Whyalla Secondary bounces back after torrid 2022

While horrific school fights put this $100m school in the public eye for all the wrong reasons, the students responded in the best way possible. Here’s how they bounced back.

One of the state’s most ambitious schools has responded to backlash from shocking schoolyard violence earlier in the year with students receiving “some of the highest” grades the area has seen in years.

Whyalla Secondary College – a $100m super school which opened this year – has managed to shake off some of the teething programs it experienced after combining three existing high schools into a new campus.

Whyalla Secondary School deputy principal Christina Nicholas said the year has been incredibly challenging, but she was pleased with the final outcome.

“It’s been a massive year and we are super proud of both our staff and students,” she said.

“Our year 12 cohort have had a very unique experience transitioning, they’re the only students in the state to have attended one school in year one, a new one in year 11 and another in year 12.

Whyalla Secondary School year 12 students passed with a 100% success rate despite challenges faced in the schools opening year.

“They’ve endured Covid and a staggered start and we have worked really closely with our students to make sure circumstance didn’t affect their stage two results.

“We have had 126 students out of 126 manage to complete their SACE which we’re incredibly proud of.

Ms Nicholas said the school’s final result was due, at least in part, to a focus on building strong teacher-student relationships.

“We have a learner review process which is an intervention tracking system to identify students at risk or who have started to disengage,” she said.

“We’ve used extra study sessions, literacy and numeracy support, engaging with Aboriginal support to make sure we don’t lost any students.

“We’ve ended up with some of the highest A and B percentage grades Whyalla has seen in years.”

MP Eddie Hughes (L) and Education Minister Blair Boyer, after meeting with Whyalla Secondary’s Principal over a wild school assault in May. Picture Dean Martin

Whyalla Secondary College dux, Kane Coulson, was able to adjust to his new school and excelled with great year 12 results despite ongoing difficulties.

“It was a little challenging coming from Whyalla High, then Edward John Eyre, then starting at a brand new school in Whyalla Secondary and trying to focus on subjects,” Mr Coulson said.

“I was lucky to have teachers transition from my previous school Edward John Eyre High School as well.”

“It was a challenging experience … but I’m pretty stoked with how I did.”

The results came despite security guards being brought into the school in May to control rising violence.

It culminated in a shocking assault that left a 16-year-old in hospital with facial injuries.