The Australian Science and Mathematics School (ASMS) is a

coeducational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...

public senior

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

for Years 10 - 12 located on the Sturt campus of Flinders University in Bedford Park, a southern suburb of

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

, the capital of

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

. As the school is unzoned, it attracts students from all across the Adelaide metropolitan area as well as some regional and interstate locations, in addition to international students. The goal of the school is to prepare its students for

university A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

, particularly in the fields of mathematics and

science Science is a systematic endeavor that Scientific method, builds and organizes knowledge in the form of Testability, testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earli ...

. The ASMS is unconventional in its approach to education, emphasising a love of learning in both students and teaching staff; students are given the freedom to take control of their own education. ASMS aims to make students aware of their own learning and for them to become self-directed in the way they complete academic tasks.

Overview

The Australian Science and Mathematics School was opened in 2003 and has a total of around 380 students. As the school is designed to provide an adult environment for senior school students, there is no school uniform policy, which promotes a variety of culture and social styles and structures. A key feature of the ASMS is the productive relationship between the school and the Flinders University, on which the campus is located; the ASMS shares many resources with the university, including the library, cafeteria, student services, transport, recreational areas and car parks, in addition to booked access to lecture theatres and specialist science and support facilities. Furthermore, students at the ASMS in collaboration with Flinders University's

Science and Technology Enterprise Partnership Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...

(STEP) may be involved in research projects in the business, industry and university sectors.

Curriculum

The ASMS is a specialist science and mathematics school, however it offers a comprehensive curriculum which covers all learning areas necessary for students to achieve their

South Australian Certificate of Education The South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) is awarded to students who have successfully completed their senior secondary schooling in the state of South Australia. The SACE Board of South Australia (formerly known as the Senior Secondar ...

(SACE) qualification. The Year 10/11 curriculum is organised into interdisciplinary Central Studies; these alternate every year to ensure that a student will not do the same subjects twice. The Year 12 curriculum consists of standard SACE Stage 2 subjects, such as the various Mathematics, Science, English and Humanities subjects. In 2022, the 10/11 students took part in the first "Field Trip Week", which involved activities both outside and inside the school premises. The goal of this week was to extend the students' knowledge in their current Central Studies.

Adventure Space/Passion Project

The ASMS also provides special activities for Year 10 and 11 students in the form of Adventure Space. Examples of these include Dance, Cryptography, Robotics, Aviation, Australian Space Design Competition, Paramedical Pathways, Electronics, Creative Writing, and Palaeontology. While not assessed, they do provide an opportunity to interact with university life, as well as an opportunity to take part in learning focused productive extra-curricular activities. As of 2021, the ASMS has renamed this program to 'Passion Project", where any personal or group project within school limitations can be undertaken, rather than specific areas.

References

External links

Flinders University website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Australian Science And Mathematics School Public schools in South Australia Educational institutions established in 2003 Gifted education Special interest high schools in South Australia 2003 establishments in Australia