Alex de Vos
Torquay College will start secondary school education next year with two full classes, according to the principal.
But most of the students will be from outside Torquay despite the college sitting next to the town’s brimming public primary school.
Torquay College principal Pam Kinsman told the Independent she was “very happy” with enrolments for 2009, as the 2008 school year drew to a close.
“We’re starting with four new teachers and around 50 secondary students,” Ms Kinsman said.
“Enrolments are just perfect for our staffing numbers at the moment but we’re expecting it to grow over the next few years.”
Ms Kinsman said most of the secondary students starting in 2009 would be “from outside areas”.
“We’ve got a family from England who have enrolled their kids in the college,” she said.
“We’ve got kids from all over.”
Ms Kinsman said the “integrated” classes would study subjects ranging from traditional curriculum to classes including performing arts, film and commercial cooking.
“It’s all very exciting – there’s so much on offer,” she said.
The school announced in 2006 it would adopt a 21st Century state-of-the-art learning model dubbed New Paradigm.
Students at the new school would be arranged into small groups called “advisories” to replace the traditional classroom structure.
With names including the Da Vinci and Einstein studios and the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen, the “flexible learning spaces” would replace traditional study areas for subjects like science, woodwork and cooking.
The world’s leading “educational planner”, New York-based Prakash Nair, developed the Torquay school concept.
The campus will also feature a performing arts centre and multi-media facilities boasting state-of-the-art information technology and film production equipment.