Why we chose this school
It’s a brand new school with great facilities and great reputation just after opening two years. My child passed the selective entry exam as out of catchment student and gained entry to its Biomedical and Science Academy. It's a state school so the cost is minimal. We are very happy with the school.
What we like and dislike
Things we like: New buildings with modern technology; Quality staff who really cares about students' growth; Inner city location with lots of transportation options; Biomedical and Science Academy in collaboration with with UQ; Great transition program for year 7 students where they stay in the same classroom with the same teachers for the whole year, similar to primary school; While students have different selective classes from Year 9, they attend the same Learner-preneur class with the same cohort of students across years so the friends group formed in early years will be maintained; Meet and Greet events in term one to talk to each teacher individually; Student-led conference where the student presents to the parents about their growth over the year; Commercial kitchen and woodwork workshops where students learn practical life skills;
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Compared with other schools
It's excellent. Because the school is a new build, it has up to date technologies in classroom. Communication with parents are mostly through the Daymap, together with emails.
Balancing academics and wellbeing
The school has a strong focus in the overall well-being of students, through HPE classes and workshops in mental healthy, cyber security, social skills etc.
Expectations versus reality
The school met my academic expectations. There were talks about the new school should be similar standard as Brisbane State high but I never expect it to be, since its students are mostly from the catchment. Only small proportion of students are through the selective entry program.
Support for students who struggle
I'm not quite sure about any particular programs in this regard, but there are teacher aids for struggling students. I saw some school emails about senior students are available to help Year 7 students with their assignments.
Bullying and the social scene
The school's code of conduct has a chapter in Preventing and responding to bullying, including: Bullying response flowchart for teachers; Cyberbullying response flowchart for school staff; My child said the school environment is generally friendly and supportive. There is zero tolerance for bullying.
The surrounding area and safety
While the school is located in the inner-city south Brisbane and on the corner of two main roads, the layout of the surroundings is well designed with parks and buffer strips. Drop-off is easy.
The parent community
I believe there is a close-knit community and parents tend to know each other because the majority of students are from local families who lives in the catchment. I'm not personally involved in the P&C Association but I heard it's well run.
How the school works with parents
The school engaged with parents very well. Examples are the parent-teacher interviews, Meet and Greet with teachers, Excellence ceremonies, River Fire fete in the school grounds. We receive regular school notice and announcement. Teachers are all responsive to emails in my personal experience.
Experience of the sports program
There are lots of options for the students at different skill levels to participate in sports. There is also the selective sports program for talents students.
Experience of arts activities
My child participated in the Strings Program in Year 7 but she decide to drop out in Year 8 because she can't keep up the commitment. It's more her own issue, not the lack of support. The school is not particularly strong in Arts, but still I think there are plenty of opportunities for students with talent or interest or persistence.
- What the sports program emphasises: Skill development & participation, Competitive performance, Inclusivity & team spirit
