Gateway Community High: New high school set to open in Carlingford
A specialist school which is engaged in ‘experimental-style learning’ for struggling kids who don’t fit into the mainstream system is preparing to open its doors.
Northern District Times
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A new independent school is set to open for Year 9 and 10 students in Sydney’s northwest.
Gateway Community High, which is at the Macquarie Community College site in Carlingford, will open its doors to 30 students from next year.
The independent special assistance school, which has received Federal Government funding, is aimed at students who have not fit into the mainstream education system.
The school’s chief executive Theresa Collignon said: “Our small class sizes and supportive learning environment means that we are ideally suited to motivated students who have not thrived or felt supported in mainstream education.”
The small classes are aimed at giving “personalised attention” to all students.
“You have to know a lot of these kids have missed some schooling,” she said.
After Year 10 the students are expected to receive their Record of School Achievement (RoSA) before either furthering vocational training or reintegrating into the mainstream school system.
While the initial goal is to start small with Year 9 and 10 students, Ms Collignon said there was potential for the school to expand to more grades.
The curriculum will cover all the usual subjects in the state school system with a focus on maths and literacy.
Principal Roger Ashcroft said he was confident the program gives students the support they needed.
“We engage students in experiential-style learning, providing specialist language, literacy or numeracy help where necessary,” he said.
Bennelong Federal MP John Alexander, who visited the school last week, said the institution was “much-needed” and the first of its kind in Sydney’s northwest.
“Unfortunately, for whatever reason, every day there are hundreds of kids in the region who are not attending school,” Mr Alexander said.
“For many it will be because they have disconnected from learning in mainstream schools.
“Gateway Community High will provide them with the opportunity to reconnect with their love of learning and complete their schooling.”
School fees will cost $50 a term and enrolments are now open for the 2021 school year.
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