Balmain Campus

The Balmain Campus of Sydney Secondary College is a government-funded co-educational dual modality partially academically selective and comprehensive junior secondary day school, located on the eastern side of the Balmain peninsula, in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain, New South Wales, Australia.

Established in 1975 at the Balmain High School, the campus caters for approximately 750 students from Year 7 to Year 10. The school is operated by the New South Wales Department of Education; the principal is Julianne Beek.

History

Established in 1975 as Balmain High School, the school has since taken part in several changes, most notably in a coalition with neighbouring inner-western schools. Since 2002, together with the senior school at the Blackwattle Bay Campus and the other junior school at Leichhardt Campus, the school is part of the Sydney Secondary College. Throughout the school's history, it has remained a public school operated by the New South Wales Department of Education.

The Balmain Campus was also the birthplace of the film festival, Flickerfest.

Support Unit

Balmain Campus is acclaimed among the Sydney Secondary College for its ''Support Unit'' for physically and mentally disabled students. Balmain campus was the only high school in South-East Sydney to have a Satellite class with ASPECT, but it was shut down in 2009. The school underwent renovations during the 1980s to enable the entire school to be completely facilitated for wheelchair access, and other various needs of the disabled students.
One of the major renovations included a central private lift for disabled students which provides access to the four main floors in the school.

Curriculum

The school offers a range of subjects in its curriculum. The academic staff is organised into several departments: English, mathematics, science, social sciences, languages, design and technology, visual arts, performing arts, and physical education. The school participates in the School Certificate assessment regime, with a wide range of subjects being offered in a variety of difficulty levels.

Facilities

The Campus is divided sequentially into six blocks:
* A, B and C Block: ''Support Unit'' classrooms and facilities.
* G Block: ''English'' on ground floor; ''Social Science'' on first floor; and ''Mathematics'' on second floor.
* J Block: ''Science'' and ''Information Technology'' on ground and first floor; second floor holds the school office.
* D Block: ''Design and Technology'' on ground floor, ''Visual Arts'' first floor; Mathematics and Science staff rooms on second floor; ''Physical Education'' theoretical classrooms on third floor.
* E Block: ''Design and Technology'' workshops on ground floor, ''Performing Arts'' and ''Visual arts'' on first floor; ''Textiles'' laboratories and ''Hospitality'' kitchens on second floor.
* F Block: '' Assembly Hall'' and '' Canteen'' on upper floor; ''Physical Education'' student changerooms/showers, and staff room on lower floor.

Throughout the campus, student bathrooms and bubblers have been installed as well as outdoor furniture (lunch benches, seats). The campus also, as previously mentioned, is facilitated with ramps, stairlifts, and a central lift to assist physically disabled student's access to the school grounds.

Other school facilities also include a library, basketball courts, netball courts, two football fields, cricket nets and a gymnasium.

A waterfront pontoon for launching light watercraft and other vessels has been scheduled for development in 2008.

Notable alumni

* Alex Lloydsinger-songwriter
* C.W. Stonekingmusician
* Darcy Byrnepolitician

See also

* List of government schools in New South Wales
* List of selective high schools in New South Wales

References

External links

Sydney Secondary College Balmain Campus website

{{Public high schools in Sydney, state=autocollapse

Selective schools in New South Wales
Public high schools in Sydney
Balmain, New South Wales
Educational institutions established in 1975
1975 establishments in Australia