure its viability and I urge them to show this support by working to maintain student enrolments and taking an active interest in the future of the school," he said.

Developing and maintaining close associations with Churchlands Senior High School was also imperative to the ongoing success of the middle school.

"It is believed that most City Beach students will move to Churchlands SHS for years 11 and 12 and the middle school will place a significant focus on transition plans for year 10s heading into year 11 to make this as smooth as possible," Mr Barnett said.

"Already the school is introducing and integrating middle schooling strategies to prepare for the new learning environment with year eights being taught under the guidance of a core groups of teachers which meets regularly to plan activities and monitor their progress.

"I would like to see City Beach and Churchlands working closely together to produce the best educational outcomes for local students."

The Minister acknowledged the work of the local community to seek resolution of its concerns. He said it was this type of involvement which was typical of the local area education planning process.

With the full support of staff and the community, the middle school provided exciting, innovative and dynamic opportunities for young adolescents in the local area.

Media contact: Justine Whittome (08) 9222 9699