Red Hill School

Red Hill School is a government international primary school located in the suburb of Red Hill, in Canberra, Australia. It is the first government school in the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales to implement the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, having gained IBO membership in 2006.[1]

Students come from more than 65 different nationalities and cultural backgrounds, with more than 22 languages spoken in the school community.[2]

History

Construction of the school began in 1959.[3][4] By 1962, 907 pupils were enrolled at the school.[5]

Chief Minister Andrew Barr commented in 2010, when he was the Minister for Education and Training, that Red Hill School was founded in 1960 to service the growing needs of Canberra's public servants, as the Federal Government’s civil and diplomatic service expanded.[6] The suburb of Red Hill was ideal to serve this particular growing need, as it is positioned at the edge of the Parliamentary Triangle and right beside the suburb of Yarralumla, where multiple embassies are located.

On 26 May 1960, The Canberra Times reported that the acting Deputy Director of Technical Education in New South Wales Mr. R. E. Dunbar stated that the school was "the best educational building he had seen" after visiting the newly constructed school compounds in 1960, while the Principal of the Canberra Technical College Mr. J. Gillis further remarked that "the school was the finest they had seen", as both men have travelled overseas to study educational constructions.[7]

In May 2021, a new play park, football pitch, and bike track was opened.[8]

Culture and Identity

As reported by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) in 2018, the school community is highly diverse and international with families from diplomatic, government, defence force, university and business backgrounds from more than 65 different nationalities and cultural backgrounds.[1]

As of 2016, 32% of the teaching staff possess a postgraduate qualification in the following areas of education: Early Childhood, Gifted and Talented, English as an Additional Language, Inclusive Education, Pedagogy and Educational Leadership.[9]

Enrolment

According to statistics by the ACT Department of Education, students of the school include diplomatic, government, defence force, university and other backgrounds and takes students residing within its school priority enrolment area of Red Hill, Kingston, Griffith, Narrabundah, Fyshwick, Symonston, Harman and Oaks Estate.[10]

The school has an enrolment of 802 students (as of 2019) and is expected to expand further in 2020.[11]

2018 statistics by ACARA place the school's Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) at 1149, while the national average stood at 1000, placing 71% of students in the top quarter of the educational advantage distribution.[1]

The school has a teacher-to-student ratio of 1-to-17 and 40% of students come from a language background other than English, while 3% of the student population is of an indigenous background.[1]

Facilities

On 26 November 2010, a new $3.3 million multi-purpose hall was officially opened by then Minister for Education and Training Andrew Barr (current Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory), in commencement of the school’s 50th anniversary celebrations.[6] The new hall has been equipped with indoor sports facilities that further supports the school's strong sporting program.[6]

Subsequently, over the course of two years, the school also received $6.3 million in ACT Government funding for 8 new classrooms, new administration areas and car park upgrades.[6]

International Baccalaureate in the ACT

Canberra's residential districts were developed with the intention of being semi-self-contained satellite towns[12] and the district of South Canberra comprises three IB World Schools that are complementary: Red Hill School, Telopea Park High School and Narrabundah College.[13] The IBO Diploma Program has been on offer at Narrabundah College for 25 years, being the first IBO accredited school and college in Australia.[14] The IB Middle Years Program is offered at Telopea Park High School[15] while the Primary Years Program is offered at Red Hill School for every student from kindergarten to year 6.

In 2006 Red Hill School was the first government IBO World school in the ACT and NSW implementing the Primary Years Program.[13][16]

Programs

The school offers a range of courses, including language programs, an Indigenous Action Group, specialist music courses (including West African drumming) and a variety of enrichment programs.[6]

The school's choir and bands perform at assemblies throughout the year and also at public functions, including Floriade, local retirement villages and nursing homes.[9]

Preschools

Red Hill Preschool and Griffith Preschool are managed by Red Hill School and delivers the IB inquiry program and a play-based developmental curriculum, underpinned by the Early Years Learning Framework.[17]

Due to its shared history, the French-Australian Preschool shares its premise with Red Hill Primary School. In 1977, the French-Australian Preschool was recognised by the Commonwealth Department of Education and the ACT School's Authority and moved to rented premises attached to Red Hill School.[18] In 1977, an agreement was reached between the French and Australian governments to establish a bi-national school in Canberra, thereby firmly establishing the French-Australian Preschool.[18] By 1994, the preschool was officially recognised by the French Ministry of Education (Homologation) and purchased the land and buildings it currently occupies in 2012.[18]

In January 2022, a Spanish-Australian preschool was opened.[19]

See also

References
  1. "ACARA School Profile: Red Hill School". ACARA: My School. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  2. "Message from Principal". Red Hill School. January 2003.
  3. "£258,000 Contract For New Red Hill School". The Canberra Times. 25 April 1959. p. 6.
  4. "Progress with Red Hill School". The Canberra Times. 10 September 1959. p. 3. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  5. "Parents Warn Of School Overcrowding". The Canberra Times. 31 July 1962. p. 7. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  6. "Double celebration for Red Hill Primary School". ACT Government Archived Media Releases.
  7. "The Canberra Times: High Praise For Red Hill School (Thu 26 May 1960)". Canberra Times. 26 May 1960. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  8. Karatzas, Evelyn (18 May 2021). "A playground for kids, designed by kids". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  9. "Red Hill School - Annual School Board Report 2016" (PDF). ACT Government Education.
  10. "2019 Priority Enrolment Areas for Primary Schools" (PDF). ACT Department of Education.
  11. "Red Hill school zone parking fines prompt request for change". RiotACT!. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  12. "Suburbs of Canberra". Wikipedia.
  13. "The First International Baccalaureate Organization Primary School in the ACT". ACT Public School: Red Hill School. January 2003.
  14. "ACT Public School: Narrabundah College - International Baccalaureate". January 2003.
  15. "Lycée Franco-Australien de Canberra | Telopea Park School: International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP)". January 2003.
  16. Lansdown, Sarah (6 December 2020). "Tales from Red Hill Primary School uncovered for 60th anniversary". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  17. "Red Hill School: Preschools". ACT Public School: Red Hill School. January 2003.
  18. "French-Australian Preschool: About Us - History". École Maternelle Franco-Australienne | French-Australian Preschool.
  19. "Spanish Australian preschool to open in Red Hill". Canberra Weekly. 27 October 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2022.

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