Shirley Smith High School in East Gungahlin has officially opened its doors to students for the first time.

More than 80 year seven students now attend the new school, located in Kenny.

“No matter what school I've worked in, there's nothing like that first day, when the kids come with their brand-new uniform and their bags and their excitement about the shift from primary school to high school,” Shirley Smith High School Principal Rebecca Pearce said.

“It's a really important transition and we want to capture that excitement with them.

“That's what I'm really looking forward to: getting their energy and then continuing that energy right through the year.”

Shirley Smith High School will cater to up to 800 year 7-10 student in the East Gungahlin region. Students will join the school in a phased approach, beginning with year seven students in 2024.

The school’s motto is ‘grow with us’.

“We teach the whole child and we're really about developing a young person to be a successful learner right through their life,” Rebecca said.

“Rather than trying to focus really narrowly on the curriculum content and concepts, it's about that broad understanding of who you are as a learner, what are your strengths and weaknesses and building on those within the Australian curriculum framework.”

The new high school responds to the rapid growth in Gungahlin, one of the fastest-growing regions in Australia.

“‘Grow with us’ is also about being a high school in a community that hasn't even been built yet,” Rebecca said.

“And actually, being a community school that understands who their students and families are and caters to the needs of every single student.”

For the last nine months, Rebecca has recruited a team that includes specialist teachers across all curriculum areas. She's also created systems and processes to support the staff and students, while leaving space for decision making in response to the school community.

“We'll be able to really listen to what their needs are and make changes in a way that supports positive growth because we've got that staggered, staged approach.”

Shirley Smith High School has been designed with visible and flexible learning in mind.

“Teachers can move walls and make changes very quickly. I think that's the key to meeting the young person's needs: that level of flexibility within the structure of the school,” Rebecca said.

“We have every resource at our fingertips for us to run a comprehensive program.”

Spaces for community hire and use are also available at Shirley Smith High School. These include a double gymnasium with basketball, netball, futsal and volleyball markings. There is also a covered hard court suitable for basketball and netball and an oval for soccer, rugby union and rugby league games. The multipurpose hall is also available for community use.

Read more about Shirley Smith High School.

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