Narrabundah College
Encyclopedia
Narrabundah College is a government college
that teaches the last two years of secondary education in the Australian Capital Territory
. It was the first school in Australia to offer the International Baccalaureate, starting the programme in February 1978.
Despite attempts to close the college in the late 1970s due to falling enrolments, the school now has a full enrolment and an extensive waiting list. It has earned a reputation for academic excellence in the ACT, attracting 63% of its students from out of area including New South Wales.
Due to low enrolments, the ACT Schools' Authority threatened to close the school in 1978. This prompted the community into seeking backing for the IB programme. The Australian Minister for Education approved the commencement of the programme in 1979, ensuring the survival of the school. It has prospered in the years since.
, Canberra
, although the school's website claims it is Kingston, ACT. It consists of several buildings including the large "S Block" which was originally the segregated senior building for years 11 and 12 prior to the school becoming a secondary college. In addition to a quadrangle
and a canteen
, the college also has spacious playing fields on which students may spend their free time and is close to golf courses, public ovals and the local shops.
In 2007, Narrabundah College was the best performing government-run college in the ACT, with a higher average UAI and a greater number of students achieving a UAI of 65 or over than any other state college. Narrabundah students also made a high proportion of those achieving in the top one percent of the state, with 18 students achieving a UAI of over 99. In addition to this, Narrabundah College also awarded more Tertiary Entrance Statements, and more Year 12 Certificates than any other college in the ACT.
A very high percentage of Narrabundah College students who graduate with a Year 12 Certificate
also obtain a UAI and go on to study at university. In 2007 of the 418 students awarded a Year 12 certificate, 77% were awarded Tertiary Education Statements. In 2007, the median UAI gained by students of Narrabundah College was 85 compared with the average of students from all across ACT colleges of 79. Over 87% of students from the college who were awarded Tertiary Education Statements in 2007 scored over 65 for their UAI compared with 79% of all ACT students. 80 students were awarded a vocational certificate in 2007 and 166 students were awarded a vocational statement of attainment.
Narrabundah College consists of a large number of students from foreign countries and non-English speaking backgrounds, being the school in Canberra with the most foreign students. There are significant numbers of diplomatic, exchange, and International Private Students (IPS) studying at Narrabundah College. The college is also known for its large numbers of students of Chinese
, Korean
and Vietnamese
ethnicity.
Narrabundah College is notable for its community of students and teachers who hail from a diverse range of nationalities. The languages available for study at Narrabundah College are:
All of these languages are offered at three levels: beginning, continuing and advanced levels, and the level at which the language is studied depends on the student's prior knowledge. There is also the opportunity to study Latin through the college.
The school also offers the French Baccalaureate.
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
that teaches the last two years of secondary education in the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
. It was the first school in Australia to offer the International Baccalaureate, starting the programme in February 1978.
Despite attempts to close the college in the late 1970s due to falling enrolments, the school now has a full enrolment and an extensive waiting list. It has earned a reputation for academic excellence in the ACT, attracting 63% of its students from out of area including New South Wales.
History
Narrabundah College was formed as a result of the ACT developing its own education system in 1974. The new system meant that public high schools would only teach from grade 7 to 10, and that grades 11 and 12 would be completed at a separate college. The pre-existing Narrabundah High School was re-formed as Narrabundah College.Due to low enrolments, the ACT Schools' Authority threatened to close the school in 1978. This prompted the community into seeking backing for the IB programme. The Australian Minister for Education approved the commencement of the programme in 1979, ensuring the survival of the school. It has prospered in the years since.
Campus
The college campus is located in the suburb of NarrabundahNarrabundah, Australian Capital Territory
Narrabundah is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 'Narrabundah' is a Ngunnawal word meaning 'bird of prey', celebrated in the sculpture by Andy Townshend and Suzie Bleach, in the park opposite the main shops....
, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, although the school's website claims it is Kingston, ACT. It consists of several buildings including the large "S Block" which was originally the segregated senior building for years 11 and 12 prior to the school becoming a secondary college. In addition to a quadrangle
Quadrangle (architecture)
In architecture, a quadrangle is a space or courtyard, usually rectangular in plan, the sides of which are entirely or mainly occupied by parts of a large building. The word is probably most closely associated with college or university campus architecture, but quadrangles may be found in other...
and a canteen
Cafeteria
A cafeteria is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school dining location is also referred to as a dining hall or canteen...
, the college also has spacious playing fields on which students may spend their free time and is close to golf courses, public ovals and the local shops.
Today
In 2006, 918 students were enrolled at Narrabundah College, which has a capacity of 912 students. 86% of college-aged students in the college's priority enrolment area attend Narrabundah, yet 63% of students enrolled in the school do not live in the priority enrolment area.In 2007, Narrabundah College was the best performing government-run college in the ACT, with a higher average UAI and a greater number of students achieving a UAI of 65 or over than any other state college. Narrabundah students also made a high proportion of those achieving in the top one percent of the state, with 18 students achieving a UAI of over 99. In addition to this, Narrabundah College also awarded more Tertiary Entrance Statements, and more Year 12 Certificates than any other college in the ACT.
A very high percentage of Narrabundah College students who graduate with a Year 12 Certificate
Education in the Australian Capital Territory
Almost all educational institutions in the Australian Capital Territory are located within Canberra. The ACT public education system schooling is normally split up into Pre-School, Primary School , High School and College followed by studies at university or TAFE...
also obtain a UAI and go on to study at university. In 2007 of the 418 students awarded a Year 12 certificate, 77% were awarded Tertiary Education Statements. In 2007, the median UAI gained by students of Narrabundah College was 85 compared with the average of students from all across ACT colleges of 79. Over 87% of students from the college who were awarded Tertiary Education Statements in 2007 scored over 65 for their UAI compared with 79% of all ACT students. 80 students were awarded a vocational certificate in 2007 and 166 students were awarded a vocational statement of attainment.
Narrabundah College consists of a large number of students from foreign countries and non-English speaking backgrounds, being the school in Canberra with the most foreign students. There are significant numbers of diplomatic, exchange, and International Private Students (IPS) studying at Narrabundah College. The college is also known for its large numbers of students of Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
, Korean
Korean people
The Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:...
and Vietnamese
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
ethnicity.
Curriculum
Narrabundah College is able to offer a wide range of courses at Tertiary (T) and Accredited (A) levels, in addition to vocational courses and "R" units which are recreation/registered units.Narrabundah College is notable for its community of students and teachers who hail from a diverse range of nationalities. The languages available for study at Narrabundah College are:
- Chinese
- French
- German
- Hindi
- Indonesian
- Italian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Latin
- Spanish
All of these languages are offered at three levels: beginning, continuing and advanced levels, and the level at which the language is studied depends on the student's prior knowledge. There is also the opportunity to study Latin through the college.
The school also offers the French Baccalaureate.
Notable alumni
- Martin Craft musicianMartin CraftMartin James Ford Craft is a musician and songwriter who lives and works in London. Craft was a founding member of the Australian rock band Sidewinder. When they split up he relocated to London where he followed a career as a solo artist under the name M.Craft...
- Tim FergusonTim FergusonTimothy Dorcen Langbene "Tim" Ferguson is an Australian comedian and television presenter.- Background :...
, comedian and television presenter. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-100966222/canberra-actor-leon-ford.html - Leon FordLeon FordLeon Ford is an Australian actor who has appeared in many television and theatre productions. He is best known for his roles in the television series The Cooks, Changi and the telemovie Stepfather of the Bride.Ford portrayed 1st Lt...
, movie director. - Henry NixonHenry NixonHenry Nixon is an Australian actor.Henry Nixon was born in the 1970s at St Margaret's Hospital on Crown Street in the inner-Sydney suburb of Surry Hills...
, actor - Geoff PageGeoff PageGeoffrey Donald Page is an Australian poet, translator, teacher and jazz enthusiast.He has published over seventeen collections of poetry, as well as prose and verse novels. Poetry and jazz are his driving interests, and he has also written a biography of the jazz musician, Bernie McGann...
Poet- was a teacher at the school - Helen Razer - writerHelen RazerHelen Razer is a Melbourne-born and Canberra-raised radio presenter and writer. She is the author of four non-fiction books and a columnist with the Australian version of The Big Issue, Melbourne newspaper The Age, and contributor to monthly magazine, Cherrie .-Media work:Razer was a prominent...
- Bill StefaniakBill StefaniakWilliam George "Bill" Stefaniak is an Australian Liberal Party politician. He was the Leader of the Opposition in the Australian Capital Territory after succeeding in a leadership challenge against former leader Brendan Smyth on 16 May 2006. He is a former Major in the Australian Army Reserve and...
, ACT Politician. - Young and RestlessYoung and Restless (Australian band)Young and Restless were a band from Canberra, Australia.-Biography:Young and Restless were formed in 2005, and won the 2006 Triple J Unearthed competition to play at the Homebake Festival 2006...
, post-punk band. - Youth GroupYouth GroupYouth Group are a rock band based in Newtown, Sydney, Australia signed to Ivy League Records.- Biography :Youth Group formed in Sydney in the late 1990s. They have released four albums in Australia, with the three most recent albums also gaining releases worldwide...
, rock band.