I

SlUMMARY

This report, which attemptss to evaluate the case for separate senior high schools in N.S.W. , ccommences with background information relevant to secondary education in N.S.W. Current Department of

Education policy is included as aa basis for discussion as is theoretical evidence on the development of addolescents. Information on senior high schools from the Catholic systemn, other stites and overseas, has been provided for purposes of comparisaon, while .ndustrial attitudes are appraised as they represent an important consideration. An attempt has been made to create a theoretical model showing how a senior high school could be organised. Surwey responses from both staff and students have been incorporated in an effort to determine attitudes towards this proposal. The resuilts of this investigation are inconclusive, but indicate the necessity for further research. II

An Evaluation of the Case for Establishing Separate Senior High Schools in N.S.W.

R.C. HURLEY B.A. Dip. P.E.

This report is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education.

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALE$: KENSINGTON, N.S.W. l 1976 \ I L,. 'lit £i ii.z.'fl

84G59 13. S£l’.76 LIBRARY Ill

This report entitled

"AN EVALUATION OF THE CASE FOR ESTABLISHING SEPARATE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN N.S.W."

has not been submitted for a higher degree to any other university or institution.

Signed IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

During the course of preparing this Report, many individuals and

organisations have given me generous assistance. To those busy people who found time for interviews, in particular Mr. C.L. Macdonald (Staff

Inspector), Mr. M.E. March (Narrabundah College) and Brother Leo

(Benilde College), I say thank you, as without the information supplied by them, this report would not be possible.

Whenever any survey is administered, many people, both administrators and respondents have to be thanked in this way, as to the author they are anonymous. My appreciation to fellow teachers and their students who were good enough to take time to complete survey forms incorporated in this report.

To Mr. R.J. Barry who has supervised the preparation of this report, my sincere gratitude. Without his thoughtful guidance and assistance, I feel quite sure this report would not have been completed.

For the many hours of careful typing and correcting, my thanks go to Mrs. V. Alcock, who showed great patience. Thanks also to Mr. T.D.

Hicks for his part in proof reading the final copy of this report at a time when his assistance was needed.

Finally to my wife Wendy and children Shaun and Simone for the many hours they have contributed to my studies, I give my thanks.

While acknowledging the assistance given above, all short-comings, errors and omissions in this report are entirely my own. V

LIST OF TABLES

PAGE

Table 1 Percentage Increase in Students Remaining at School. 5

Table 2 Subjects Offered in a Sample of 20 High Schools. 6

Table 3 Newcastle Girls High School Candidature H.S.C. 1971. 13

Table 4 Catholic Senior High Schools. 26

Table 5 Subjects Taught at De la Salle College, Form V, 1976. 28

Table 6 Percentage of All Secondary Pupils Enrolled in Senior Classes, 17 Years of Age and Over. 3b

Table 7 Sources of Students, 1967. 60

Table 8 Courses offered at Hobart Matriculation College, 1967. 61

Table 9 Present School Enrolments for E.H.S., C.H.S. and P.H.H.S. 84

Table 10 Hypothetical Re-arrangement of Enrolments. 8b

Table 11 Staffing 1976, E.H.S., C.H.S. and P.H.H.S. 86

Table 12 Hypothetical Re-arrangement of Staffing. 86

Table 13 Re-arranged Class Numbers in Particular Subjects. 89 VI

LIST OF FIGURES

PAGE

Figure 1 Graph Showing Age at Menarche(the beginning of Puberty) In Different Countries Over Time. 75

Figure 2 Age Range of Changes in Puberty for Girls. 75

Figure 3 Age Range of Changes in Puberty for Boys. 76

Figure 4 Adolescent Height Spurts. 77

Figure 5 Growth Rates for Body Measurements in Adolescence. 77

Figure 6 Frequency of Diseases and Skin Defects. 78 VII

PREFACE

On many occasions it seems the organisation of secondary schools is

complicated by the need to provide for both senior and junior students.

This dilemma was emphasised for me when a number of five day excursions

was conducted with 80 Year 12 students during 1974 and 1975. In

numerous instances on each trip my attention was drawn to the level of

social sophistication attained by so many of the senior students. The

success of these student organised and controlled excursions stimulated

this enquiry into an evaluation of "The Case for Separate Senior High

Schools in N.S.W." It seemed that there could be greater scope for

self-direction and self-discipline in the senior years, similar to that

observed on the excursions, if older students were grouped with their

peers. This report is the culmination of that investigation.

From initial enquiries conducted two additional problems emerged; both are referred to in this report, but each should be the subject of an in-depth study. Firstly, the benefits and the disadvantages of a uniform state-wide system of education should be analysed and secondly the rationale behind the present division of N.S.W. education into infants, primary and secondary schools should be examined. These problems are clearly inter-related and cannot be dealt with in complete isolation.

In an attempt to produce a balanced evaluation of the above proposal, evidence has been included from practitioners in senior schools, junior schools and six year schools. As might be expected, much of the assessment is subjective and divided in opinion. VIII

The attempt to restructure three existing schools in a theoretical model to create a senior school, and the staff and student surveys reported, should be seen as exploratory in a situation where little formal research has been undertaken in this state.

While material relating to comparative education systems both in this country and overseas has been included in this report, the characteristics peculiar to the N.S.W. Department of Education should be borne in mind at all times. IX

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

SUMMARY I

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IV

LIST OF TABLES V

LIST OF FIGURES VI

PREFACE VII

CHAPTER 1 BACKGROUND CONDITIONS 1

Recommendations of the Wyndham Report Implications of the Wyndham Report Modifications to the Wyndham Scheme Other Background Material

CHAPTER 2 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION POLICY 12

Arguments in Favour of Senior High Schools Projected Disadvantages Summary

CHAPTER 3 THE N.S.W. CATHOLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM 25

Disadvantages of Senior Schools An Observation Co-Education in Senior Schools Education in Junior High Schools

CHAPTER 4 THE SOCIAL CONTEXT 33

Increased Retention Rates Changing Nature of Senior School Population Functional Illiteracy

CHAPTER 5 THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 40

Aims of Secondary Education Individual Intellectual Development Vocational Education Education in Democracy

CHAPTER 6 INDUSTRIAL IMPLICATIONS 51

The Present Position Teachers’ Knowledge of Students School Prestige Loss of Qualified Staff Shortage of Accommodation Information from Tasmania and Other Sources. X

CHAPTER 7 COMPARATIVE STUDIES 59

Tasmania The A.C.T. Victoria The United States England

CHAPTER 8 EVIDENCE FROM THEORETICAL WRITINGS 72

An Overview Theories Physical Development Psychological Development Intellectual Development Moral Development Social Development

CHAPTER 9 HYPOTHETICAL ORGANISATION OF A SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL 84

School Facilities Subjects Offered Class Sizes Staffing Organisation Discipline Student Enrolment

CHAPTER 10 WHAT STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THINK OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS 96

The Survey Educational Requirements Issues of Social Education Attitudes to Teachers Staff Survey

CHAPTER 11 CONCLUSIONS 109

The Merits of Senior High Schools Arguments against Introducing Senior High Schools Summary Educational Change

BIBLIOGRAPHY 118

APPENDICES 122 1

CHAPTER I

BACKGROUND CONDITIONS

Over the past decade there has developed increased agitation for a fundamental restructuring of education in N.S.W. Secondary Schools.

The initial impetus stemmed from the Report of the Committee Appointed to Survey Secondary Education which submitted its findings in The

Wyndham Report (1957). Under its terms of reference:

"to survey and to report upon the provision of

full-time day education for adolescents in New

South Wales", (l) the committee recommended an organization which in their view would facilitate "a good general education" and at the same time provide:

"a variety of curriculum adequate to meet the

varying aptitudes and abilities of the pupils

concerned". (2)

Specifically the stage of schooling after the School Certificate

Examination:

"is designed to meet the needs of the most able

adolescents between the ages of sixteen and

eighteen years". (3) 2

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WYNDHAM REPORT SUMMARISED (4)

1. On completion of the primary school course (at about age 12

years) all pupils should proceed to secondary education.

2. The organization and curriculum of the high school be designed

to cover four years to about age sixteen.

3. The curriculum be designed to cover a core of subjects common

to all schools and with a progressive increase in the proportion of

elected subjects, the greater part of the first year curriculum to be

devoted to the common core of subjects.

4. With teacher guidance, and considering pupil achievement and

progress, elective subjects should be chosen with refinement up to the

Fourth Form.

5. On satisfactory completion of the fourth year the School

Certificate External Examination to be held.

6. This examination should be designed as terminal and as a

formal indication of completion of a satisfactory course of secondary

education.

7. A further course of study will then be offered for another

two years leading to the award of the Higher School Certificate. The

type and content of the Higher School Certificate Examination should

be such as to make it acceptable as a test for university matriculation.

8. Secondary Schools should be of a Six Year Comprehensive Type

and as a general rule be co-educational.

Implications of the Above Recommendations

For the purpose of this report the following concepts may be deduc ed from the above recommendations 3

1. Form One in High School is an additional year of schooling

to provide for the transition of students from primary to secondary

schooling.

2. Almost all students will proceed to Four Years of a General

Secondary Education.

3. Provision will be made for students of various abilities and

aptitudes through elective subjects.

4. A minority of students will progress to the Higher School

Certificate and the majority of these students will anticipate

continuation to tertiary education.

Subsequent Modifications to the Wyndham Scheme

The so-called Wyndham Scheme commenced operation in 1962 with the first graduates of the six year course sitting for the Higher

School Certificate in 1967. Since that time it has been found necessary to modify the original scheme in the following ways:

1. In 1968 school assessments were given equal weighting with

School Certificate Examination results in determining the candidates’ final award, (b)

2. In 1973 and 1974 the external examination component in the award of the School Certificate was further reduced preparatory to removing it altogether in 1975. Henceforth schools would award the

School Certificate within a framework of moderation tests on a statewide basis. (6)

3. A "Base Paper on the Total Curriculum" issued for discussion by the Secondary Schools Board in April 1975 (7) proposed the setting up of two year modules in years 7 to 10 (i.e. in the first four years of secondary school). 4

The influence of these modifications has been to increase the

tendency for students to remain through to the end of year 10,

particularly as students are now assured of some School Certificate

award based on a graded range of from 1 to 10. It is understandable

therefore that in the past decade the proportion of students remaining

at school to the(School Certificate has increased from less than half

to more than three-quarters. (8) In much the same way, increased

numbers of students are proceeding to years 11 and 12, and will

probably continue to do so with no significant barrier to entry as

existed under the pass/fail of the previous school certificate award

and with an assurance of getting a Higher School Certificate (awarded

also on a graded range). With this changing nature of the secondary

schools’ population, the need for some restructuring seems evident,

as suggested by experience in the United States, where after 1910

when more of the less academically inclined entered and continued on

through high school, the nee$l for separate Senior High Schools

became apparent. (9)

The notion expressed in the "Base Paper onA^otal Curriculum"

that perhaps the six years of secondary schooling may well be divided

into 3 modules of two years rather than 4 Junior and 2 Senior years

indicates flexibility in regard to structuring which would previously have been considered unthinkable. (10) There appears to be no evidence on which a deliberate decision was previously made that the best arrangement for secondary education was 4 Junior Years followed by 2

Senior Years. A number of other alternatives appear feasible (2 Junior

Years followed by 4 Senior Years or 3 Junior, 3 Senior), suggesting 5 much more work could be undertaken in this regard before any long term

decisions are made.

In 1962 Dr. Wyndham himself stressed that:

"this new system would seek to cater for the top

20% of students anxious to continue their academic

studies beyond the minimum leaving age as well as

for the 80% with no such ambitions". (ll)

However, the following figures indicate that significantly more than

the 20% projected by Dr. Wyndham are continuing on past the minimum

leaving age.

TABLE I

STUDENT RETENTION RATES 1973 (12)

Year Enrolled Percentage Remaining in 1973

1968 Form 6 31.7%

1970 Form 4 74.6%

Thus the age structure and motivation of adolescents attending N.S.W. f©rv secondary schools is not precisely that/which the Wyndham Scheme was designed and as such is not well suited:

"to provide suitable education, not only for the

average adolescent but also ......

for the adolescent of talent and for the adolescent

who is poorly endowed". (13)

In particular, it seems that the present subject options available to students in years 11 and 12 in the majority of High Schools are not designed to interest students not academically inclined. The relatively narrow range of subjects actually available in many schools may be seen in the following table: 6

TABLE 2

SUBJECTS OFFERED IN A SAMPLE OF 20 HIGH SCHOOLS IN 1976

Subject Number of Schools with that Subject in Year 11, 1976

English 20 Mathematics 20 Science 20 Modern History 20 Geography 20 Economics 20 Ancient History 18 Art 18 Industrial Arts 17 Home Science 16 French 13 Music 5 German 5 Latin 2 Other Subjects 8

SCHOOLS COMPRISING THE ABOVE SAMPLE

Port Hacking High School

Jannali Girls High School

Canterbury Boys High School

Leichardt High School Maroubra Bay High School

Matraville High School Mt. Druitt High School

Picnic Point High School Jannali Boys High School

Crows Nest High School

Endeavour High School Drummoyne High School

Tempe High School

Dulwich High School Beverley Hills Girls High School 7

OTHER BACKGROUND MATERIAL

Comparative Studies

In the Australian context, a variety of secondary school

organisations exist. For example, Senior High Schools have existed

in Tasmania since 1965 (14), in the N.S.W. Catholic School System

since 1967 (15), are being established in the Australian Capital

Territory, and trialled in schools in Victoria and South Australia.

Overseas there are numerous examples of Separate Senior Schools, such

as Atlantic College in South Wales and Mexborough in Yorkshire. (16)

Some form of further education is required by law in Germany in the

Berufsschule (17), whether on a full-time or part-time basis. In

Canada, separate junior and senior high schools have existed alongside

orthodox comprehensive schools since 1927. (18)

At the same time the N.S.W. Department of Education retains the

view that the "time is not yet right for such a change" and supports

its view with a considerable volume of evidence which has been

up-dated at regular intervals since this matter was first raised in

1965. (19)

Industrial Issues

The N.S.W. Teachers Federation is expressly opposed to the

introduction of Senior High Schools in this state, in contrast with

their counterparts in the Australian Capital Territory, who acquiesce

in the reorganization currently taking place, while reports from

Tasmania indicate very strong teacher approval of their Matriculation

Colleges. 8

Teacher and Student Attitudes

In general terms the responses recorded in surveys conducted on

this question suggest both teachers and students are in favour of

establishing separate Senior High Schools, claiming in their

opinions accrued advantages in areas of provision of varied courses

for minority groups and democratisation of administration and school

government.

Both students and teachers identified the societal stresses

placed on the particular group of people who are 17 and 18 years

of age, and are still attending school. On the one hand they are

required to vote, may legally drive a car, consume alcohol, gamble

and participate in legal contracts yet on the other hand for six

hours per day, may be expected to conform to rules set for 12 year

olds. There is however some evidence to suggest consideration is

being given to this conflict situation by many school administrators.

Adolescent Growth and Development

Theories concerning the ways in which young people develop intellectually, physically and psychologically suggest stages of growth which in some respects support the separation of secondary school students. Whether there is sufficient evidence to warrant the innovation of separate senior schools is another question. 9

SUMMARY

The foregoing outlines the ’raison d'etre' for this report.

There is no clear cut body of knowledge on the desirability or otherwise of separate Senior High Schools in N.S.W. By looking in some detail at the preceding points raised, perhaps in future we may at least be able to distinguish between valid objections, superficial reflections and inertia. If change is justified, then it may well be advisable to heed the following:

"The History of Education, like that of all other

social services, is punctuated by the ruins of

institutions that would not or could not adapt

to new and urgent needs". (20)

Is there in fact a new need due to different circumstances - if so, is it an urgent need? If the societal changes outlined by

A. W. Jones (Director General of Education in South Australia) in an address to the N.S.W. Chapter of the Australian College of Education on the 24th October, 1974 are applicable to Australia, then times are changing rapidly and perhaps new school organisations may beineeded.(21) 10

REFERENCES

(1) WYNDHAM, Dr. H.S. (Chairman), REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO SURVEY SECONDARY EDUCATION IN N.S.W. Govt. Printer 28th October, 1957, Pg. 99.

(2) IBID, Page 103.

(3) IBID, Page 98.

(4) IBID, Page 72.

(5) DEVIN, M. (Ed.) THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE SECOND CENTURY - A publication to commemorate 125 years of Education in N.S.W. - V.C. Blight, Govt. Printer, Sydney 1973, Pg. 39.

(6) IBID, Page 40.

(7) SHANNON, N.R. (Secretary Secondary Schools Board), BASE PAPER ON THE TOTAL CURRICULUM, D. West, N.S.W. Govt. Printer, Sydney, 1975, Pgs. 2 and 3.

(8) BENNETT, D.M. "The Study of Society in Australian Secondary Schools", QUARTERLY REVIEW OF AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION, A.C.E.R. Vol. 11, Nol, 1968, Pg. 9.

(9) BARCAN, A. "The Need for Senior High Schools", THE AUSTRALIAN QUARTERLY, Vol. 45, No. 3, September 1973, Pg. 24.

(10) SHANNON, N.R. Op. cit.,Pgs. 2 and 3.

(11) BARCAN, A. Op. cit.,Pg. 24.

(12) WILLIS, E.A. (Responsible Minister) REPORT OF THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION for 1973. D. West, Govt. Printer N.S.W. 22nd August, 1974, Pg. 41.

(13) WYNDHAM, Dr. H.S. Op. cit.,Pg. 63.

(14) BROWN, C.D. "Central Matriculation, Hobart Matriculation College^' EDUCATION NEWS, Vol. 11, No. 3, June 1967, Pg. 19.

(15) FLYNN, M. SOME CATHOLIC SCHOOLS IN ACTION, Catholic Education Office, Sydney, 1975, Pg. 87.

(16) MASON, S.C. (Ed.) IN OUR EXPERIENCE, Longmans, London, 1970, Pg. 113.

(17) CRONSHAW, J. GOING TO SCHOOL IN GERMANY, Glasgow Publications, 1975, Pg. 33. 11

(18) PEDLEY, R. THE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL, Penguin Books, Ringwood, Victoria, 1969, Pg. 64.

(19) MACDONALD, C.L. (Staff Inspector - Schools N.S.W. Dept, of Education) INTERVIEW, 29th August, 1975, Bridge Street, Sydney.

(20) RAUBINGER, F.M. et al. THE DEVELOPMENT OF SECONDARY EDUCATION, MacMillan Co. 1969, Pg. 314.

(21) JONES, A.W. (Director General of Education S.A.) reporting from the Alberta Commission on Education Planning, "A FUTURE OF CHOICES, A CHOICE OF FUTURES", Australian College of Education NEWSLETTER, April 1975, Pg. 12. 12

CHAPTER 2

NEW SOUTH WALES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION POLICY

The first movement for separate Senior High Schools in N.S.W.

occurred in the Newcastle Area towards the end of 1965. (l) It

probably occurred at this time because the first students of the

new "Wyndham Scheme" were then in Form 4 and the implications of

their progression to Forms 5 and 6 were fully realised. Existing

selective high schools were being phased out and concern for this

apparent loss caused what has been described as:

"a steady though not highly organised agitation

for Senior High Schools in the state system".(2)

There were particular reasons for the strength and persistence

of dissatisfaction with the proposed Six Year Comprehensive Secondary

School for students in the Newcastle Area. These may be listed as

follows:

(a) Existing Junior High Schools were poorly located in terms

of the city's residential development (many schools were in the inner

city area while the residential population was spreading considerable

distances westward).

(b) These same Junior High Schools were in such poor condition

in terms of buildings and room for expansion that their use as viable

Six Year comprehensive schools could not be envisaged.

(c) At the time no well-developed alternative (private) school system existed in Newcastle. Thus the four existing state selective schools catered for all students. Barcan identified this situation 13 as important in that parents with higher social and/or academic expectations feared the loss of these selective schools, identifying

comprehensive schools with some degree of mediocrity in education.(3)

Table 3 indicates the nature of the candidature at the Higher School

Certificate in 1971 from Newcastle Girls High School, and gives some indication of the high expectations held by students of this school.

TABLE 3 (4)

NEWCASTLE GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL CANDIDATURE H.S.C. 1971

State Candidature N.G.H.S. Candidature % of State

Classical Greek 44 6 13.6%

Latin 864 30 3.5%

* In each case Newcastle Girls High School had more students

sitting the above examinations than any other private or

state secondary school.

In spite of the reasons indicated above, the N.S.W. Department of Education made its views quite clear as early as 17th June 1965, when in the 'Newcastle Morning Herald* of that day the following statement was recorded:

"A regional secondary education system with a

central matriculation high school is not being

planned by the Department for the Newcastle

District". (5) 14

This is still the stand taken by the N.S.W. Department of

Education as indicated by Mr. C.L. Macdonald (Staff Inspector - Schools)

when interviewed on the 29th August, 1975. In this interview

Mr. Macdonald pointed out he was the person responsible to the

Director General of Education for advice on the question of separate

senior high schools, but in accordance with a letter received by me

from the Director, could not permit me to investigate the Departmental

records on this issue. However, in the subsequent interview

Mr. Macdonald made it quite clear that the Education Department had

since 1967 undertaken three reviews of this question, on each occasion

updating records in terms of comparative changes in other states and

countries, together with current opinion from interested groups and

persons. On each occasion (the most recent in 1975) the review

committee considered the evidence did not warrant the innovation of

separate senior high schools but that should additional evidence become available, this decision might change.

ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR

The arguments in favour of separate senior schools were summarised in Mr. Macdonald's view under the following three broad headings:

1. Choice of Courses

Proponents for separate senior schools suggest their increased size would facilitate a greater variety of courses by making more classes economically viable. This idea was refuted by Mr. Macdonald 15

on the broad assumption that at least in the future, if not at

present, as retention rates increased more specialist classes

would become feasible. Given the current staffing formula applied

to schools, this prospect seems doubtful (additional information

relevant to this view is included in Chapter 8 on Organisation).

2. Varied Teaching Methods

Evidence supplied to the Department suggests that in senior high schools there could be greater flexibility of organisation permitting large group lecturing, small group tutorials and seminar groups of an intermediate size. This structure is seen as desirable by those who see the role of the last years in secondary school as preparation for tertiary education or for vocational training.

Emphasis was placed particularly on the need for self-directed private study and research, which it was felt could not be accommodated in a school occupied by large numbers of younger students,

In the opinion of the Department of Education as expressed by

Mr. Macdonald, any desired variability in teaching methods was largely a question of logistics which could be adequately met within the present school organisation.

3. Control of Student Affairs

The opinions recorded by the Department that opportunities for leadership training and self-discipline cannot be adequately provided for senior school students in the present six year schools was countered again by Mr. Macdonald as self-imposed, for as he indicated, there should be greater scope for senior students to exercise and develop these traits in an institution covering the wider age range. 16

This point was verified by reference to the leadership role played

by senior students in Central Schools incorporating students from

infants to upper secondary classes.

In summary, the reviews of Departmental policy on this question

conclude that there would not necessarily be any significant advantage

in any of the above three areas by simply introducing separate Senior

High Schools. Mr. Macdonald pointed out that in addition, the

department predicted the following specific disadvantages which

could accompany such a restructuring.

PROJECTED DISADVANTAGES

1. Reduced Community Involvement

As senior high schools would by their nature draw students from a wider area, there would be a loss of community identity with that institution as may be the case with Colleges of Advanced Education,

Technical Colleges and Universities. If this should happen, the co-operative nature of the involvement between school and home would suffer and this would be considered undesirable. The following extract from a letter of the Tasmanian Teachers Federation is pertinent in this regard:

"Growing community involvement is affecting the

Matriculation Colleges perhaps more than other

schools and this is particularly true of Rosny

College which is becoming a community college

very rapidly, spurred on by the division of

Hobart into two sections by the loss of the

bridge". (6) 17

In much the same way the community involvement in St. Andrew^

Cathedral School which draws students from Loftus in the south,

Penrith in the west and Hornsby in the north, suggests that there is not necessarily a direct relationship between the size of an institution’s drawing area and the interest of its community. (7)

The extent of this school’s "community" may be seen in the following map drawn from their 1976 prospectus:

"MAP SHOWING DRAWING AREA FOR ST’ANDREW'S SCHOOL"

QLENORIE RICHMOND WINDSOR

GORDON ^ T

CASTLE HILLILL CHATSWOOD BLACKTOWN 'ATSONS BAT PARRAMATTA SE BAT LIDCOMBE FAIRFIELD LEICHHARDT SYDNeY

BANKSTOWN CANTERBURrRANDW'CK HURSTVILLE

The Boys at St. Andrew’s Cathedral School come from every comer of Sydney. Easy access to train and bus service brings metropolitan suburbs within comfortable reach. 18

2. Further Disjointing of Schooling

Based on the premise that a person's education is a continuum, the Department of Education can find no evidence to support more interruptions to the process than already exists. Emphasising the difficulties so often associated with a student's progression from primary to secondary school, Mr. Macdonald questions the rationale of creating another transfer from Junior Secondary School to Senior

Secondary School only two years before a student has to adjust to a tertiary or vocational environment. Admitting the validity of this argument however, raises a further question concerning the desirability of the present organisation; of three years in infants school, four years in primary school and four to six years in secondary school. If the purpose of each division is to provide some degree of homogeneity within a school's population then the case for separating eighteen year olds from twelve year olds is still a strong one as pointed out by W.R. King:

"In the end this is a matter of perception..... If

you cannot perceive that the youth of 17 is nearer

to the young man who is four years his elder than

he is to the child who is four years his junior;

that at bottom he no longer wants to be in the

environment where he spent his twelfth birthday,

and that this is part of his search for adult

dignity; that the watershed comes at about 16, 19

some little time after puberty, then I can only

classify you among the great majority of adults,

well represented in the educational and medical

professions who just do not understand young

people". (8)

3. Reduced Opportunity for Mutual Trust

This was a disadvantage emphasised by Mr. Macdonald and relates

to 2 above. In his view a great deal of the success of secondary

education relies on the development of mutual trust between student

and teacher. If there were only two years in a Senior High School

for this trust to develop, that would be insufficient for many

students. This view was supported by the Principal at Nazareth

College () and Narrabundah College (Canberra), but rejected

by the Principal and Students at Benilde High School (Bankstown) when

they were interviewed during preparation of this report. This

objection therefore is one which would require further investigation

as opposite views are held concerning its validity.

4. Encouraging the Eqocentricity of Adolescence

Another danger of great importance in Mr. Macdonald's opinion

was that of encouraging adolescents’ egotism by placing them in a more restricted group. He referred to the theoretical views of

authors such as Erickson in that adolescents are searching for their

identity and may be experiencing an "ego crisis". They are therefore

egoistic by nature during this period of development and their school 20

organisation and education should not encourage this self-interest by

limiting adolescent relationships with other age groups. Two

experienced High School Principals questioned on this problem

supported Mr. Macdonald’s opinion and both expressed the view that

organisation was needed within the present secondary schools to

encourage Senior students to take responsibility for and interest in

Junior students. (9) This relationship was assumed to have some

socializing influence on the senior students but could not be

guaranteed just by having students together in a Six Year School.

Sister Ellen Murtigh (Principal of Nazareth College Bankstown,

Sydney) recognizes the debate which exists on this topic but correctly

points out that steps can and should be taken to provide all upper

secondary school students with experience of other age groups in the

community. Therefore having senior school students acting as School

Council Representatives or Class Patrons for junior school colleagues

may not be better than senior school students assisting in a

kindergarten or old peoples' home in this regard. The important point

here seems to be that the simple grouping of students in Six Year

Schools will not necessarily result in significant socialising

influences and any achievements in this area will only derive from

specific programs.

5. Industrial Implications

Mr. Macdonald stressed the limited significance of any view the

Teachers Federation may have on this question, but recognised the fact that current Federation policy was against the proposal of Senior High 21

Schools. He felt this view was soundly based as the Department’s

review committee projected that Senior High Schools would be

considered more prestigious and this would attract the most

experienced and energetic teachers. To add strength to this argument,

Mr. Macdonald noted the Department's endeavours to transform all of the

old Junior High Schools to Six Year Schools.

The last of these Junior High Schools was converted in 1975

(Arncliffe Girls Junior High School to Tempe High School). The very / existence and staffing of such Junior High Schools however, tends to

counter the argument put forward by Mr. Macdonald, since they were

staffed successfully for many years in competition with recognised

selective and comprehensive schools. Under a new organisation, there

would be four year comprehensive junior schools and as such, these

would represent a level of teaching similar to the infants or primary

level, with each level attracting staff in its own right.

6. Increased Costs

While admitting short term economies, as a result of such a

reorganisation Mr. Macdonald indicated the possibility of increased

costs over an extended period of operation. He suggested industrial

pressure would very quickly be applied in Senior Schools for lower

pupil teacher ratios and reduced period loadings. In addition the

Departmental review committee anticipated Senior High Schools would

incur greater per capita running and capital costs as improvements

were sought to provide a wider range of subjects, more ancillary

staff and to cope with increasing retention rates. It would appear however, that insufficient attention has been given to the cost 22

savings inherent in Senior High Schools where more intensive

utilization of facilities could be achieved and greater staff

expertise could be developed and utilized. An example of such

specialisation is evidenced by one teacher at Benilde High School,

preparing for and teaching four Year Eleven 2-Unit Geography classes,

each with 25 students. The rising costs of audio-visual equipment,

scientific resources and books for schools suggest that any measure which might encourage better use of these resources should be

considered.

SUMMARY

In answer to the question; "Why doesn't the Department trial a

Senior High School in order to determine more precisely the costs and benefits associated with such a plan?" Mr. Macdonald pointed out the difficulty of undoing such a project if it was found finally to be undesirable.

Such an attitude appears to be narrow and restricts innovation.

It appears to justify the criticisms made by Walker and Butts that the N.S.W. Education Department has a predilection for uniformity.(10)

Such a comment seems justified when Victoria is at present engaged in trialling a separate Senior High School at Bendigo, (ll)

In balance however, the particular problems of the N.S.W.

Department of Education in terms of total size and areal extent must be recognised. In fairness also it should be noted that a scheme 23

actually bringing a wider age range of students together in school is

being trialled at Minto and the evaluation of this trial will

determine future policy decisions.

Finally Mr. Macdonald pointed out a number of other questions

the Department had before it, each of which could influence the

question of establishing separate Senior High Schools in N.S.W. These

include the following:

1. Should Secondary Education be full time for all? Is there

a case for part time study for students leaving High School before age

15 years?

2. Should Secondary Education be viewed as the terminating

stages for the majority of students, or will this be the role of tertiary institutions in the near future?

3. What steps can be taken to provide equality of opportunity

for students in sparsely settled areas of the state where full comprehensive high schools are not available?

The possibility of the N.S.W. Department of Education establishing a separate senior high school was clearly indicated by Mr. Macdonald as not being closed, but just as clearly there is no immediate plan to implement such a scheme even on a trial basis. 24

REFERENCES

(1) BARCAN, A. "The Need for Senior High Schools" THE AUSTRALIAN QUARTERLY, Vo1.45, No.3,September 1973 , Pg. 19.

(2) IBID, Page 19. C\j ■st . (3) IBID, Page -

(4) SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 5th February, 1972.

(5) NEWCASTLE MORNING HERALD, 17th June, 1965.

(6) See APPENDIX 2. Letter from Deputy General Secretary, Tasmanian Teachers Federation.

(7) ST. ANDREW’S CATHEDRAL SCHOOL, Handbook and Students Guide.

(8) KING, W.R. ’Times'Education Supplement, 19th February, 1965. (Mr. King was Chief Education Officer of Croydon, England, 1954-1963.)

(9) See APPENDIX 3. Letters from Mr. D. Bray, Principal ,3(a) and Mr. G. Milne, Principal Port Macquarie High School,3(b).

(10) WALKER, W.G. Theory and Practice in Educational Administration, University of Queensland Press, 1970, Pg. 112.

(11) See APPENDIX 8, for information re Victorian plans for Senior High Schools. 25

CHAPTER 3

THE N.S.W. CATHOLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

There is no unified plan within the Catholic School system to establish a network of senior schools at present, as indicated in an interview with the Secretary of the Catholic Schools’ Planning

Committee, Mr. H. Barker. In fact until now:

"educational initiatives have rested largely

with the school’s parent community", (l)

That is to say it has been largely up to the parents of students in each school to say what organisation should operate in that school.

This structure of autonomy is at present under review by the Planning

Committee, so that in future innovations will be viewed more in the context of the total system with an eye to long term viability.

The senior high schools operating in the Catholic School System at present are indicated in table 4 with the year they began operation as separate senior schools. 26

TABLE 4

CATHOLIC SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS

School Location Year of Commencement

St. Anne’s Adamstown 1966

Benilde Bankstown 1968

Nazareth Bankstown 1971

De la Salle Cronulla 1967

Trinity Senior High Wagga Wagga 1972

Santa Maria College Orange 1972

McCarthy Senior High Tamworth 1972

Combined St. Mary's and St. Joseph's Seniors Lismore 1973

Three of these schools (Benilde, Nazareth and De la Salle -

Cronulla) were visited and both staff and students interviewed. All three exibited quite similar characteristics in regard to staffing, student numbers, courses offered and attitudes to the concept of

Senior High Schools.

Each school had approximately 300 students divided equally between years 11 and 12 with a teaching staff of about 20 and an ancillary staff of 5 or 6. Those interviewed at the three schools, both staff and students, felt their present numbers were ideal with an upper limit desirable of 400 students with a proportionate increase in staff. There was some difference in the number of Junior Schools supplying students to each school, five for Benilde, four for Nazareth and two for De la Salle - Cronulla. (See Appendix 4 for details). 27

Notable here is that Benilde High School could not take all of the

students from its feeder schools wishing to go on to years 11 and

12, and as a result a selection process is employed making comparison

between this school and what might happen in state senior high schools

more difficult.

The following points made by Brother Leo, the Principal of

Benilde High School, and supported by the Principal of Nazareth

College are however, relevant to this report:

(a) Staff turnover was less than the principals had experienced

in other schools where they had been in charge.

(b) There were continuing numerous applications to join the

staff.

(c) There was a particularly close liaison between staff and

students.

(d) Fewer distractions from work occurred caused by whole

school functions, viz assemblies.

(e) A freer, more rational structure in terms of school

organisation existed.

(f) Considerable student participation in school affairs was

effected through an elected student's council.

(g) Specialised preparation and presentation of work by teachers occurred as a result of a narrower range to cover.

In general, students interviewed at all three schools verified the above claims comparing their situation with their counterparts in State and Private Six Year Schools. 28

Disadvantages of Senior Schools

Few of the students or staff interviewed at the three schools

identified what they considered major drawbacks to their schools,

although the following were mentioned as minor problems as compared

with Six Year Schools they knew about:

(a) There was a reduced corporate identity resulting from the

restricted number of whole school activities, e.g. sporting fixtures,

assemblies and cultural activities.

(b) Fewer leadership opportunities with so much emphasis on

self-discipline.

(c) A decrease in course options as a result of restricted

student numbers. The following course pattern provided at De la Salle

School, Cronulla, indicates restricted subjects available to students:

TABLE 5

SUBJECTS TAUGHT AT DE LA SALLE COLLEGE IN FORM FIVE, 1976

English Art

Mathematics 3 Unit Modern History

Mathematics 2 Unit Ancient History

Mathematics 2 Unit A Economics

Physics French

Chemistry General Studies

Biology

Geology

Science 2 Unit A

Geography 29

Such criticisms support, to some extent,the reservations expressed

by Mr. Macdonald as outlined in the previous chapter.

Despite the restrictions, students were unanimous in all three

schools that they preferred their Senior Schools, because as they saw

it, the advantages far outweighed the disadvantages experienced by

fellow students in Six Year State and Private Schools.

An Observation

In the three schools visited, the following subjective observations

were made by comparison with other state and private secondary schools

organised on the Six Year pattern;

(a) Student-teacher relationships appeared more mature, with a

higher degree of mutual respect and understanding.

(b) Noise levels were noticeably reduced, in particular at class

change times and in unsupervised study periods.

(c) There appeared to be a more highly developed work ethic, again particularly during "private study periods".

Co-Education in Senior Schools

While both Benilde and Nazareth High Schools are in close physical proximity and contribute students to each other to make possible some specialised classes, they have remained separate entities and have no immediate plans to become co-educational. However the De la Salle School at Cronulla, after starting in 1967 for boys only, has accepted girls from Our Lady of Mercy College, Burraneer Bay, during

1975 and consequent experience of co-education in a Senior School is 30

relevant to this report.

In the terms of Brother Edward, the principal of De la Salle

College, co-education:

"enabled a more realistic social conduct to exist

in an institution aimed at social as well as

academic development".

In the opinion of Brother Edward, not only was there a strong

case for senior schools, but an equally strong case that such schools

should be co-educational.

The Future of Senior High Schools in the Catholic System

As indicated at the outset, the organisation of the Catholic

education system is at present under review. Part of that review is

in particular the analysis of cost connected with operating separate

senior high schools. When details of this research are finalised,

then long term plans will evolve, but indications presently support

an expansion of the number of senior high schools within the Catholic

system. Experiences in country centres indicate their suitability

in providing a number of residential places for students from remote

areas.

Education in Junior High Schools

The principals of some of the Catholic Junior High Schools losing their year 11 and 12 students were asked the question: (2) 31

"What has been the Impact on your school of

losing the Senior Students?"

Answers were similar to a very high degree, and may be summarised as

follows:

Advantages

1. Year 10 students tended to assume leadership roles otherwise

denied them.

2. There was no problem associated with a dual society, i.e. one

set of rules for all students.

3. Students look forward in Year 10 to progression to a new

institution with more mature organisation.

Disadvantages

Principals could identify no distinct disadvantages related to

the Junior School structure and denied quite firmly any imputation of

lower morale in either staff or students.

SUMMARY

In the opinion of staff and students currently involved in a two tier secondary education structure in Catholic Schools, the benefits of such organisation seem to outweigh any disadvantages. However,

further development of senior schools will be dependent on community support for the project and on the outcome of investigation into current and capital cost involved. 32

REFERENCES

(1) Statement made by Mr. Barker in interview on 11th August, 1975.

(2) Principals interviewed were: Brother Luke - De la Salle, Lakemba

Brother Morris - De la Salle, Revesby.

Sister Jude Dundon. 33

CHAPTER 4

THE SOCIAL CONTEXT

If separate Senior High Schools have not been found necessary in

the past, then some explanation is required of why they are not justified. Such explanation could be based largely on the changing nature of our society in which older secondary school students may experience more tension and stress than was previously the case, (l)

"These tensions exist, in part at least, because

while the age of sexual maturity and sexual and

social sophistication is going down, the age at

which young people can enter the work force is

going up".

Adolescent stress seems to be a cultural phenomena as anthropological studies by Benedict (1934) and Mead (1952) suggest.(2)

In the society of today in a country of advanced technology, the young are physiologically more mature (Tanner 1962) (3), but psychologically less prepared therefore:

"this earlier imitation of adult behaviour, together

with the extension of formal education, serves to

prolong the period of social adolescence". (4)

This period is characterised by discontinuity for the adolescent 34 who has lost the dependent status of childhood but is not permitted by cultural convention the full status of adult. (5) While this conflict situation affects the whole teenage subculture, it reaches its peak in the later school years and is most difficult for those most dependent, namely the full-time school students.

"The movement towards student power is a very direct

expression of youth’s wish not to remain in a never-

never land between childhood and adulthood, and to

begin assuming some responsibility for their fate

even before they join the work force". (4)

The preceding general statements have been made on numerous occasions in the past, but only achieve real impact when substantiated by specific examples. During their present years 11 and 12 at high school, students upon reaching the age of 17 years may legally drive a car and at age 18 years engage in legal contracts, drink alcoholic liquors at licensed premises and gamble in state approved ways. They must vote to help determine who governs them in federal and state matters, so in all respects are accorded adult status. At the same time while attending school they may be required to ask permission to leave the school grounds, attend lessons for fear of recrimination, line up on assembly to hear daily announcements and wear a uniform for purposes unknown to them. The potential role conflict which students may experience is self-evident. 35

Many people would argue that students have conformed to this conflict situation in the past and therefore might reasonably be expected to do so in the future. To accept such a view is to ignore a number of significant changes which have occurred in recent years regarding the tendency for more students to remain longer at school.

Increased Retention Rates

An increasing percentage of students in this state remain at school after the legally required age limit and also after the School

Certificate level which was originally set as the level of a suitable general secondary education. (7) This trend may be identified in the table below, recognising that the average age of those in Form 5

(Year ll) in 1973 was 16-18 years, and for Form 6 (Year 12) in the same year the average age was 17-18 years. (8)

TABLE 6 (9)

PERCENTAGE OF ALL SECONDARY PUPILS ENROLLED IN SENIOR CLASSES 17 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER.

Year

1963 4%

1972 10.1%

* Proportionally this increase in actual numbers

represents an increase of 278% in the 10 year

period of students 17 years of age and over 36

Until recent years senior secondary schooling was restricted in the main to the academic and social elite who in most cases anticipated proceeding to some form of tertiary education.

Changing Nature of Senior School Population

In addition to the numerical increase of senior students mentioned previously, a changing nature is also noticeable. As far back as 1966,

3/5 of those students completing full time secondary school courses did not proceed to university. (10) With the limited places available in all tertiary institutions it may be reasonably expected that the percentage of senior secondary students destined for tertiary education will diminish, thus changing the expectations of large numbers of students. Conformity to what they might consider to be outmoded rules and regulations may not be forthcoming from students who anticipate no significant rewards from an extra two years at school.

There may, at the same time, be an identifiable lack of cohesion in the senior school student group with one segment anticipating progression to tertiary studies, while the remainder have no such expectations. This dissimilarity of expectations may manifest itself in conflict as suggested by A.J. and B.E. Lott:

"the more cohesive the group, the greater the

probability that members will develop uniform

opinions and other behaviour with respect to

matters of consequence to the group". (ll) 37

In the same sense the-conflict between the total population of

older adolescents, whether attending school or at work, may be more

pronounced, as pointed out quite some years ago by W.D. Neal:

"The gap between the role expectations of the

adolescent at school and the adolescent at

work appears to have widened". (12)

While the percentage of 17 and 18 year olds in school compared

with those at work was small, and in turn, while the vast majority

remaining in the senior school expected to progress to academic and/or

professional occupations, the conflicts noted above could be ignored,

but such a situation no longer exists.

The recommendations of W.D. Neal made in the early 1960s must

again be referred to:

"This consideration must apply to broad plans and

to the detailed specifications of curricula, school

organisation, teaching methods and examinations. If

this is not done now, there is a danger of missing

the opportunity to provide schools that are suitable

to present needs and flexible enough to develop for

the future, whatever that may be,in our rapidly

changing society". (13)

Functional Illiteracy

To achieve "functional literacy", i.e. to be educated to be employable, the experience in the United States of America is such 38

that the college diploma is now accorded the significance once held

by the high school diploma. (14) The same may soon be said of the

Higher School Certificate vis-a-vis the School Certificate, with those

students not having completed six years of secondary education being

considered "functionally illiterate".

If the projection is made at this point that in the near future, whether by statute or covert social pressure, all students will continue their full time education to the end of year 12, then all that has been said above assumes greater significance.

SUMMARY

If our society demands a longer period of education with the concomitant dependent institutional status of students, it must attempt to liberalise the latter stages of education.

"The philosophy of the school should be to encourage

the student academically, to provide a happy,

challenging, gratifying and self-fulfilling

environment to help in the development of social

skills and to provide a comprehensive programme

which is commensurate with the individual potential

of the student". (15)

The separation of schools for those students in years eleven and twelve would appear to be one way of providing the type of school suggested by Collins above. 39

REFERENCES

(1) ELKIND, D. A SYMPATHETIC UNDERSTANDING of the CHILD SIX to SIXTEEN. Allyn and Bacon Inc. Boston, 1971,Pg. 106.

(2) MEAD, M. "Adolescence in Primitive and Modern Society" in Swanson, Newcomb and Hartley (ed) READINGS in SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Henry Holt, New York, 1952.

(3) TANNER, J.M. GROWTH at ADOLESCENCE, Blackwell, Oxford, 1962.

(4) HARPER J.F. and COLLINS J.K. "Origins of the Problems of Adolescence", STUDIES of the AUSTRALIAN ADOLESCENT, J. Collins (ed.), Cassel Australia, 1975, Pg. 275.

(5) SEBALD, H. ADOLESCENCE - A SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS. Appleton - Century - Crofts, New York.

(6) ELKIND, D. Op.cit. Pg. 107.

(7) WYNDHAM, Dr . H.S. (Chairman) REPORT. Op. cit.

(8) N.S.W. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ANNUAL REPORT 1973. N.S.W. Gov’t. Printer, Pg. 85.

(9) FLYNN, M. Op. cit. Pg. 71.

(10) MACLAINE, A .G. and SELBY-SMITH, R. (Eds), FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES in AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION. Ian Novak, Sydney, 1971, Pg. 209,

(11) LOTT A.J. and LOTT, B.E. "GROUP COHESIVENESS as INTERPERSONAL ATTRACTION: CONSEQUENCES of LIKING" in Hinton, B.L. (Ed.), GROUPS and ORGANISATIONS, Wadsworth Belmont California, 1971.

(12) NEAL, W.D. "The Changing Secondary School Population". AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL of EDUCATION. Vol. VI, 3, 1962, Pgs. 164-165.

(13) Ibid. Pg. 165

(14) BLOCKER, C.E., PLUMMER, R.H. and RICHARDSON, R.C. THE TWO-YEAR COLLEGE - A SOCIAL SYNTHESIS. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, 1965, Pg. 3.

(15) COLLINS, J. (Ed.). STUDIES of the AUSTRALIAN ADOLESCENT. Op. cit. Pg. 325. 40

CHAPTER 5

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF A SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

If there is a valid case for the establishment of separate senior high schools, then that case must rest largely on the ability of such schools to provide better opportunities for education than the existing

Six Year high schools. In this context two integral parts of education for senior secondary students must be considered; firstly, education for each individual in accordance with his ability and motivation and secondly, for the group of students called collectively upper adolescents.

Before looking in some detail at precisely what the aims of a

Senior High School might be, it is worthwhile taking note of the following submission made to the Wyndham Committee of Enquiry:

"Education is as broad as life itself, but the

school alone cannot achieve the whole education

of adolescents. The work of the school should

supplement but not supplant the influences of

such educational forces as the home, the church,

the social and athletic club, the press, radio

and the whole life of the community. The school

must be aware of the existence and nature of these

numerous outside influences and must be selective,

not all embracing in its own functions", (l) 41

The senior school therefore, can, like any other school, only

play its part in providing educational opportunity for its students

in conjunction with the other educational forces in the community.

The Aims of Secondary Education

In a document entitled "The Aims and Objectives of Education" the

N.S.W. Department of Education sets out the following specific goals

to be pursued by school, home and community:

"..... to guide individual development, in the

context of society, through recognisable stages

of development, towards perceptive understanding,

mature judgement, responsible self-direction and

moral autonomy". (2)

A slightly different emphasis may be seen in the Report of the

Commission on Education in New Zealand in 1962 called the "Currie

Report ".

"No school can ever defend a failure to develop

the intellectual endowments of its pupils by

pointing instead to their physical, moral, social

or spiritual well being". (3)

The "Dittman" Report on Secondary Education in Western Australia in 1969 perhaps takes an even more narrow view as follows:

"The schools' prime responsibility lies in the area

of intellectual development". (4) 42

Keeping in mind that the aims of education should surely be to provide for students what they personally require as assessed by themselves and by the concensus of community opinion, the following categories are indicated:

1. Individual Intellectual Development

This goal is probably still regarded as the primary function of education (see Dittman and "Currie" Reports quoted previously) but there has been considerable recent criticism in N.S.W. of too little attention having been given to this aspect of schooling. The type of comments made in this regard may be seen in the following newspaper item: new school—principal By our Education ceptional students even “If entry into such a s o c i o-fconomic condi­ Reporter more important. school were open to all tions, then the charge of The State Ministry of students of sufficient ability, irrespective of elitism cannot be sus­ A high school princi­ Education had set up a tained.” pal said last night that committee to make recom­ place of residence or a strong case existed mendations on the educa­ for a special school for tion of highly talented * Kef SMH 7/4-l'7b 'V* children in Government exceptional students. high schools. The principal of North “In the light of Sydne;-’ Boys' High a school's new found res- School. Mr Peter John- oonsibility for devising man, in his report at a and implementing courses speech night at the suitable to its. own school, said the Depart­ 'tudents. 1 feel that there ment of Education was is a strong case for a now examining the pro­ school where all students posal. are highly talented. Changes in secondary “The prospect of de­ education had allowed vising courses suited to high schools to introduce rh’s group of children “less conventional sub­ must surely be an attrac­ jects ’ including politics, ts one. art. film, languages, com­ “In such a school it: puters, surveying, navi­ would be much easier to gation and photography. provide an environment This made the issue of for learning rather than special schools for ex­ one for instruction. 43

Any deficiency in regard to intellectual development would seem to stem from the trend towards humanising education in an effort to make learning immediately relevant to students. This process of socialising learning may be best observed in recent revisions of

English, Mathematics, Science and Geography syllabi, with constant reference to "advertising”, "conservation", "pollution" and "current affairs". (6) This is a problem which would be influenced only marginally by Senior High Schools organisation. It would appear that the larger number of senior students in one institution might allow some largely intellectual courses in addition to many courses of a more general and practical nature.

Of greater significance would be the increased provision of homogeneous ability groups. State schools may not, for some considerable time, have the resources necessary for individualised learning in a "non graded" school situation such as Melbourne, Florida

U.S.A., (7) where students progress at their own rate following a program of work designed for them personally. The continuing debate surrounding the merits of heterogeneous versus homogeneous ability groupings must be recognised, but in years 11 and 12 at present, some attempt to "stream" students is generally made. (8) If this is the case, then the larger the total group, the greater the homogeneity possible in the sub-groups. Those who argue, that in some of our small mixed ability classes, brighter students are held back by the slower pace of some less able, find the notion of separate senior schools most attractive. 44

The development of intellect in years 11 and 12 might also be

restricted by teachers adopting class management techniques and

teaching methodology appropriate to junior classes of 30 to 35 pupils.

It is reasonable to say this does not have to happen, but it does

require a particular effort on the part of a teacher to adjust for

example from a year 7 lower ability group to a year 12-3 unit group

in the space of time it takes to change classes. The school

organisation of such things as regular class periods and school

assemblies may also have some limiting influence on the intellectual

development of students 17 to 19 years of age.

In much the same way the relatively narrow range of subjects

available to senior secondary students in N.S.W. schools at present

hampers the realisation of full intellectual potential as it denies

the specialisation of interest which occurs at this age as identified

by L.J. Cronback in 1963. (9) The detailed advantages of a senior

school in this regard will be compared with the current pattern in the

chapter on organisation. In particular to the greater number of

subject options which become feasible as the student population in

this narrower age group increases.

2, Vocational Education

The view that vocational education is not the responsibility of secondary schools, while widely held by teachers and theorists, is not necessarily supported by students and parents. For example, 90% of students want more emphasis on subjects which might be useful in a job as recorded by the "Campbell Report". In particular this appears to 45

apply to those students progressing to years 11 and 12, who do not

aspire to academic careers or to tertiary education. These are the

students who constitute the increased numbers in years 11 and 12 and

require increased recognition in the aims of upper secondary education.

The concept that some future reward will accrue to students receiving

a general education may be insufficient motivation for these students.

Initial tentative steps to overcome this problem have been taken

in some N.S.W. schools with such devices as Careers Counselling and

Work Experience Programs. It would seem that a Senior High School

could proceed much further in this area, given the full advantages

of economies of scale and the flexibility to offer part-time study

coupled with employment or specific work release organisation. The

Work Experience Program of the Simi Valley Unified School District

(Simi, California), is a practical example of just such a scheme in which students work part-time and attend school part-time.

"with their employment serving the function

of a practical Laboratory for reinforcing in­

school courses". (10)

Students receive both pay and educational credit points for their work.

In the same way, the comprehensive workshops of Evanston

Township High School, U.S.A., make it possible for students attending that school, to experience the practical work situation before leaving

school, (ll) Thus it could be anticipated that these students would 46

be better equipped to make any future career choices. The problem

which must be recognised however, is that the number and variety of

workshops which can be economically justified is a function of the

school size and this may be considered inordinately large; for example,

Evanston Township High School has 4,800 students.

The introduction of separate senior high schools may not be the only way in which adequate vocational education can be provided for students, but it does suggest itself as a possibility. It is important to note Grant Venn's observation concerning the changing attitude towards vocational education in the United States of America in an article "Eyes on Tomorrows Jobs":

"Only ten years ago, no voice from any source

was heard opposing, criticizing or praising

vocational education, in fact it was difficult

to find three persons who were interested in

discussing vocational education at all. The

situation is different now. Changing conditions

in our society have created an entirely new

management, new insight, new jobs, industrial

and national objectives". (12)

This same situation could now be said to exist in this country, and more effective vocational training programs, appropriately incorporated into secondary education, seem to be most necessary. 47

3. Education in Democracy

While the aims and objectives of secondary schools expressed

previously relate largely to the individual student, the following

comment made by the Director of Education in South Australia is

worth noting:

"No education system stands apart from the

society which establishes it. It has

purposes that must be achieved if that

society is to continue". (13)

Education for living in a democratic society should therefore

form an integral part of education in this country and at the stage

reached by senior high school students surely cannot be achieved

without practical experience. The opportunity for student self

direction with decreasing adult guidance would be greater in the

environment of a separate senior high school compared with that

afforded in the present comprehensive Six Year school. Present attempts to provide experience in self-government by such means as

student councils seem in general to have failed. Reasons for failure are varied and quite numerous, but common explanations rest on two basic points:

(a) Senior students cannot adequately represent the views of

Junior students as they lack identification with them.

(b) Real self-determination is not perceived by the senior students, as areas under their control are peripheral to general school administration as they see it. 48

The disaffection with school councils was well expressed by a

Sixth Former as follows:

"Elective authorities in schools are always attacked

because they never get anything done. One major

reason for this is that these committees have never

been given a status above a medium for bolshes. If

one serves on a committee (and I speak ...... on

personal experience), when one feels that one is

merely asking for fewer baked beans and more

Scotch Eggs, one inevitably becomes apathetic". (14)

Disaffection with student government in our present schools stems

from the belief that it is largely a facade. That is, students feel no really responsible decisions are left to them and they may only consider inconsequential matters. Some students’ comments contained in Appendix 5, refer to this student held view. If this is so, then the Aims and Objectives of Secondary Education as set out at the beginning of this chapter,viz:

"to guide students towards a perceptive

understanding, mature judgement,

responsible self-direction and moral

autonomy" are being subverted. This subversion is a consequence of the present system in that the institution falls far short of the ideal democratic society, thus limiting the scope for student government. A Senior High

School would seem to offer more scope for free people to exercise not only an understanding of issues, but also forbearance, compassion and 49

responsibility for others as suggested by the Department of Education’s own Aims and Objectives Document, (lb)

SUMMARY

Considering the three particular areas of concern mentioned previously, it would appear some form of Separate Senior High Schools could significantly aid in the education of students 17 to 19 years of age. No organisation will be a panacea as so much depends on the people involved in the educative process,but Senior High Schools do appear to have advantages for achieving the goals of Secondary

Education as outlined in this chapter. 50

REFERENCES

(1) WYNDHAM, H.S. REPORT Op. cit. Pg. 129, Submission by the Staff of Sydney Teachers College.

(2) N.S.W. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - DIRECTOR of STUDIES - THE AIMS OF SECONDARY EDUCATION in N.S.W. N.S.W. Gov’t Printer (Approved by the SECONDARY SCHOOLS BOARD and by the BOARD OF SENIOR SCHOOL STUDIES 1974).

(3) CURRIE, E.J. (Chairman) REPORT of the COMMISSION on EDUCATION in NEW ZEALAND, 1962, Pg. 22.

(4) DITTMAN, R.T. (Chairman) REPORT on SECONDARY EDUCATION in WESTERN AUSTRALIA, 1969, Pg. 62.

(5) SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, Wednesday April 7, 1976.

(6) N.S.W. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SYLLABUS DOCUMENTS. ENGLISH, MATHS, SCIENCE and GEOGRAPHY, N.S.W. Gov't Printer.

(7) BARTER, K.E. "The Non-Graded High School at Melbourne,Florida, U.S.A. SOUTH AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION, April 1969, Pgs.10-12.

(8) YATES, A. GROUPING IN EDUCATION - A REPORT SPONSORED BY THE U.N.E.S.C.O. INSTITUTE for EDUCATION.Hambury N.Y. John Wiley & Sons, 1966, Pg. 132.

(9) CRONBACK, L.J. EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY, Harcourt Brace, New York.

(10) UNRUH, G.G. and ALEXANDER, W.M. INNOVATIONS in SECONDARY EDUCATION Holt, Rinehart and Winston Inc.New York,1970,Pg.89.

(11) EVANSTON TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL. STUDENT HANDBOOK, 1975-76.

(12) VENN, G. "Eye on Tomorrows Jobs" AMERICAN EDUCATION, 5:13, March, 1969.

(13) JONES, A.W. ADDRESS to N.S.W. CHAPTER of AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE of EDUCATION, Op. cit.

(14) HANSEN, I.V. "A Sense of Community". MELBOURNE STUDIES in EDUCATION, 1974. M.V.P. 1974, Pg. 141, et seq.

(15) N.S.W. DEPARTMENT of EDUCATION - AIMS and OBJECTIVES. Op. cit. Pg. 12, Item 12. 51

CHAPTER 6

INDUSTRIAL IMPLICATIONS

By structure and by constitution the N.S.W. Teachers’ Federation

provides for participation by all members, however, as most decisions

are made at meetings, it seems only the enthusiastic minority are left

to make the majority of decisions and fill elected positions.

Federation decisions may not necessarily reflect, therefore,the

majority view of teachers who by default permit those who attend

meetings and fill local executive positions to make most decisions.

This statement is not a reflection on any aspect of Federation policy

but rather an attempt to explain the potential difference which might

exist between official policy and the majority of teacher opinion.

Such background information is important in the context of this

report in which there might be a difference between Federation Policy

and the majority of teacher opinion. Only by further detailed

investigation could this matter be resolved, and such research might

well become a large part of the N.S.W. Teachers’ Federation function

not only on the subject of this report but on other major policy

matters.

The question of Senior High Schools was first brought before

that sub-group within the Teachers’ Federation known as the Secondary

Teachers' Association 52

In October 1966 the following proposal was considered by the

Council of the Secondary Teachers’ Association of the N.S.W. Teachers*

Federation:

"....that in each area of high population

one centrally placed high school be

transformed immediately into a secondary

college, catering for fifth and sixth

form pupils only and that other high

schools in the area cater for junior

classes leading to the School Certificate.

This would overcome many of the staffing

problems created by fifth and sixth form

classes and would enable a distinct

improvement to be effected in teaching

conditions for both junior and senior

pupils", (l)

On the 28th October 1966 the following decision of the Secondary

Teachers' Association Council was recorded:

1. "The establishment of Secondary Colleges would

be undesirable. Under the present system,

teachers have a good knowledge of pupils by the

time they reach the senior forms. This knowledge

of academic and personality developments of pupils

would be lost on transfer to separate Secondary

Colleges. 53

2. The surviving Form 4 High School would be lacking

in prestige with the loss of their Senior Forms.

In addition, this separation of pupils’ secondary-

education would bring about problems related to

status and promotion of teachers.

3. The setting up of Secondary Colleges would result

in the loss from Form Four High Schools of qualified

staff needed to teach pupils to the School Certificate

stage.

4. The present shortage of school accomodation would be

made more acute if some High Schools were made into

Secondary Colleges". (2)

The Present Position

Investigation of Federation Council Minutes reveals that no overall policy decision has been made on the question of separate

Senior High Schools subsequent to the report of the S.T.A.

Professional Committee noted above. In addition there is no evidence to indicate that any research has been undertaken in recent years on this proposal. This being the case, it is reasonable to assume

Federation attitude hinges on the objections set out in 1966. Each of the four points set out above therefore deserves closer scrutiny to determine their validity because Federation and/or Teacher rejection of the scheme would represent a major obstacle to introducing such schools if ever such a decision was made. 54

1. Teachers1 Long Term Knowledge of Students

The value of teachers knowing and understanding their pupils

could not be overestimated and could be related to the mutual trust

aspect as noted by Inspector Macdonald. This is indeed a strong

argument in favour of retaining the present pattern covering some

difficult years of student-development. Objections that staff

mobility and preconceived opinions may in fact be detrimental to a

student in later years misjudges the continuity and balanced appraisal

made in dealing with student problems. One situation in which

continuity may not be the best for a student is in the situation

where"a fresh start" is considered desirable. That is where a student

has been involved in unresolved confrontation with teachers in the

first four years of secondary school or where undesirable peer group

relationships have developed. Such a situation would probably exist

in only a minority of cases however.

2. School Prestige

The argument that Form Four High Schools would suffer by comparison with Senior High Schools seems to confuse this situation with the "old" Junior (Tech.) High versus Selective High School problem. If this argument is valid, then the same prestige differences may be expected to occur between Secondary and Primary, and Secondary and Tertiary Education. While some people in the community may hold such views, there is ample evidence to the contrary - for example, salary scales are identical in Secondary and Primary teaching and promotion is as rapid in each branch of the N.S.W. State Teaching

Service. 55

3. Loss of Qualified Staff to Senior Schools

This argument relates closely to the last, but ignores any

possibility that perhaps many well-qualified teachers would prefer

to teach in a Comprehensive Four Year High School rather than in a

Senior High School which would still cater for all ability levels.

As yet there is insufficient evidence to be certain that staff would

in fact respond in any direction and this points to an urgent need

for further study of this question.

40 Shortage of Student Accommodation

If the original proposal, as put forward by

Staff, correctly reflected the belief that such a measure would result

in staff economies, then some similar reduction in accorrmodation needs

could also be expected to occur. Information on possible organisation

as set out in Chapter 8, suggests some advantages for staffing and

rooming. This conclusion is however based on a total restructuring

between three schools and relates to total figures, whereas the

precise distribution of rooms and facilities may not be equitable

and some disjointing could certainly occur during a transition phase.

Information from Tasmania

A letter from the Deputy General Secretary of the Tasmanian

Teachers' Federation (See Appendix 2) answers in quite precise terms

a number of the objections as expressed by the N.S.W. Teachers'

Federation:

"The Federation has supported the establishment

of these colleges and they have won fairly general 56

acceptance throughout the community, including

teachers and students. There has been no

industrial tension, and there has been no

deterioration in staff morale in the remaining

Form Four High Schools", (3)

In addition the letter points out that salary and promotion conditions are the same throughout the service with a "slight" reduction in face to face teaching loads due to increased preparation time required in Matriculation Colleges.

Industrial Attitudes from Other Sources

Communication with the Independent Teachers’ Association in N.S.W. indicated that the official question of approval or disapproval by the

Association had not as yet arisen. The secretary of the association said teachers were aware of such organisation in some independent schools and that some members were involved in those schools, but the matter had never been raised for any official attitude to the best of his knowledge. The fact that individual employment contracts are offered to teachers in such private schools, may explain the lack of concern the I.T.A. has for this question on an official level.

SUMMARY

The only significant point which may be concluded from this chapter is that considerable work needs to be done to accurately determine teachers' attitudes to Senior High Schools. Just how critical such research is, may be seen by following the logical 57

sequence; if the majority of teachers are in favour of the proposal, then the Teachers' Federation would support it and the N.S.W.

Department of Education might again review its policy. 58

REFERENCES

(l) SECONDARY TEACHERS ASSOCIATION BULLETIN. October 1966. SEFTON HIGH SCHOOL STAFF PROPOSAL. Pg. 1.

(2) Ibid. Pg. 2.

(3) DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY TASMANIAN TEACHERS' FEDERATION. Letter Dated 27th August, 1975. Appendix 2. 59

CHAPTER 7

COMPARATIVE STUDIES

It is not possible in a report of this length to include

comprehensive details of a large number of education systems in which

secondary schooling has been subdivided to create a two tier structure

Therefore selected aspects of a number of comparable operating

structures have been chosen in an effort to demonstrate potential

successes, failures and problems which the N.S.W. Department of

Education might encounter, should a decision be made to initiate such

a pattern.

Tasmania - Residential Accomodation

Hobart Matriculation College is a co-educational school for 800 matriculation students from Southern Tasmania. In hostel accomodation

"Werndee" for boys and "Park Street" for girls, the College caters for

70 students unable to attend on a day pupil basis, (l) A similar solution would have to be planned in N.S.W. with suitably situated hostels in large regional centres providing an equal opportunity for education for students in remote areas of the state. The precedent for such a practice already exists in those cases where students, unable to attend on a daily basis from their homes, are provided with boarding accgfnodation at such schools as Yanco, Farrer and Hurlstone

Agricultural High Schools. The wider application of this principle, and the consequent cost involved is however an important deterrent which must be considered by the state government. 60

Tasmania - Distance Students May Travel

The threshold population required to support a Senior High

School and therefore the distance students may be required to travel

also may be referred to the Hobart experience. By reference to the

table below and the map in Appendix 6, the source of students in the

developmental period for Hobart College may be seen, indicating the willingness of students to travel considerable distance to attend the

Matriculation College, TABLE 7

SOURCES OF STUDENTS, 1967 Second First Total School Year Year

High Schools: Claremont ...... 52 24 76 Clarence ...... 41 24 65 Cosg rove ...... 22 19 41 Elizabeth ...... 39 13 52 Huonville ...... 15 5 20 Murray (Queenstown) ...... 5 1 6 New Norfolk ...... 1 1 19 30 New Town ...... 56 46 102 Ogilvie ...... 47 19 66 Rose Bay ...... 40 22 62 Taroona ...... 73 45 118 Others ...... 7 20 27 Entrants from High Schools 408 257 665 Entrants from Tasmanian In- dependent Schools ...... 53 47 100 Entrants from outside State and of mature age 17 17 34 Totals ...... 478 321 799

The population density of the Sydney Metropolitan Area and in

Newcastle and Wollongong would in general force less travel for the

majority of students than was the case in Hobart. The problem is

relevant however, to the more sparsely settled areas of the state where

students would not board in hostels as suggested above but would be

required to travel considerable distances. This is a problem of

considerable magnitude which mitigates against the introduction of SC^Oo/5. 61

Tasmania - Course Options

A serious shortcoming of the Matriculation Colleges in Tasmania in the beginning, was their ’raison d’etre'• They were designed initially to group students whose purpose it was to matriculate. As a result the student course patterns could only extend over those 19 subjects acceptable by the University as Matriculation subjects. While the College Principal (C.O. Brown) in the college handbook pointed out that a possible 1500 subject/level combinations are possible from the following list as offered by the college, the choice is relatively narrow. TABLE 8

ADVANCED LEVEL ORDINARY LEVEL

Subject of of of of No. No. No. No. Size Size Class Class Pupils Pupils Classes Classes Average Average

French ...... 151 7 22 191 6 32 German ...... 67 2 34 22 1 22 Latin ...... 18 1 18 23 1 23 ‘Greek ...... 1 1 1 — — — Italian ...... 72 3 24 — — — Russian ...... 6 1 6 — — — English ...... 327 12 27 66 2 33 Modern History 291 10 29 28 1 28 Ancient History 233 8 29 — — —

Geography ...... 318 12 27 — —— Mathematics A 317 13 24 162 6 27 Mathematics B 82 3 27 __ Physics ...... 264 11 24 31 1 31 Chemistry ...... 235 10 24 32 1 32 Biology ...... 291 12 24 42 2 21 Geology ...... 107 4 27 21 1 21 Music ...... 47 2 24 — _ _ Art ...... 121 5 20 _ — — Economics ...... 79 3 26 _ — ~~ TOTALS 3026 119 26 618 22 28

* Not counted in totals 62

Such a restricted range of largely academic subjects seems

inconsistent with a concept of education for students with the whole

range of abilities, in particular for those seeking technical,

vocational or particularly relevant subjects. The evolution of the

Tasmanian system is also significant in this regard as by 1974 the

following subjects were added to the above list. (4) (See Pg. 61).

Accountancy British History

Asian History Computer Studies

Australian History Dutch

Engineering Drawing Japanese

Religious Studies Rural Science

Social Psychology Speech and Drama

Stenography Technical Drawing

Should Senior High Schools be instituted in N.S.W. they may profit

by the Tasmanian experience and offer from the outset a broader range

of subjects than at present exists for the Higher School Certificate.

In so doing, they would appeal to the large numbers of pupils who do not require matriculation status as well as to those quite suited by the present subjects offered..

Tasmania - Continued College Existence

The continued existence of Hobart College and development of similar Senior Schools as in Launceston in 1967, indicates the satisfaction the Tasmanian Department of Education has derived from its 1961 decision to establish such colleges. Articles published in local Tasmanian papers have also indicated by their titles approbation for the Matriculation College structure, e.g. ’’Educators Get Pat on 63

Back" (5) and "Matriculation Colleges are Pace Setters". (6)

Evidence such as this suggests that the N.S.W. Department of Education

should at least make an in-depth appraisal of the merits of such

schools modelled on the lines of those in Tasmania.

Canberra - The Problems of Change

The recent development of Secondary Colleges in the Australian

Capital Territory was based largely on the results of surveys published in 1973 in the so-called "Campbell Report" (7). In this

respect the N.S.W. Department of Education might also take note of the desirability of comprehensive investigation, planning and forward publicity before change is instituted. In an interview with Mr. M.E.

March (Principal Narrabundah College and Chairman of the College and

High Schools Planning Committee) the necessity to forewarn and inform was made quite clear. (8) Mr. March indicated that in his opinion this could be a significant problem for N.S.W. (considering its size) as the uncertainty associated with the change was evident in the A.C.T.

Particular difficulties associated with the changeover period were observed by the present author at Narrabundah College where three different courses were being administered during 1976:

Year 10 following the N.S.W. School Certificate Pattern.

Year 11 following the Autonomous Narrabundah College Organisation.

Year 12 paralleling the N.S.W. Higher School Certificate Structure.

This situation necessitated three timetable structures and resulted in some restrictions of the courses which could be offered to Year 11 students which in turn would affect them as Year 12 students in 1977. 64

Canberra - The Question of Size

The restricted number of courses offered to Year 11 students was

also a function of school size as indicated by the Assistant Principal

of Narrabundah College, Mr. A.W. Wilkes. (9) For 229 students in

Year 11, 1976, the following courses are offered and structured as set

out below:

STUDENT LOCATION FORM - YEAR 11

Line 1: Ag., Aust.History, Bio 3, Bio 4, Cr. Art, German B, Maths B, Music, Physics, Typing.

Line 2: Bio 1, Chem., Dutch B, Geog., Geol., Physics, Pitmanscript, Politics, Sci. and Man, Typing.

Line 3: Anc. History, Asia & Develop. Nations, Creative Design, French A, Human Movement Mod. History, Pitmanscript, Soc. Psych., Tech. Drawing, Textiles, Typing.

Line 4: Anc. History, English, Eng. Sci., Home Sci. B, Soc. Psych.

Line 5: Eco., English, French B, Geog., German A, Human Movement.

Line 6: Creative Art, Eco., Home Sci. A, Indonesian A, Maths A, Soc. Psych.

Line 7: American History, Bio. 1, Bio. 4, Chem., Consumer Ed., Maths C, Mod. History, Music Workshop, Physics.

Such a choice was adequate in the opinion of students questioned

at the College and in their view was preferable to more courses in a bigger college. Both staff and students surveyed at Narrabundah were adamant that the 800 students recommended for a college by the

Campbell Report (10) was far too high and 600 should be an absolute limit. Mr. Wilkes supported this view by referring to, "the more reasonable way students could be treated" if college population was 65

limited and both staff and students could retain their identity. In

seeking,therefore, Colleges which are both educationally desirable

and economically viable the Canberra experience suggests limiting

student numbers to 600 although all four of their colleges (Narrabundah,

Dickson, Phillip and Hawker) will be below that figure for some years.

Canberra - Are Senior Schools Necessary?

In what seemed a surprising statement, Mr. March of Narrabundah

College questioned the need for Secondary Colleges if they were only

being planned at present. It was his opinion that they were now less

necessary in the A.C.T. than when the movement began to establish them

in 1972. This change has occurred because the movement itself caused

all those connected with secondary education in Canberra to re-think

what should be done with all adolescent students. Mr. March felt

students were being treated in a more "reasonable” way with improved

opportunity for self-direction and self-expression, even in the Four

Year High Schools. Therefore, one of the greatest problems, that of discipline, was perceived by Mr. March as diminishing where students appreciated that a type of contractual relationship existed between the student and his school. For its part, the school endeavoured to provide the best education it could for the student and in return the student conformed to rules or strove for change within lawful guidelines. Perhaps this view is appropriate for N.S.W. secondary education in that all we do in the secondary school should be re-appraised to determine its relevance and value, rather than what is done to senior students only. 66

Canberra - What of the Four Year High Schools?

Some educationalists express the view that the Junior High School,

the consequence of having Senior Schools,may become a deprived area of

education due to loss of experienced teachers. The Principal and staff

of Telopea Park High School (A.C.T.) were interviewed on the 6th

February 1976 to discover their attitudes and experiences resulting

from the change which made their school the one Junior High School

supplying Narrabundah College, (ll) The following summary covers the

major points mentioned.

Advantages

1. Easier and more clear-cut guidelines for student conduct could be

established and maintained as all students could be treated in the same

manner, e.g. No Smoking regulations enforced at the school.

2. Students in Year 10 accepted and responded positively to a

leadership role previously denied them by the presence of Year 11 and

12 students in the school.

3. Year 7 to 10 classes benefitted by the attention of senior teachers

who in the Six Year School would be largely occupied with senior

classes.

Disadvantages

1. The majority of teachers questioned regretted the loss of teaching

senior classes. (One teacher expressed the view: "My degree has been a waste of time".)

2. The increased number of students which appeared to many teachers

a consequence of remaining a Junior High School placed an undue strain 67 on the resources of Telopea Park High School. Some increase in total

student numbers seems inevitable in the junior school if the same number of total classes is retained in that school. For example, the

loss of a senior class of approximately 21.2 (Mean Form V English

Class Size 1974) will be replaced by a class of approximately 32.2 students (Mean Form II English Class Size 1974).

3. There was some evidence of disunity amongst teachers at Telopea

Park High School vis-a-vis their colleagues at Narrabundah College.

Such discontent could have been largely the result of early suggestions that it was in fact Telopea Park High School which was to be the

College, while Narrabundah filled the Junior School role. Whether true or not, this view was expressed by members of staff both at

Narrabundah College and Telopea Park High School.

Victoria - The Cost Factor

Insight into the major question of establishment costs may be gained from the submissions of a working party made to the Victorian

Minister for Education (Hon. L.H.S. Thompson) and the then Director-

General of Education Mr. F.H. Brookes in 1967. Dissected under headings of:

Staffing

Buildings

Library Material

and Student Conveyance, the results of this research anticipated prohibitive costs for setting which indicates depth of planning involved in this submission. up Senior High Schools (See Appendix 8)/ Consequently plans to initiate Senior High Schools in Victoria were deferred for ten years 68

and only this year is the situation being reviewed by means of a

pilot study using the existing Bendigo High School as a College

supplied with students from East Loddon, Eaglehawke and Flora Hill

Schools. Perhaps this should also be the method adopted by the N.S.W.

Department of Education to help determine cost factors in relation to

the setting up of Senior High Schools throughout this state.

The United States - Economies of Scale

A number of selected examples from Senior High Schools in the

United States of America indicates alternative structures which could

be employed in N.S.W. The 4,800 students enrolled in the four high

schools making up the Evanston Township High School complex permitted

250 courses to be offered in 1974-75. (12) Such specialization has

the merit of allowing students a wide choice of subjects but would

appear to incur some costs for students whose individual identity

would be reduced in such a large institution. In the same way,

students educated in Senior High Schools under the Master Plan for

Prince George's County Public Schools have flexibility to choose from

56 Art Courses, 87 Business Education Courses or 55 Industrial Arts

Courses, but must forego some of the personal attention possible in

much smaller colleges. (13)

In addition to the extensive range of courses offered by the

large Senior High Schools mentioned above, their size permits the

provision of a complete range of extra-curricular activities, part-

time study organisation and community involvement. The following list

drawn from the handbooks of Evanston Township High School (14) and

Kaiser High School (15) indicates the educational opportunity such 69

schools can offer their community.

Summer Schools

Work Release Programs

Half-Day Programs

Driver Education Programs

Adult Education Courses

Special Education Courses (for the Deaf, Blind and those with learning disabilities).

Central Resources Centres (Libraries with 55,000 volumes, T.V. centres, Computer Centres, Reading Laboratories, Art Music and Dance Studies).

While some Six Year comprehensive secondary schools in this state can identify with a number of the above activities and facilities, it is reasonable to assume none have sufficient size to cater for them all,

Considering the requirements of students 17 to 19 years of age, a broadening of the scope by increasing the size of a number of schools could well be investigated.

Guthlaxton Grammar School - Protracted Change

The experience recorded by the English Grammar School at

Guthlaxton is noteworthy as an example of a method of change to a

Senior High School to be avoided. The period over which this school changed to a Senior School was extended to eight years in the belief that this"would cushion the impact of change". (16)

In retrospect this appears to have been undesirable as it:

"delayed the complete achievement of what

we have come to regard as one of our most 70

valuable advantages - a school where every

pupil is between fourteen and nineteen years". (17)

The implications for secondary education in N.S.W. are evident.

If Senior High Schools are considered desirable then they should be

implemented expeditously,otherwise their identity may be lost and

anticipated advantages never realised.

SUMMARY

Evidence from other states of Australia and from other countries

around the world, suggests that there may be some advantages in having

schools/colleges for Senior High School students. There does not seem to be any conclusive proof that such schools must be for the equivalent of our year 11 and 12 students only. Some schools cited previously (Kaiser High School and Evanston Township High School) are in fact organised for years 9 to 12. Perhaps the only conclusion which can be reached from a comparative study is that alternative systems do operate and for the state of N.S.W. some such organisation could be put into operation, giving parents, teachers and students a choice denied them under the present administration. 71

REFERENCES

(1) BROWN, C.Dwight. Centralised Matriculation, Hobart Matriculation College. EDUCATION NEWS.Vol. 11. No.3.June 1967 Pg. 19.

(2) Ibid. Pg. 19.

(3) Ibid. Pg. 20.

(4) EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF TASMANIA. TASMANIAN MATRICULATION COLLEGES 1973.

(5) NEAL, L.F. "Educators Get Pat on Back". THE ADVOCATE. Burnie. 19th March, 1971.

(6) NEILSON, W.A. "Matriculation Colleges are Pacesetters". THE MERCURY. Hobart, 4th July, 1972.

(7) CAMPBELL, R.J. (Chairman). Po. cit.

(8) MR. MARCH. Interviewed 6th February, 1976.

(9) MR. WILKES. Interviewed 6th February, 1976.

(10) CAMPBELL REPORT. Op. cit. Pg.

(11) MR.B.DEVINE. Principal and Staff interviewed 6th February, 1976.

(12) ALL ABOUT E.T.H.S. an Information Pamphlet and E.T.H.S. PILOT. Student Handbook 1975-76.Evanston Township High School.

(13) HASSEL,C.W. (Superintendent) EDUCATIONAL MASTER PLAN for PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Third Edition.Jan.1975.

(14) E.T.H.S. Publications. Op. cit.

(15) KAISER HIGH SCHOOL. REGISTRATION GUIDE. 1974-75.

(16) MASON S.C. (Ed.) In Our Experience. "Eight Years Experience of an Upper School".Longmans. 1970. Pg. 113.

(17) Ibid. Pg. 113. 72

CHAPTER 8

EVIDENCE FROM THEORETICAL WRITINGS

The existing six years of secondary education in N.S.W. schools covers broadly that period of human development called adolescence. It is necessary in the context of this report firstly to view this period between childhood and adulthood as a whole and then to consider whether or not identifiable stages exist within that period sufficient to warrant different conditions of schooling for those different stages.

Adolescence - An Overview

The following quotations are a small sample of descriptions of the period of adolescence taken as a total period of development:

"Adolescence is both a way of life and a span

of time in the physical and psychological

development of the individual. It represents

a growth and change in nearly all aspects of the

child's physical, mental, social and emotional

life. It is a time of new responsibilities

with adults as well as with peers". (Hurlock) (l)

or

"Traditionally in our culture adolescence is

a period of stress and strain but there is no

physiological reason for it ...... We

cannot blame undesirable adolescent behaviour 73

on growth, genes or glands, but only on a

culture that has no meaningful place for the

adolescent". (Garn) (2)

or

"The dramatic and very obvious physical and

physiological changes that occur in adolescence

may tend to obscure the fact that impressive

changes in cognitive development are also taking

place at the same time". (Sinclair) (3)

Words or phrases also used to describe important characteristics of the period are:

"inconsistent" and "unpredictable" (Anna Freud) (4)

"searching for identity" (Erickson) (5)

"discredits social norms" (Harris D.B.) (6)

"iconoclastic" (Harris D.B.) (7)

There is therefore general agreement on the nature of adolescents and the characteristics of the period: relatively rapid physical growth accompanied by marked intellectual and emotional change.

Theories of Adolescent Development

Just as there is a consensus of opinion on Adolescence in the general sense there is great diversity in the specific theories endeavouring to analyse the period in detail. G.S. Hall (1916) (8) 74

and A. Kretschner (1951) (9) present explanations based largely on the

biological changes which take place. Purely Psychological Theories

have also been promoted, e.g. those by 0. Kroh (1951) (10) and

K. Lewis (1948) (ll). More recently Psycho-Social (HavighwSt) (1951)

(12) and Sociological Theories (Davis) (i960) (13) have added further

perspectives in the study of this period. While consideration of these

theories is not the purpose of this report it is necessary to

recognise their existence when the following attempt is made to see if

stages of development occur in specific areas as adolescence

progresses.

Few authors writing about adolescence have been prepared to

identify any general sequence of development applicable to the group

as a whole and individual longitudinal profiles have only limited

significance in this context as growth rates vary within a broad

range.

Physical Development

The early stage of adolescent development is marked by the

changes of puberty. (These changes may be seen on the following pages in graphical form). 75

FIGURE 1 - GRAPH SHOWING AGE AT MENARCHE. 1 8

Norway

C/3 .^Germany

Finland > Sweden* \ \\

United States

Denmark \ N

i 980 YEAR OF MENARCHE Figure 1-1. Age at menarche, or first menstrual period, has declined in the U.S., Britain, and Europe. Girls are estimated to begin menstruation between 2.5 and 3.3 years earlier on the average than a century ago. The age of menarche is an index of the rate of physical maturation.

Source: From “Earlier Maturation in Man,” by J. M. Tanner. Copyright © 1968 by Scientific /American, Inc. All rights reserved.

The average ages indicated do however tend to conceal the age- range over which such changes occur; this is indicated below:

FIGURE 2 - AGE RANGE OF CHANGES IN PUBERTY FOR GIRLS.

Height Spurt

Menarche

Breast 8-13

Pubic Hair 8-14

Age, Years Diagram of sequence of events at adolescence in girls. An average girl is repre­ sented; the range of ages within which some of the events may occur is given by the figures placed directly below them. (From Tanner, Growth at Adolescence, 2nd ed., Blackwell Scientific Publ., 1962.) 76

For boys there is likewise a significant age-range during which the changes of puberty occur as seen in the following graph:

FIGURE 3 - AGE RANGE OF CHANGES IN PUBERTY FOR BOYS

Apex Strength Spurt

Height Spurt 10% - 16

Penis 11-14% 13%-17

Testis 10-13% 14%-18 Pubic 2 —— 3 zzn 4 zzz . 5 ■ - Hair ^6-15 14-18

l. l______!______|______!______i______l______I

10 ' 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Age, Years Diagram of sequence of events at adolescence in boys. An average bov is repre­ sented; the range of ages within which each event charted may begin and end is given by the figures placed directly below its start- and finish. (From Tanner, Growth at Adolescence, 2nd ed., Blackwell Scientific Publ., 1962.)

Given this information it would appear inconsistent to identify group changes associated with puberty within narrow age limits. In general the age range of change is 4 to 5 years which in fact could cover almost the whole of the years of secondary education. That is, in the extreme case some students in Year 11 could have completed the primary and secondary sex changes of puberty while others in the same year have only just begun such changes.

Further evidence of physical growth using average data indicates

that the "growth spurt" reaches its climax by about age 15 years, but

again such evidence does not take into account the age-range of these

changes. 77

FIGURE 4 - ADOLESCENT HEIGHT SPURTS

FIGURE 5 - GROWTH RATES FOR BODY MEASUREMENTS IN ADOLESCENCE

Bi Iliac

Head Circ.

Weight

AGE [V YEARS 78

Neverthless, it could be argued that those physiological changes loosely grouped under the heading of puberty have for the majority of students been completed by age 15. (14) While these basic changes themselves are quite significant} consequent manifestations which reach their peak at about the same time account for a great deal of so called adolescent behaviour. Thus the problems of eye adjustment

(Ausubel) (15), the sharp decline in both interest and volume of physical activity (Jones, M.C.) (16) and the higher incidence of acne and general skin disorders as graphed below are indications of changes with which the adolescent must cope. Such problems have however markedly subsided by the time most students reach 16 years of age.

FIGURE 6 - FREQUENCY OF DISEASES AND DEFECTS OF THE SKIN

AGE IN YEARS Frequency of diseases and defects of the skin. Source: Adapted from F. K. Shuttlevvorth, "The Adolescent Period," Monographs of The Society for Research in Child Development, 3:3. 79

Psychological Development

The somatic changes noted previously have a marked affect on

psychological development as emphasised in the following statement:

"Changes in body contours, new sensory experiences

from developing sex organs, the upsurge of energy,

new as well as heightened emotional responses - all

tend to focus the attention of a boy or girl on his

body ...... This focussing of attention on the body

is probably a concomitant of those periods in human

life when velocity of physical change is rapid as in

infancy and adolescence ...... As changes in

growth bring changes in sensations or appearance,

interest in the body is renewed and concepts of

self undergo revisions ...... The changing

body becomes a symbol, not only of being different

from last month or last year, but of a new attitude

toward self, towards others, towards life". (17)

On the same theme Erikson's analysis of psychological development, while avoiding narrow definition of the period of "crisis", identifies two quite distinct phases in psychological development in adolescents.

Stage I

"In the early stage adolescents find a need for trust in themselves and in others. They look fervently for man and ideals to have faith in, at the same time they fear any appearance of foolishness as a result of a too trusting commitment. This paradox may be expressed in the form 80

of frequent loud and cynical mistrust of man and their ideals". (18)

Stage 2

"Free assent becomes a dominant force in which the adolescent

would rather act shamelessly in the eyes of his elders out of free

choice rather than be forced into activities which would be shameful

in his own eyes or more particularly in the eyes of his peers". (19)

Intellectual Development

Stages in cognitive development during adolescence may also be

identified as indicated by Piaget. (20) "Formal thinking" begins to

develop at about age twelve and expands through to circa 16 years.

This permits the systematic and effective generation of hypotheses which may then be tested against available evidence. It is only when this stage is completed that students can capably enter the phase of peer discussion, become preoccupied with moral values, differentiate between "what is" and "what should be", think beyond the present, and so question accepted beliefs and values.

Moral Development

Evidence suggests that there are few sudden or rapid changes in moral development during the teenage years. Rather there seems to be a process of continuous, gradual and cumulative growth extending from age twelve to twenty. (21) While the results of the study by Connell et al suggest this is so, it could be projected that "moral values in action" could be an added dimension for senior students not confronting the younger respondents in the survey. 81

Social Development

There is no evidence to suggest distinct developmental phases in the social environment of adolescences. As indicated previously however there is a marked overall change in the social life of older teenagers. Peer group pressure diminishes and becomes covert, differential relationships with parents, non-parent adults and teachers occur as the adolescent attains adult status.

SUMMARY

Few authors writing about the period of adolescence would attempt the finite classification of teenagers and their characteristics as does Gesell. (22) But recent writings by Erikson (23) and Bloss (24) based on psychoanalytic theory suggest strongly that there is a crest in growth which marks a natural watershed;at this point it would seem schools should adopt significantly different attitudes and techniques to optimise the educational process. 82

REFERENCES

(1) HURLOCK, E. ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT. McGraw-Hi11.New York,1967. Pg.i.

(2) GARN, S.M. GROWTH and DEVELOPMENT. Allyn & Bacon.New York, 1968.

(3) SINCLAIR, R.E. "Adolescence in a Changing Society". CONSULTATION on SECONDARY EDUCATION in a CHANGING SOCIETY. Aust. Frontier Inc. Sydney. May 1970. Pg. 8.

(4) CAPLAN, G. & LEBOVICI, S. ADOLESCENCE: PSYCHOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVES. New York, 1969. Pg. 72.

(5) ERIKSON, E.H. IDENTITY - YOUTH and CRISIS. Faber and Faber. London, 1968. Pg. 17.

(6) HURLOCK, E. Op. cit. Pg. 5.

(7) Ibid.

(8) ADAMS, J.F. (Ed.) UNDERSTANDING ADOLESCENCE. Allyn and Bacon. Inc. Boston, 1971. Pg. 77.

(9) MUUSS, R.E. THEORIES OF ADOLESCENCE. Random House. New York. 1967. Pg. 132.

(10) ADAMS, J.F. (Ed.) Op. cit. Pg. 83.

(11) Ibid. Pg. 85.

(12) HURLOCK, E.B. DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY. McGraw-Hill. New York. 1959. Pg. 14-15.

(13) ADAMS, J.F. (Ed.) Op. cit. Pg. 85.

(14) SMART, M.S. and SMART, R.C. ADOLESCENCE - DEVELOPMENT and RELATIONSHIPS. MacMillan Co. New York.1973.Pgs.42-43,

(15) AUSUBEL, D.P. THEORY and PROBLEMS of ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT. Grune & Stratton. New York.1954.

(16) JONES, M.C. "Psychological Correlates of Somatic Development". CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1965, 36, Pgs. 899-911.

(17) STOLZ, H.R. and STOLZ, L.M. "Adolescent Problems Related to Somatic Variation". ADOLESCENCE 43RD YEAR BOOK,1944. Univ. of Chicago Press. Pg. 83.

(18) ERIKSON, E.H. Op. cit. Pg. 128. 83

(19) Ibid. Pg. 129 et seq.

(20) PIAGET, J. "THE LANGUAGE AND THOUGHT OF THE CHILD". Routledge & Kegan Paul. London,1952.

(21) CONNEL. et al. 12 TO 20 - STUDIES of CITY YOUTH.Hicks,Smith & Sons. Sydney, 1975. Pgs. 71-111.

(22) MUUSS, R.E. Op. cit. Pg. 136.

(23) ERIKSON, E.H. Op. cit.

(24) BLOSS, P. ON ADOLESCENCE. Free Press. New York, 1962. 84

CHAPTER 9

HYPOTHETICAL ORGANISATION OF A SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

In this chapter an attempt will be made to establish the

possibility of setting up a Senior High School using three existing

six year high schools, two of which could be used as four year schools

to supply the third as a Senior School. This particular number of

schools has been chosen based on:

(a) their proximity such that no student would be required

to travel an excessive distance.

(b) resultant numbers in the Senior School would be in the

order of those recommended by the Campbell Committee report, (l)

The schools chosen for hypothetical rearrangement are the present

Endeavour High School (EHS) and Caringbah High School (CHS) to become

Junior High Schools, and (PHHS) to become a

Senior High School. Location and relationship of these schools to one

another may be seen in Appendix 1.

TABLE 9

THE PRESENT ENROLMENTS OF THE THREE SCHOOLS 1976 (2)

School Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 Year 12 Total

P.H.H.S. 152 195 193 200 96 97 933

E.H.S. 187 192 201 199 114 114 1007

C.H.S. 236 258 277 268 171 159 1369

Totals 575 645 671 667 381 370 3309 85

If the students as enrolled on previous page were redistributed

between the three schools such that all Year 11 and Year 12 students went to P.H.H.S. while junior students were shared between E.H.S. and

C.H.S., then the following distribution of students could occur:

TABLE 10

HYPOTHETICAL REARRANGED ENROLMENTS 1976

School Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 Year 12 Total

P.H.H.S. 0 0 0 0 381 370 751

E.H.S. 232 297 294 284 0 0 1107

C.H.S. 343 348 377 383 0 0 1451

Tota 1 575 645 671 667 381 370 3309

Total school enrolments are therefore altered only slightly with the Senior School experiencing a decrease in numbers while the two junior schools increase by approximately 100 pupils each. Considering the relatively large class size permissable in Junior Secondary years, present school facilities could be expected to cope with such an increase.

Staffing

In accordance with the above movement of students, the redistribution of present staff could be achieved numerically, applying 86

the existing Department of Education staffing formula:

TABLE 11

PRESENT STAFFING 1976

School Years 7 8 9 10 11 12 Additional Total

P.H.H.S. 7 9 9 9.5 6.0 6.4 4.1 54

E.H.S. 8 9 9 9.5 8.5 8.5 4.1 56.4

C.H.S 9.8 11 12 12.5 9.9 9.7 6.8 71.7

Total 24.8 29 30 31.5 24.4 24.6 15.0 182.1

TABLE 12

HYPOTHETICAL REARRANGEMENT OF STAFF' 1976

School Years 7 8 9 10 11 12 Additiona1 Total

P.H.H.S. 0 0 0 0 24.4 2416 8.1 57.1

E.H.S. 12 13 14 14 0 0 3.4 56.4

C.H.S. 12.8 16 16 17.5 0 0 6.3 68.6

Total 24.8 29 30 31.5 24.4 24.6 15.0 182.1

Therefore using the same total staff the rearrangement could be effected by changing only a small proportion of the additional allowance to the Senior School where additional non-teaching functions could be expected to occur. By predicting that the larger numbers in each form would reduce the likelihood of small classes being staffed as at present, each school could in fact benefit from such a rearrangement as carried out above.

Student Travel

As shown by the Map in Appendix 1 of the present drawing area 87

few school students would be required to travel more than 2 miles to

school after the rearrangement. In this respect Port Hacking High

School may not be the best choice for the Senior School as it is not

the most central to the whole area, however it has easy access to rail

transport and appears to have existing facilities more suited to the

requirements of a Senior School.

Facilities

The school map of Port Hacking High School on the following page,

indicates some of the site and campus advantages this school has in

performing the functions of a Senior High School, namely:

Gymnasium

Auditorium

Chapel

Home Unit

Extensive Playing Fields

Access to Transport (Rail and Main Roads).

Access to Community Sporting Facilities.

One serious deficiency would however need to be rectified and that is the provision of a large and well equipped Library/Resources

Centre, suitable for the individual study and research appropriate to

Senior Secondary Education.

Subjects Which Might be Offered

Initially, courses offered would be basically the whole range of those under the present N.S.W. Higher School Certificate Organisation, 87(a) 88 but with a rapid introduction of a variety of courses suited particularly to pupils' needs, especially those not requiring

Matriculation Status and in accordance with teachers’ special interests and abilities. Consideration could also be given to offering courses which make full use of the physical facilities at the school.

Examples of such new courses which meet one or more of the above requirements would be:

Typing Accountancy

Drama Australian History

Business Studies Musical Performance

Trade Courses Government

Shorthand Physical Recreation

Psychology Sociology

Such a list of subjects which might be proposed should be viewed as open-ended, allowing for continual additions and deletions.

Class Sizes

As indicated previously, the N.S.W. Department of Educations formula for staffing could be applied even to this hypothetical rearrangement. This being the case, some improvement in staff-student ratios could still be expected overall as small classes in each six year school at present could combine to form more economically viable groups under the rearranged conditions. Three specific examples of such savings are set out as follows: 89

TABLE 13

REARRANGED CLASS NUMBERS IN PARTICULAR SUBJECTS

School Class Numbers 19"6 Hypothetical Class Nos.

Example 1 Year 8 French

P.H.H.S. 15 0

E.H.S. 19 26

C.H.S. 22 30

Example 2 Year 11 Ancient History

P.H.H.S. 7 29

E.H.S. 10 0

C.H.S. 12 0

Example 3 Year 11 Music

P.H.H.S. 4 18

E.H.S. 6 0

C.H.S. 8 0

Staffing

Staff movement initially could be controlled by the same means as employed when two schools combine or one school splits into two.

That is, existing staff in each establishment get first choice of appointment based on the normal conditions of seniority which the

Department applies. It could be expected that the experience in terms of staffing would be similar to that observed by the Principal of Melbourne High School (Mr. R.E. Thompson) after visiting Tasmania

Matriculation Colleges:

"No particular staffing problems resulted from 90

the separation of the two types of schools".

School Organisation

It would be hoped that a much greater flexibility of school hours

could be employed with perhaps hours of operation for the Senior

School extending from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with eventual extension to

evening classes. If this were done, provision could be made for

students to study part-time or attend school full-time with allowance

for work release programs. The provision of educational and

recreational evening classes would encourage the school's development

as a focus for the community, in addition to providing valuable adult

education facilities. It should be noted that the extension to

evening courses is an additional program and would therefore incur

added expenses, apart from the rearrangement of the three schools.

Extension of school hours suggested above could create some

difficulties regarding the attendance of both staff and students.

This may be overcome by requiring students to attend only when their

classes are operating and staff might be required for a central core

of time during the day e.g. 10.00 a.m. to 12 noon , and otherwise

only when they are teaching.

If effective student-self-government is fundamental to the aim of a Senior High School, then every effort should be made to develop student participation in the decision making process. This goal may be best achieved by placing elected student representatives on a

School Management Board alongside the teachers, parents and school 91

principal. This participation should be complementary to the

operation of a Student Council Body to process student grievances and

facilitate student initiatives, e.g. fund raising activities, cultural

visits, excursions or ex-student’s days.

Discipline

Ultimately incorrigible, anti-social behaviour within the school

society would have to be dealt with by temporary suspension or total

exclusion. It might be anticipated however that counselling on a

personal basis would be adequate in the majority of cases, if the

reports made by the Principal and students at Benilde and Narrabundah

College are applicable here. In both instances, students spoken to

were appreciative of the counselling they received and could recall

few incidents in which the stronger measures of suspension or

expulsion had to be employed.

Teaching

It would be anticipated that the whole range of teaching/]eerning

situations would occur in a Senior High School from large group

lectures, to tutorials, team teaching, programmed learning, individual

study and laboratory research and student conducted laboratory research and student conducted seminars. The exact approach in any particular instance would be the professional concern of the teacher but it would be hoped that the most enlightened educational practice would become standard procedure. 92

Additional Staff

In two particular areas staff additional to the current

establishment of the three schools would appear essential if the

reorganisation is to make significant achievements. The existing

six year high schools might well claim that the same additions to their

staff would improve the quality of education they provide. While this view may be valid there do seem particular advantages for added staff

in a Senior School.

(a) Curriculum Co-ordinator.

The multiplicity of curricula which would hopefully be offered in the Senior School would require a co-ordinator to eradicate unnecessary duplication and to assess effectiveness of courses. As such courses would be structured under the guidance of Subject Masters, the person responsible for curriculum would probably need the status of Deputy or Assistant Principal.

(b) Ancillary Staff.

If the varied teaching methods, indicated above, are to be employed, additional para-professional staff would be essential, particularly where individual student research and practical work are appropriate. Areas of study which would require such personnel are,

Science Laboratories, Trade Course Rooms, Art and Drama Studies and the Physical Education and Recreation Centre.

Student Enrolment

All students who completed courses at the two feeder schools and were recommended by their school, would be allowed to enrol at the

Senior School. Such enrolment need not be obligatory as students 93

wishing to continue on in a Six Year School could transfer to the

senior years of a neighbouring school, viz Woolaware High School,

Sylvania High School or Gymea High School. Similarly, any vacancies

in the Senior High School could be made available to students from

outside the two feeder schools. Assuming that the only changes made

to facilities at Port Hacking High School would be those previously mentioned, some upper limit to total enrolments in the Senior School would need to be set. This would probably be around 900 students, but

experience alone could indicate what this limit should be. The final

capacity of the senior school would represent a compromise between economies of scale on the one hand and an ability to give personalised education on the other.

The Body Corporate

With emphasis on self-direction of students in the Senior School, some attention would need to be given to activities of a corporate nature. Sporting fixtures, visiting speakers, formal functions and drama performances would be some of the devices used to engender a corporate spirit for both students and staff, otherwise the institution could become a nebulous creation lacking unified purpose. In much the same way the Senior School would need to confirm its relationship with the community in which it exists by communicating its activities, aims and achievements. The increased size and diversity of the Senior

School’s community would make the need for identity of School and community so much greater 94

SUMMARY

The preceding outline is not intended as a final "blue-print" for

action, but rather to establish the practicability of organising a

separate Senior High School. Perhaps this could be done as a pilot

scheme on a trial basis in an effort to determine the success or

failure of such a proposal. The three schools chosen are representative of many in the Sydney Metropolitan Area and in provincial cities in terms of student enrolments, staffing allocation and proximity to each other. The prime consideration in constructing this hypothetical model was to minimise additional cost so that the obstacle of increased expenditure could not be advanced as a reason for not attempting at some time the implementation of this proposal. 95

REFERENCES

(1) CAMPBELL REPORT. Op. cit. Pg. 116.

(2) Figures Supplied by each school as for Term I Returns to Dept, of Education, 1976. 96

CHAPTER 10

WHAT STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THINK OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

In April 1972 D.S. Anderson and D.G. Beswick of the Education

Research Unit of the Australian National University submitted a report to a Working Committee set up by the Minister for Education and Science entitled "Canberra Secondary School Survey 1972 - The Proposal to

Introduce Fifth and Sixth Form Colleges in the A.C.T. - First Report".(l)

Initially aimed at discovering student attitudes to the proposal, the survey developed also to include information on socio-economic background, vocational expectations and school experiences. Finally,

1,271 students from Forms Four, Five and Six in all Canberra public schools were taken as a representative sample of the total senior school population. A second report entitled "Australian Secondary

School Survey 1972 (ASSS): Second Report to the Committee on the proposal to establish fifth and sixth form colleges in the A.C.T." was completed in 1973. In this second survey 5,000 students from:

Independent schools in Canberra

State and independent schools in Melbourne

Matriculation Colleges and High Schools in Tasmania

and Fifth Form students in the Sydney North Shore Area, were surveyed. The student questionnaire used in this report is essentially that used in the two surveys above. A copy is included as Appendix 7(a).

The decision to use the questions included in the ASSS 1972 was taken as a result of reference to that survey made by Inspector 97

Macdonald in the interview with him previously cited. Mr. Macdonald expressed the view that the A.S.S.S. 1972 responses were not necessarily representative of N.S.W. students and as a result, those who used the Canberra Survey results as an argument for introducing

Senior High Schools in N.S.W. were doing so incorrectly. In particular, Mr. Macdonald pointed out the likely higher socio-economic status of students represented in Canberra and Sydney North Shore

Schools.

The results of students surveyed as reported in this chapter does show however a marked resemblance to the A.S.S.S. 1972 results as included in the Campbell Report. To support this similarity an average of the responses from different categories in the A.S.S.S.

1972 has been included in parenthesis below where applicable.

The Survey

In all 455 student responses were processed from students in years 10, 11 and 12 drawn from the N.S.W. schools listed below. The reason for choosing each school has been included in an attempt to establish some degree of state-wide representation according to type of school.

TABLE 1A : SCHOOLS SURVEYED

Port Hacking High School - Kingsway, Miranda. A coeducational Secondary School from a middle class socio-economic area

Mt. Druitt High School - Stuart St., Mt. Druitt - A coeducational School from a lower class socio-economic area. 98

Jannali Boys High School - Sutherland Rd. Jannali. A Boys’ secondary School.

Beverly Hills Girls High School - King Georges Rd. Beverly Hills - A Girls'Secondary School.

Barraba Central School - Barraba, N.S.W. - A small coeducational country Central School.

De la Salle College, Cronulla - Cross Street, Cronulla - An Independent Senior School already in operation.

Attitude to the Proposal (Question 5)

Of the students surveyed, 58.4% indicated that they favoured the

idea of Senior High Schools (compared with 77% in favour in the A.S.S.S.

1972 report). Only 8.3% of students showed a rejection of the

proposal while 33.3% were undecided. Quite a number of those in the undecided category suggested that they were not in a position to respond in any other way due to lack of experience or knowledge of what might be involved in such separate Senior Schools. In Question 6 students were requested to explain why they had answered Question 5 as they had and the responses could be synthesised as follows:

In Favour - Would allow for a more comprehensive choice of subjects.

- Would make it possible for greater student control of student affairs.

- Would permit some revision of assessment procedures.

- Would make a more realistic bridge between present secondary education and vocational and tertiary institutions. 99

Not in Favour - It would not be good starting in a new school for just 2 years.

- Some idea of class distinction between students in Junior and Senior High Schools could develop.

This synthesis of student views is verified to some extent by

their responses to Question 26 which required them to indicate three

of the most important considerations in planning colleges for fifth

and sixth forms. The most recorded responses have been set out in

the following table.

TABLE 15

SURVEY ITEM 25

No. who indicate this as one of the most important considerations.

I tern 10 More time for private study 108

I tern 13 Variation of teaching group sizes 144

I tern 14 less weight for examinations 156

I tern 17 More technical subjects needed 151

I tern 19 More subjects for vocational purposes needed. 148

It must also be noted that 66% of respondents (A.S.S.S. 53%), indicated the futility of changing the present structure unless increased courses, different teaching methods and changed student control accompanied the restructuring (item 8). 100

When Might the Division of Secondary School Best Occur?

The majority of students suggested the partition of the Senior

School would best occur after year 10, although a large percentage

{36%) preferred that it should occur after year 9. Possibly this

latter group represent students at present in year 10, who therefore

see benefits for themselves being in the Senior School rather than in

the Junior School. An extension of the survey to years 7, 8 and 9

could indicate their preference for an even earlier division.

Whatever the outcome of such an extended survey, 77% of students felt that there would be advantages for members of the Junior School as well as for the Senior Students (A.S.S.S. 81%).

Educational Requirements

The following table sets out in greater depth precisely what students surveyed feel are their needs in education. These requirements are not necessarily synonymous with a Senior School, but perhaps may be provided more adequately in such an institution. 101

TABLE 16

SENIOR STUDENT NEEDS

I tern Brief Description % Agree A.S.S.S. % Agree

10 More time for private study 59 60

11 Less talk from teachers 50 75

12 Attendance at class voluntary 41 51

13 Teaching methods varied 79 74

14 External Exams 53 33

15 Reduce Exam Orientation 71 85

16 School Hours extended 26 29

17 More technical subjects 70 76

18 More social science subjects 71 81

19 More vocational orientation 71 89

20 Older students able to return to study. 72 79

22 More opportunity for part-time studies. 25 53

23 School uniforms not necessary 42 72

24 Punishment may be necessary 42 33

25 Student council should handle punishment 33 58

Item 21 was extracted from the above table in an attempt to highlight the ambivalent attitude of students in certain areas.

Approximately three-quarters of the students feel there should be provision for older students (item 20) but a much smaller percentage want older students in their classes (item 2l),(38%), A.S.S.S. (44%) and even less see the need for part-time study. There is a 102

tendency of most items in this group to evoke less definite responses

here than quoted in the A.S.S.S. 1972 report.

Two-thirds of the students in both surveys indicated that the

improvements sought for Senior School Students could best be

provided in Senior Schools, although further study may need to be

undertaken to see if in fact this is so. Perhaps it is not a question

of total restructuring but rather a reassessment of those things being

done within the present structure.

Issues of Social Education

Student responses to questions on the social issues of their education show a high degree of unanimity, opting in general for voluntary attendance in such courses as; Driver Education, Sex

Education, Drug Education and Religious Education.

ATTITUDES TO SOCIAL EDUCATION

TABLE 17 ITEM 28 A. S . S. S.

Compulsory Voluntary Compulsory Voluntary

Driver Education 33% 67% 29% 65%

Sex Education 50% 46% 39% 59%

Drug Education 42% 38% 52% 46%

Not at all Not at all

Religious Education 46% 54% 34% 63% by Clergy

Religious Education 68% 32% 65% 34% by Teachers 103

Attitudes to Teachers

This aspect of education is covered by questions 29 to 36 as

included in Appendix 7(a) . In addition to classification of their

teachers as they now see them, students were asked in supplementary

questions to indicate what they thought teachers should be like. Two

important points emerged from these questions:-

First, students are only slightly concerned with a teacherb

personal expert knowledge (only 2% consider this most important),

while 64% place most emphasis on "the skill in communicating ideas"

and the remaining 34% see "the attitude towards students"as critical.

The responses to Item 37 substantiate these opinions and suggest

perhaps a more feasible staffing situation than might first be

envisaged. If students are not impressed with higher academic

qualifications per se, then staffing on that criteria alone is not

warranted and the suggestion that senior schools may appear more

prestigious could perhaps be dismissed.

Secondly, students recorded a positive attitude towards their

teachers more so than in some selected categories of the A.S.S.S.

1972. (in particular the responses of Tasmanian Fourth Form Higher

Status Student.) (l) The point made by the Campbell Report may be pertinent here:

"The conclusions to be drawn from these tables

are not always obvious and they should be

interpreted with some care in the light of

other information. Nevertheless, there are a

number of clear patterns; students whose 104

fathers are in professional and managerial

occupations are more critical of teachers

than are those in other Socio-Economic Groups" (2)

This could be the explanation in this instance as students surveyed would not have parents in professional and managerial positions as a general rule. The implications of this positive attitude towards teachers could again be assumed to facilitate staffing of Senior Schools on other than purely academic criteria.

If this were the case, fears that senior, experienced and better qualified staff only would gravitate to Senior Schools, thus depriving Junior Schools, may be unfounded.

Decision Making in Senior Schools

Students indicated with some precision who they believe should be responsible for policy making in senior schools.

SCHOOL GOVERNMENT

TABLE 18 ITEM 38

Representatives on School Councils Yes A.S.S.S,

Teachers 75% 67%

Parents 29% 42%

Other local citizens 17% 7%

Senior Students 75% 92%

Government Officials 8% 11%

No council, only principal 16% 6% 105

It could be concluded therefore, that students envisage an

institution based on participatory democracy, although it could be argued that they are in fact supporting only their egocentric

tendencies as suggested by Inspector Macdonald in Chapter 2.

Staff Survey

An exploratory survey was also administered to a small number of teachers in an attempt to clarify teacher attitudes and opinions related to the question of Senior High Schools. In this survey, 176 returns were processed from teachers in both state and independent schools, covering as far as possible the whole range of teaching subjects and years of experience.

The majority of teachers surveyed indicated that they were in favour of the division of secondary education to provide Senior Schools

(58%). However, a larger percentage (66%) also indicated their preference for teaching in such schools. In fact, quite a number of respondents pointed out that only if they could be placed in such a

Senior School to their satisfaction, would they then be in favour of the proposal. These results are significant, as they emphasise:

(1) The difficulty which may be experienced in staffing junior schools as a disproportionate number of teachers expressed the desire to teach in Senior Schools.

(2) A strength of feeling against the division if staff seeking

Senior School appointments could not be satisfied. 106

The responses by staff noted on previous page may account for the

policy decision of the N.S.W. Teachers’ Federation on this question,

and probably explain in part the N.S.W. Department of Education's

reluctance to proceed with such a reform. A more comprehensive survey

would certainly need to be undertaken to determine the validity of

this sample response, for if applicable on a state-wide basis, this

represents a major obstacle to the introduction of Senior Schools in

this state.

On the question of student interaction in the existing six year

schools, teachers perceived the situation quite differently, reflecting probably their own personal experiences and observations.

Of the total 176 responses, 102 (58%) felt students in the Senior and

Junior years mixed in an active and natural way, 54 teachers (31%) regarded the relationship as one of bare toleration, while 12% went even further by suggesting that Senior students rejected any recognition of junior students. Perhaps the solution to the problem of the relationship between Senior and Junior students is not to separate them, but rather, as Mr. D.S. Bray (Principal Carlingford

High School) points out, to provide a:

"homogeneous social unit organised in such a way

that Senior forms are linked in responsibility

and leadership with Juniors". (3) 107

SUMMARY

Although the student responses recorded in this chapter reflect

general agreement with those of the 1972 Australian Secondary School

Survey, they could not be considered as conclusive evidence of an

urgent need felt by students for the creation of separate Senior High

Schools at this time. Possibly the results reflect a lack of

awareness in terms of alternatives to the present organisation. Such

a view is probably supported by the higher percentage of uncommitted

responses compared with those in the A.S.S.S. 1972 report. If this is

the case, then further investigation should be undertaken by means of

Departmental enquiry.

Similar comment could also be made about the staff survey, with

follow-up research being conducted by both the N.S.W. Department of

Education and the N.S.W. Teachers' Federation to determine the practicability of introducing Senior Schools. 108

REFERENCES

(1) CAMPBELL REPORT. Op. cit.

(2) Ibid. Pg. 161.

(3) See Letter Appendix 3(a). 109

CHAPTER 11

CONCLUSIONS

From the evidence presented, there are arguments both for and against introducing Senior High Schools in N.S.W. Probably the only definite statement which could be made is that further investigation is highly desirable on this proposal and to assist this research a practical pilot scheme might be initiated. Consideration could also be given to the concept that greater variety may be beneficial to N.S.W. education, allowing six year comprehensive schools to operate alongside junior schools, senior schools, middle schools and special type schools.

The latter already exist in such cases as Agricultural High Schools and

The Conservatorium High School. By offering this variety, parents and students may choose that type of school most suitable to their needs, and a greater degree of satisfaction could therefore be anticipated.

Justification for a variety of schools was made by the Working

Party on the Social Provision of the Secondary School in Aberdeen, when they stated:

"There is no clear evidence that one system of

social organization is superior to all others,

and we hope that head teachers will adopt the

system which suits their particular school and

share their experiences with their colleagues", (l)

The strongly centralised nature of the N.S.W. state school system tends to restrict the flexibility to experiment with structural alterations which are the subject of this report, this again raises 110 the issue of the need for greater school autonomy.

The Merits of Senior High Schools

By reference to the preceding chapters, the following benefits could be expected from the introduction of Senior High Schools.

The aims of the "Wyndham Scheme" in particular the provision of courses suitable to the variety of adolescent interests may be better achieved. If the projection that student retention rates will continue to increase is correct, then this need for varied courses assumes greater significance.

The problems of the rapidly changing social structure in which students attain adult status, in almost every respect, but are deterred from entering the work-force, would be improved if students could be educated in a more mature environment.

Probably the Aims and Objectives of Secondary Education with regard to student involvement and participation would be better realised in the context of their own age group, compared with the present broad grouping of students, extending from eleven to nineteen years of age.

There may be an added advantage for junior students if the views of those currently engaged in such schools are accepted. This is contrary to some "popular opinion" which suggests such schools would become deprived of qualified staff and relegated to an inferior position in the education system. Ill

The majority of staff and students surveyed are in favour of the

introduction of Senior High Schools. This is probably one of the most

important points,as a continuing vital education system must rely on

the involvement of those people in it.

There is evidence to suggest that significant differences in

growth patterns exist between younger and older adolescence. This

may be advanced as a reason for providing different schools for the

two groups.

Arguments Against Introducing Senior High Schools

As these are the basis of the present N.S.W. Department of

Education attitude to this proposal, most of these conclusions are

drawn from material presented in Chapter 2.

The anticipated benefits of Senior High School organisation could

probably be achieved just as well in a six year school. Therefore, to

disjoint the education process further without distinct advantage is

not justified. Perhaps re-appraisal of all secondary education is what is needed rather than special provision for senior students only.

No clear evidence has as yet been presented as to costs involved

in senior high schools, in particular over a longer period of time,as

such senior schools evolve and acquire a more diverse structure.

While both staff and students might express a desire for senior schools, they may both do so for undesirable reasons. Students may only anticipate greater freedom to do as they wish, while staff may 112

anticipate their teaching in such a senior school without due

consideration to the problems of staffing junior schools.

The policy of the N.S.W. Teachers’ Federation is opposed to the

concept of senior schools and this would represent another controversial

issue in relations between the Department and the Federation.

Evidence provided by comparative studies is in many cases

inappropriate as it fails to recognise the unique characteristics of

the N.S.W. education system regarding size and distribution of schools

in this state.

SUMMARY

In balance, there is no clear case for making a decision on this proposal based only on the information contained in this report. There does seem to be however, an urgent need for further investigation based on two important factors:

(a) If Senior High Schools are not introduced, then continued agitation can be expected as was expressed in the following letter to

The Sydney Morning Herald of March 31st., 1971: 113

"Sir, The Wyndham Scheme was implemented to give the student every opportunity for a comprehensive education. Now, some 10 years later, we find in high schools the following situation: (a) In some instances some languages and music have been deleted. (b) Some language and history classes are being taught by correspondence. (c) Up to five periods per week are being treated as free periods for students doing the maximum number of subjects for the Higher School Certificate. How is it possible for this system to succeed and standards not to drop? If a six-year course is to remain for high school students, would it not seem practical that a senior college be established in each area (using existing schools where possible) to pool teachers in order that students receive full benefit? Teachers would have a far greater chance to teach the subjects for which they are trained and not, as in so many instances, classes for which they are not qualified. The senior colleges would greatly reduce the waste of teaching hours, where some classes rate very small numbers, and so avoid deleting subjects. After all, one of the main points of the scheme was the availability of a wide choice of subjects to the student. (Mrs.) Dorothy Dennison, Caringbah.

Such opinion, while not harmful in itself, does reflect some disenchantment with the present organisation. It should be possible to answer such comments with comprehensive explanation or by reference to research being undertaken, neither of which seems possible at the present moment.

(b) The reported successes and extension of Intermediate Schools in

New Zealand (Watson 1959-64) (2) and of the Leicestershire two-tier system (Mason 1957) (3) together with systems and experiments already cited, both in this country and overseas, reinforce the view that at 114 least the N.S.W. Department of Education might experiment not only with Senior Schools but other variations of the orthodox Wyndham

Scheme organisation. In fact such change should not be viewed as contrary to the spirit of the Wyndham Scheme, but really an extension of it. The aims of secondary education as set out by the Wyndham-led

Committee of Enquiry are stated as follows:

1. "Any conception of a school must assume marked

diversity among individuals in any group of

children.

2. Not only do children differ from one to another,

but within each child is to be found a diverse

pattern of aptitudes, interests and needs.

3. Especially during adolescence, this pattern

within the individual is not static. The

atmosphere, methods and immediate purposes

of the school should change to accord with the

chief stages of this personal growth.

4. Life, at any given stage of his schooling is

important for the child. Adults are apt to

talk about education as a 'preparation for

life'. In one sense, they are right. But they

will recognise that true education must concern

itself with living now, at whatever stage the

'now' may be .

5. Neither child nor adult lives to himself; each

must find his life as a member of a social group.

The school's opportunity lies in the scope which 115

is offered teachers to provide example and guidance

to young individuals who have so much to learn of

the art of living with their fellows". (4)

Educational Change

Comments made by John I. Goodlad in an article titled "Educational

Change - A Strategy for Study and Action" are appropriate to conclude this report. (5)

"There are few comprehensive, conceptual, simulated

or real models of what redesigned schools might look

like".

"The norms of and expectancies for schooling are so

built in to the total structure that the prospect of

redesigning any significant part of the whole is

discouraging if not frightening".

"Upward mobility for individuals in the system

depends not only on learning its nature but a.lso

on reinforcing the system".

Because the above conditions seem to be as correct for N.S.W. education as they are for the United States system that Goodlad was describing,what follows as a result of these conditions is also appropriate.

"Significant educational change can only result from a

comprehensive attack on the whole. But such an attack

if overt, is likely to alert the system and to strengthen

the very mechanisms which are to be the focus of attack".(6) 116

Possibly this is the situation which at present exists in regard to any proposal for Senior High Schools in this state. However, the recent Report of the Review Panel appointed by the Minister for

Education titled "THE COMMUNITY AND ITS SCHOOLS" stresses the need for greater school autonomy and community involvement, which in turn may lead to greater variety in schools with less regard for a system mould. (7) 117

REFERENCES

(l) Organization of Comprehensive Schools in Aberdeen. Unpublished Paper - Prof. Howie.

(2) WATSON, J.E. Intermediate Schooling in New Zealand, Wellington, 1964. Pg. 418 to 422.

(3) MASON, S. The Leicestershire Experiment. London 1957. Pg.118

(4) Wyndham Report. Op. cit. Pg. 56

(b) GOODLAD, J.I. "Educational Change - A Strategy for Study and Action". IDEA REPRINT SERIES, 1968. Pg. 3.

(6) Ibid. Pg. 4.

(7) BUGGIE, J. (Chairman). Report of the Review Panel appointed by the Minister of Education. THE COMMUNITY AND ITS SCHOOLS. Streatfield Press. Sydney 1974. Pg. 8 and 9. 118

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS

1. ADAMS, J.F. (Ed.) UNDERSTANDING ADOLESCENCE. Allyn and Bacon Inc. Boston, 1971.

2. AUSUBEL, D.P. THEORY and PROBLEMS of ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT. Grune & Stratton. New York 1954.

2a. BANY, M.A. & JOHNSON L.V. EDUCATIONAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY. Macmillan 1975.

3. BLOCKER, C.E., PLUMMER, R.H. & RICHARDSON, R.C. THE TWO-YEAR COLLEGE - A SOCIAL SYNTHESIS.

4. BLOSS, P. ON ADOLESCENCE. Free Press. New York 1962.

5. CAPLAN, G. & LEBOVICI, S. ADOLESCENCE: PSYCHOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVES. New York 1969.

6. CONNEL. et al. 12 TO 20 - STUDIES of CITY YOUTH. Hicks, Smith & Sons. Sydney 1975.

7. CRONBACK, L.J. EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY. Harcourt Brace. New York.

8. CRONSHAW, J. GOING TO SCHOOL IN GERMANY. Glasgow Publications 1975.

8a. D'URSO, S. (Ed.) CRITICAL WRITINGS on AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION. J. Wiley and Sons 1971.

9. ELKIND, D. A SYMPATHETIC UNDERSTANDING of the CHILD SIX to SIXTEEN. Allyn and Bacon Inc. Boston 1971.

10. ERIKSON, E.H. IDENTITY - YOUTH and CRISIS. Faber and Faber. London 1968.

11. FLYNN, M. SOME CATHOLIC SCHOOLS IN ACTION. Catholic Education Office, Sydney 1975.

11a. FITZGERALD, R.T. THE SECONDARY SCHOOL AT SIXES AND SEVENS - A.C. E.R. Riall Print Pty.Ltd. 1970.

12. GARN, S.M. GROWTH and DEVELOPMENT. Allyn & Bacon. New York 1968.

13. HARPER, J.F. & COLLINS, J.K. (Ed.) STUDIES of the AUSTRALIAN ADOLESCENT. Cassel Australia 1975.

14. HINTON, B.L. (ED.) GROUPS and ORGANISATIONS. Wadsworth Belmont. California 1971.

14a. HASS, G. READINGS IN SECONDARY TEACHING. Allyn and Bacon Inc. WILES, K. 1970. ROBERTS, R. (Eds.) 119

15. HURLOCK, E. ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT. McGraw-Hill. New York 1967.

16. HURLOCK, E. B. DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY. McGraw-Hill. New York 1959.

17. MACLAINE, A .G. and SELBY-SMITH, R. (Eds.) FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES in AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION. Ian Novak. Sydney 1971. i CO —

1 MASON, S.C. (Ed.) IN OUR EXPERIENCE. Longmans. London 1970.

19. MUUS, R.E. THEORIES OF ADOLESCENCE. Random House. New York 1967.

20. PIAGET, J. "THE LANGUAGE AND THOUGHT OF THE CHILD". Routledge 8, Kegan Paul. London 1952.

21. PEDLEY, R. THE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL. Penguin Books. Ringwood Victoria 1969.

22. RAUBINGER, F.M. et al. THE DEVELOPMENT OF SECONDARY EDUCATION. MacMillan Co. 1969.

23. SEBALD, H. ADOLESCENCE - A SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS. Appleton - Century - Crofts. New York.

24. SMART, M.S. and SMART, R.C. ADOLESCENCE - DEVELOPMENT and RELATIONSHIPS. MacMillan Co. New York 1973.

25. TANNER, J.M . GROWTH at ADOLESCENCE. Blackwell. Oxford 1962.

26. UNRUH, G.G. and ALEXANDER, W.M. INNOVATIONS in SECONDARY EDUCATION. Holt, Rinehart and Winston Inc. New York 1970.

27. WALKER, W.G . Theory and Practice in Educational Administration University of Queensland Press 1970. 120

REPORTS AND JOURNAL ARTICLES

1. ALL ABOUT E.T.H.S. an Information Pamphlet and E.T.H.S. PILOT. Student Handbook 1975-76. Evanston Township High School.

2. BARCAN, A. "The Need for Senior High Schools". THE AUSTRALIAN QUARTERLY. Vol. 45, No. 3. September 1973.

3. BARTER, K.E. "The Non-Graded High School at Melbourne, Florida, U.S.A. SOUTH AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION. April 1969.

4. BENNETT, D.M. "The Study of Society in Australian Secondary Schools". QUARTERLY REVIEW OF AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION. A.C.E.R. Vol. 11. No. 1. 1968.

4a. BUGGIE, J. (Chairman) Report of the Review Panel applointed by the Minister of Education. THE COMMUNITY AND ITS SCHOOLS. Streatfield Press. Sydney 1974.

5. BROWN, C.D. "Central Matriculation, Hobart Matriculation College". EDUCATION NEWS. Vol. 11. No. 3. June 1967.

6. CURRIE, E.J. (Chairman) REPORT of the COMMISSION on EDUCATION in NEW ZEALAND 1962.

7. DEVIN, M. (Ed.) THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE SECOND CENTURY - A publication to commemorate 125 years of Education in N.S.W. - V.C. Blight. Govt. Printer. Sydney 1973.

8. DITTMAN, R.T. (Chairman) REPORT on SECONDARY EDUCATION in WESTERN AUSTRALIA 1969.

9. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF TASMANIA. TASMANIAN MATRICULATION COLLEGES. 1973.

10. EVANSTON TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL. STUDENT HANDBOOK 1975-76.CHICAGO U.S.A

10a. GOODLAD, J.I. EDUCATIONAL CHANGE - a Strategy for Study and Action. Idea Reprint Series. Chicago. 1968.

11. HANSEN, I.V. "A Sense of Community". MELBOURNE STUDIES in EDUCATION, 1974. M.V.P. 1974.

12. HASSEL, C.W. (Superintendant) EDUCATIONAL MASTER PLAN for PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Third Edition.Jan 1975.

13. JONES, A.W. (Director General of Education S.A.) reporting from the Alberta Commission on Education Planning. "A FUTURE OF CHOICES, A CHOICE OF FUTURES", Australian College of Education NEWSLETTER. April 1975.

14. JONES, M.C. "Psychological Correlates of Somatic Development". CHILD DEVELOPMENT. 1965. 36. 121

15. KAISER HIGH SCHOOL. REGISTRATION GUIDE 1974-75.

16. KING, W.R. 'Times’ Education Supplement. 19th February 1975. (Mr. King was Chief Education Officer of Croydon, England, 1954-1963).

17. NEAL, W.D. "The Changing Secondary School Population". AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL of EDUCATION. Vol. VI. 3. 1962.

18. N.S.W. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - DIRECTOR of STUDIES - THE AIMS OF SECONDARY EDUCATION in N.S.W. N.S.W. Gov't Printer. (Approved by the SECONDARY SCHOOLS BOARD and by the BOARD OF SENIOR SCHOOL STUDIES 1974.)

19. SHANNON, N.R. (Secretary Secondary Schools Board), BASE PAPER ON THE TOTAL CURRICULUM. D. West. Gov't Printer. Sydney 1975.

20. ST. ANDREW'S CATHEDRAL SCHOOL. Handbook and Student's Guide.

21. SINCLAIR, R.E. "Adolescence in a Changing Society". CONSULTATION on SECONDARY EDUCATION in a CHANGING SOCIETY. Aust. Frontier Inc. Sydney. May 1970.

22. STOLZ, H.R. and STOLZ, L.M. "Adolescent Problems Related to Somatic Variation". ADOLESCENCE 43RD YEAR BOOK, 1944. Univ. of Chicago Press.

23. VENN, G. "Eye on Tomorrows Jobs". AMERICAN EDUCATION. 5:13. March, 1969.

24. WILLIS, E.A. (Responsible Minister) REPORT OF THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION for 1973. D. West. Gov't Printer N.S.W. 22nd August, 1974.

25. WYNDHAM, DR. H.S. (Chairman). REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO SURVEY SECONDARY EDUCATION IN N.S.W. Gov’t Printer. 28th October 1957.

26. YATES, A. GROUPING IN EDUCATION - A REPORT SPONSORED BY THE U.N.E.S.C.O. INSTITUTE for EDUCATION. Hambury N.Y. John Wiley & Sons 1966. 122

MAP OF LOCATION AND STUDENT DRAWING AREAS FOR PORT HACKING HIGH SCHOOL ENDEAVOUR HIGH SCHOOL CARINGBAH HIGH SCHOOL Scale ■4 APPENDIX I Carbers Horse Rock Pt, —CaptainS^dgn Cook-

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Address eii communication 32 Pat, ick Street. to the Genera! Secretary. APPENDIX 2 HOSART. 7000 Telephone : 34 2431 LETTER FROM TASMANIAN TEACHERS * FEDERATION 34 3267

27th August 1975.

Mr. R. Hurley, 151 Thurlgona Road, ENGADINE. N.S.W. 2233.

Dear Mr. Hurley,

Thank you for your letter of 12th August concerning matriculation colleges. The Federation has supported the establishment of these colleges and they have won fairly general acceptance throughout the community, including teachers and students.

There are no different conditions with regard to salaries or promotion opportunities, but there are some differences because of the different way in v/hich the timetable is structured. Teachers in colleges have a slightly lesser teaching load because of this but they do of course have a heavy load of preparation.

Growing community involvement is aff(acting the matriculation colleges perhaps more than other schools and this is particularly true cf Rosny College, which is becoming a community college very rapidly, spurred on by the division of Hobart into two sections by the loss of the bridge. ' The Rosny College serves the Eastern Shore suburbs where there is no other educational provision beyond high school.

There has been no industrial tension and there has been no deterioration in staff morale in high schools.

I would suggest that you might care to write direct to the colleges to get further information.

Yours sincerely,

(Miss E. M. Backhouse) DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY. DSB/iat 124

f]„rtL gocL goal, CarLJcJ

BOX 192, P.O., PHONE: 871 4222 CARLINGFGRD, 2118 871 4011 APPENDIX 3(a) 17th September, 1975

LETTER FROM MR. D.S. BRAY

Mr. R. Hurley, Social Science Master, Port Hacking High School, P.0. Box 187, MIRANDA....2228

“A Dear Ron,

I have thought concerning the matter mentioned and discussed it with a number of members of Staff here at the school.

There is, as you would expect, a difference of opinion on the matter of Senior and Junior High Schools. The teachers to whom I spoke were fairly evenly divided on the matter.

We have at this school approximately 550 students in Forms V and VI. While there are problems attendant upon this number in the school, my feeling is that it would be better to retain the school as a single unit rather than to have it split into Senior and Junior groups. Some points concerning this are as follows:

1. The straight through High School provides a homogeneous social unit when it is organised in such a way that Senior forms are linked in responsibility and leadership with the Juniors. This is, of course, not an easy matter and there is the tendency particularly in Form VI to cut itself off from the other groups.

2. I would think, if there were a separate Junior and Senior school, that staff distinctions would be increased - without any warrant - and that greater prestige would attach to the teachers teaching the more senior groups.

There are, Ron, other reasons involved and you are putting forward many strong reasons for splitting the schools. On balance, however, I would feel that it is better to retain the present arrangement. «

lours sincerely, 125

APPENDIX 3 (b)

LETTER FROM G.K. MILNE

Principal Port Macquarie High School Port Macquarie, N.S.W.

Settlement Point Road Port Macquarie, 2444.

19 - 9 - 75.

Dear Ron,

I have jotted down a few points on the question of senior colleges and leave to you the expanding of these points. They seem to me rather straightforward, but I hope they are of some use to you.

1. These colleges would permit seniors to work in an atmosphere appropriate to their age and maturity. 2. Would allow the organisation of flexible timetables with freedom to students to choose appropriate courses and perhaps even choose when to attend lessons. 3. Would assist in the development of greater maturity of the student. 4. Better preparation for life in tertiary institutions and real life where a student has to make decisions and follow his principles. 5. Face to face teaching can be reduced and students can be made to think for themselves. 6. School rules can be relaxed to provide mature atmosphere. 7. Better and freer use of school facilities and equipment - libraries, laboratories, projectors, slides, cassettes, etc. 8. Teaching may be more satisfying for the teacher. 9. Could create problems within the teaching profession by adding a further grade of teacher - primary, junior secondary, senior secondary, tertiary, university. 10. Less economical of staffing, buildings, furniture, facilities. 11. The separation of junior/senior would deprive seniors of the opportunity to accept responsibility over juniors within the school. I believe that it is good for seniors to have to mingle with juniors at some time and to be called on to consider and discuss their problems. It serves a real purpose in the growth of seniors if they can be called on to help juniors and to become involved in the problems which possibly were their own a few years previously. I am not thinking of, nor do I support the relationship of the traditional prefect/junior.

I hope these notes can be of some help Ron.

Sincerely, Gordon. 126

APPENDIX 4

Junior School-Senior School Relationships for Benilde High,

Nazareth College, De la Salle College

Senior School Location Junior School Location (Supplying Students)

Benilde High 530 Chapel Rd. Marrickville De la Salle 30 Fletcher St. Bankstown. Lakemba " " " Croydon St. Revesby " " 300 River Rd. Kingsgrove " " 51 Caroline St. Bankstown " " " 546 Chapel Rd.

Nazareth College Hume Hwy. Cath. School Vine St. Bankstown Lakemba Croydon St. Berala 37 Regent St.

De la Salle College 2 Cross St. Caringbah De la Salle 389 Port Hacking Cronulla Road. Our Lady of Mercy Coll. Burraneer Bay. 127

APPENDIX 5

SAMPLE STUDENT RESPONSES TO THE QUESTION.

What reasons do you give for being in favour of a change to

Senior High Schools?

Response 1; "The school I attend now works on this system quite

well. Discipline is very relaxed because the close

atmosphere of students’ responsibility is brought

out. There is a complete setting for study".

Response 2: "It allows greater freedom for developing a more

mature student as they're not tied to rules and

regulations made for 13, 14 year olds".

Response 3; "After going to a separate school I find one has

more chance to develop their character and be

treated more equally as there is no need to

project an image to younger forms".

Response 4; "After the compulsary 1st to 4th Forms, a change in

atmosphere and attitude would be desirable for the

difficult and vitally important H.S.C. Often the

freedom which could be offered to 5th and 6th Formers

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APPENDIX 7 (a)

STUDENT SURVEY FOR M. Ed. REPORT

UNIVERSITY OF N.S.W.

NUMBER OF SUBJECTS 445

Answer Questions by circling the alternative you consider most suitable.

This survey is anonymous.

If you wish to explain your answer please do so on the back of the sheet,

NO %

1. What form are you in? Fourth...... 84 19%

Fifth ...... 2 122 27%

Sixth ...... 3 241 54%

2. What is your age now? Under 13...... 1

14...... 2

15...... 3 37 8%

16...... 111 25%

17...... 166 37%

18...... 115 26%

19 or over. .7 16 4%

3. What is your sex? Male..... 187 42%

Female.... .2 258 58%

4. It is possible that the school system in N .S.W . might change,

instead of the present 6-year high schools, there would be high schools

covering Forms 1 to 4, and after fourth form, students who are going on would proceed to colleges for the present fifth and sixth forms which would be at a separate location.

Perhaps these colleges would offer a different range of courses than at

present, and would operate a little differently from the present high 130 schools, but details have yet to be worked out.

What is your opinion on the general proposal?

NO %

Generally in favour..... 259 58%

Generally not in favour...... 2 37 8%

Undecided...... 3 148 34%

5. What are the reasons for your answer to the previous question?

6. If the present secondary schools were to be d/vided, at what level would this be best?

After 2nd form...... 1 1 .2%

After 3rd form...... 2 148 33%

After 4th form...... 3 296 66.8%

After 5th form ...... 4

7. Would you favour separate colleges even if there were no change of courses, teaching methods, discipline, etc . for fifth and sixth form? Yes...... 130 29%

No...... 2 315 71%

8. Generally speaking what would be the effect on(338)students left in forms 1-4 if the fifth and sixth forms(l07) were removed?

Advantage to them . ..7

Disadvantage...... 24% ..2 131

Listed below are opinions sometimes expressed by students. Think about them, especially with regard to what you would like to see at fifth and sixth form level. Indicate whether you agree or disagree by circling the appropriate number opposite each item. Circle 1 if you agree strongly with the statement and 5 if you disagree strongly. Otherwise circle 2 or 4 to show that you tend to agree or disagree and circle 3 only if it is really impossible to decide.

Strongly Strongly Agree Disagree

1 2 3 4 5

9. There should be more time for private % 21 38 8 21 12 study and individual assignments with No. 93 167 37 93 55 less time in class.

10. We need less talk from teachers and % 25 25 8 33 9 more discussion. No. 111 112 37 147 38

11. Attendance at class should be % 9 32 16 25 17 voluntary. No. 40 144 73 113 75

12. Teaching methods should include some % 29 50 4 8 8 lectures to large classes and No. 129 222 18 37 35 tutorials for small groups.

13. External exams like the Higher School % 16 37 32 22 22 Certificate are necessary and cannot No. 73 164 14 96 98 be replaced by internal exams marked by your own teachers.

14. Less weight should be given to exams % 30 42 16 5 9 and more to continuous assessment of No. 132 186 69 20 38 work throughout the year.

15. Classes should be scheduled at various % 17 9 7 29 38 times during the day and evening, not No. 76 38 33 130 171 just in normal school hours.

16. Technical as well as academic subjects % 25 46 22 3 3 should be offered in the same school No. 109 204 99 13 14

17. Social science subjects like sociology,% 21 50 20 9 anthropology and political science No. 44 221 91 38 0 should be available.

18. There should be more emphasis on sub- % 28 42 13 12 4 jects which are useful in a job. No. 128 186 56 55 17 132

Strongly Strongly Agree Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 19. People who have left school for some % 29 42 24 4 years should be able to return at any No. 130 188 107 16 0 time and continue their studies.

20. Older people,say over 30, should % 9 29 21 21 21 not be allowed in the same class No. 38 129 93 93 93 with 16 to 18 year olds.

21. There should be more opportunity to % 17 8 32 39 5 work and study part-time at a normal No. 75 35 140 173 22 school (say go to school 2 days a week).

22. School uniforms are not appropriate % 16 25 17 21 17 at the senior level in school. No. 73 113 75 93 76

23. Corporal punishment may sometimes % 4 38 18 29 12 be necessary. No. 19 168 78 128 53

24. Most discipline should be handled % 12 21 12 38 17 by a student council. No. 52 95 53 168 77

25. Now go back and look at your answers to questions 9 to 24 and put a DOUBLE CIRCLE around those THREE you think would be most important for planning colleges for fifth and sixth forms.

26. Do you think any important changes you would like to see could be accomplished equally well in the present six-year high school?... or ...1??.... ! - 29% better in separate colleges for fifth and sixth form?....2-71%

27. Do you think the following subjects should be provided at school? (Circle one number in each row) Compulsory Voluntarv Not at all Driver Education...... (i) 148 (2) 296 (3) 1 33% 67% Sex Education...... (i) 222 (2) 203 (3) 19 50% 46% 4% The Uses and Dangers of Drugs...... (i) 185 (2) 167 (3) 93 42% 38% 20% Religion Taught by a Clergyman or church Representative...... (i) (2) 241 (3)204 54% 46% Religion taught by a regular member of the teaching staff (i) (2) 143 (3)302 32% 68% 133

So far no decisions have been made about the sort of teachers that would be in the colleges. Perhaps they would be the same as they are now in high schools, or perhaps they would be selected differently. We would like your ideas about teachers in the senior part of the school; what they are like and what you think they should be like. Your answer should concern teachers generally, not any one particular teacher, and should relate to the senior level - about fifth and sixth form. In each of the following questions you are asked to indicate your agreement or disagreement. (i) with what teachers and teaching are LIKE NOW (ii) with what teachers and teaching SHOULD BE

Strongly Strongly Agree ? Disagree 1 2 3 4 5

28.(i) Teachers DO spend a good deal of % 45 25 21 9 time talking with individual No. 202 113 91 39 students.

(ii) Teachers SHOULD spend more time % 51 32 12 6 talking with individual students. No.226 142 52 25

29.(i) Teachers ARE generally expert % 54 13 26 8 in their subject area. No. 238 58 114 35

(ii) Teachers SHOULD BE more expert % 40 21 17 21 1 in their subject area. No.178 93 74 94 6

30.(i) Teachers DO listen to what % 22 41 34 3 students have to say. No. 99 182 152 11 1

(ii) Teachers SHOULD listen more to % 40 38 22 what students have to say. No.179 168 98

31.(i) Teachers DO encourage students % 21 42 25 8 4 to express their own views. No. 94 187 111 37 16

(ii) Teachers SHOULD encourage students % 33 47 12 7 2 to express their own views. No.145 207 55 29 8

32 (i) Teachers ARE good at communicating % 4 47 24 21 5 in the class room. No. 20 206 105 92 22

(ii) Teachers SHOULD BE good at % 42 49 8 communicating in the class room. No.189 219 35 2

33.(i) For students who need it % 18 42 12 25 3 teachers DO help out of normal No. 76 187 54 113 15 school hours. 134

Strongly Strongly Agree ? Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 33j( ii) For students whc> need it teachers % 59 25 8 8 SHOULD help out of normal school No 261 111 36 37 hours.

34.(i) Teachers insist on students % 29 37 8 18 8 addressing them formally. No.130 166 35 77 37

(ii) Teachers SHOULD insist on students % 17 25 13 34 11 addressing them formally. No. 75 112 56 151 51

35. Which do you think is most important in a teacher? (Circle one number only). Expert knowledge on the subject ...... 1 Skill in communicating ideas.... ?7§...... 2 - 62% An informal friendly attitude ....!§?...... 3 - 38%

36. In what respect does teaching at the senior level most need to be improved? (Circle one number only). Expert knowledge of the subject ..77...... 1 - 8% Skill in communicating ideas ....77?...... 2 - 79% An informal friendly attitude ....5§...... 3 - 13%

37. If there were a governing council for each school, who should be represented on it? (Circle one number in each row).

Yes Uncertain No Teachers ...... 333 1 75% 57 2 13% 55 3 12% Parents ...... 131 1 29% 147 2 33% 167 3 38% Other local citizens... 74 1 17% 93 2 21% 278 3 62% Senior students ...... 336 1 75% 91 2 20% 18 3 4% Government officials ..37 1 8% 88 2 20% 320 3 72% No council, only princ. 70 1 16% 67 2 15% 308 3 69% 135

APPENDIX 7 (b)

STAFF SURVEY FOR M. Ed. REPORT

UNIVERSITY OF N.S.W.

NUMBER OF SUBJECTS 176

TOPIC: "Senior High Schools for N.S.W. - The Case For and Against"

Please circle the alternative you prefer in the following questions

If you wish to expand your answer please do so on the back of this sheet.

1. Would you prefer to teach in: NO %

a. A senior high school (Forms 5 & 6) 116 66%

b. A junior high school (Forms 1 to 4) 18 10%

c. The present 6 Year High School. 42 24%

2. Do Senior students in your school

a. Mix actively and naturally with 102 58% Junior students

b. Barely tolerate Junior students 54 31%

c. Reject almost all recognition of 21 12% Junior students

I am:

a. Generally in favour of the introduction of separate senior high schools 93 53%

b. Generally not in favour of the 21 12% introduction of separate senior high schools.

c. Not committed to either a. or b. above 62 35% 136

APPENDIX 8

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROPOSAL.

VISTORIAN RESEARCH.

Presentation to the Minister of Education, the honorable L.H.S. Thompson, M.L.O., and the Director-General of Education, Mr. P.H. Brooks, by the Secondary Schools Division, the Educational Architecture Research Group and the Public Works Department on Thursday, 14tli September, 1967.

' Information Bulletin supplied as reference material to aid discussion:

Contents A. Educational Brief.

B. Procedures.

C, Numerical Specification.

Architectural Report.

Costs -

(i) Staffing (ii) Building (iii) Library Material (iv) Student Conveyance

Parts A and C of this proposal are included here to indicate the depth of planning in this submission. EDUCATIONAL ARCHITECTURE RESEARCH LABORATORY 137

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT

EDUCATIONAL BRIEF;

1. The Finn.

(a) In 1966, after lengthy consideration of alternative twc-tier systems, the Director of Secondary Educatio.i (Mr. Reed) submitted his proposal to establish a system of senior-junior high schools in the metropolitan area, the first of them to be opened in the Broadmeadows area.

(b) The high schools at Broadneadows, GTenroy, Hadfield, Oak Park, Pascoe Vale and Upfield will offer four-year courses only. Students wishing to continue their education will proceed to a central high school in the area, offering fifth and sixth year courses.

2. Aim of the Plan.

The aim is to provide -

(a) A suitable environment in which young adults can proceed with their education,

(b) A building flexible enough to meet the changing demands of young adult students and of the V.U.S.E.B. examination system-.

(c) A range of facilities in keeping with the needs of this group of students.

3. Number of Students.

(a) The school will open with approximately 800 students, increasing to a maximum of 1200 students, with 700 in Form V and 500 in• Form VI, and approximately equal numbers of boys and girls.

(b) Unknown factors are -

(i) -possible increase in retention rates, which are at present very low,

(ii) possible admissions from non-State schools.

4. Curriculum.

(a) The school is to be a non-selective one, admitting all students who wish to continue after completing the fourth year in junior high schools.

(b) The school is to provide -

(i) an academic course leading to Matriculation,

(ii) a general course leading to a school certificate,

(c) Counselling services to be available to assist students in selection of courses.

(d) All courses to include pro\rision for -

(i) private study,

#>• (ii) extra-curricular activities. 5. Methods of Ton.ching. 138

(a) Provision to be made for varied methods of teaching, and in particular for -

(i) instructional groups of varying sizes, (ii) team teaching, (iii) extensive, use of library and private study, (iv) use of a wide variety of teething aids.

(b) Teaching to be supplemented, by a tutor-adviser system involving most members of staff and visiting counsellors.

6 • Staffing.

(a) Teacher-student ratio 1:15 students.

(b) Size of classesrForm V - 30 students (academic) - 24 students (practical) Form VI - 24 students (all subjects)

(c) Teacher-etudent contact - 20 hours per week, including tutor-adviser work.

(d) Teaching staff: 1 Principal, 1 D e puty-Prin cipal, 2 Vice-Principals, 2 Co-ordinators (l each for Form V and Form VI) 12 Department Heads, 2 Deputy Heads of Departments (English, Social Sciences), 10 Conveners, 53 Class teachers

(e) Library Staff: 1 Chief librarian, 3 Teacher-librarians.

(f) Ancillary staff: 1 Bursar, 11 Clerical assistants, 3 Laboratory assistants. Carstaking and Cleaning staff.

7. Organisation.

(a) School to be in session continuously, probably from 8.00 am. to 10,00 p.m. each day.

(b) Interruptions to normal school routine to be reduced to a minimum.

(c) Organised sport within school hours to be replaced by Physical Education to be taken by all students.

(d) A very wide variety of extra-curricular activities to bo#-* provided, many being integrated with general studies subjects. 139

8• Adult Education and Community Centro.

(a) Provision to bd made for the use of facilities after school hours by -

(i) the students themselves, (ii) adult education classes, (i i i) c omnium. ty gro up s, (lv)' school organisations.

(b) The possibility of admitting part-time adult students to day classes to be considered.

9* Care-taking. Provision to be made for the care-taking of the building. 140

EDUCATIONAL ARCHITECTURE RESEARCH LABORATORY

SENIOR RICH SCHOOL PROJECT

! RJDAT KOI - AT TORI'I V LEVEL. | 0? TEACHING- hJlJRS + PRIVaTE STUDY HOURS EROI, RE A1TALYSIS ' itu,al;t^deirrd survey. " *

CALCULATION OF TE .CHIITG SUBJECTS HOURS PiTHIN 2 hrs 1 hr. per T‘I_j 2 or 3 hrs. per FACULTY. class of

Choir# Orchestra

i 5 j Drama 116 j | 6 I Film -T.V. 140 ! I ! App# ? 13 i Public Speak.: 94

Home Rcon Home Econ

Denotes individual tuition 141 educ^tioual arohitdcturi; uAXfAfORY REPORT SZNIOR hi Cm SCHOth PROJACT

jlo;: O? TICKING HQUIIS + PRIYATA -TUDY IhAL.A PRO;, A,: ANALYSIS j fPRARf-Ll^ARD SURVEY

CALCULATION 01? TAACiING PR. ST* TOTAL SUBPLOTS HOURS ..ITHIiT 2 hrs 1 hour per | 2 cr 3 hrs per wk v/eek for i per week NO class of I for class OP class STUD

Physics. Chemistry ?s :■ 24 Biology, 'Geology.

if j 32

15 15 students 2_4 students * * Rubjects-in seminars Academic subjects in class Practical subjects-in lessons. laboratories^lahorato ry- class rooms, studios5 studio-classrooms , v/oricshoos EDUCATIONAL ARCHITECTURE RESEARCH ffOnATC if ■SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT REPORT NO.- 2, :al CALCULATION - AT form VI level,

------r • i —------:------r TOTAL SUBJECTS NUMBER OF j NUMBER NUMBER j NUMBER OF CODE P.S.'- HOURS NUMBER OF • WITHIN STUDENTS OF GROUPS! OF CLASSj NO. CLASS HOURS + THE t°#be x SO j HOURS (1 x No. P.S. HOURS FOR FACULTY by 2, FORMED* | U?3 or of groups.) thenh j 2 x by THE FACULTY. n divided j No. of by 24. ! groups) —--- —----- r 0 English Exp. ! 393 492 21 84 21 : English Lit. j 112 140 6 24 6 k Ext ens,Read, i 10 13 ’ 1 3 138 ! 515 i 645 28 111 27

2 Latin 0 0 0 0 ■ ! 0 3 French 44 55 3 12 3 1 4 German 8 10 1 4 3 Russian 13 16 '1 4 1 6 Italian 4 5 1 4 1. 69 86 6 24 i 6 30 L

7. Aust. Hist. 153 192 8 32 8 8 Eur. Hist. 61 77 4 16 4 9 18th C. Hist. 39 49 12 3

..... 10 Soc. Stud. 30 38 2 8 2 27 Gen. Hist. 8 10 1 3 _ 28 Gen. App. 2 1 3 ..... |_J_ 293 j 369 19 74 17 91 . 1 — Geography 172 215 9 36 | 9 11C 15 Geology 6 8 1 4 ! 1 178 i223 10 40 j 10 5° J

12 Physics 88 110 5 20 5 13 Chemistry 85 107 5 20 5 14 Biology 106 1133 6 24 6 26 Gen. Science 12 ! 15 1 3 291 365 17 67 16. 83

16 Calc. & App. 74 | 93 4 16 4 17 Fare 78 j 98 5 20 • 5 18 General 59 j 74 4 16 4' 211 j265 13 52 13 65

31 H.E. 23 29 2 6 ' Dietetics 2 6 6 • ------1------I | he actual number was multiplied by .4 , to bring the xigure as near as 0 500, which would be the full quota of VI Form students in a fully-developed ipenior High School. EDUCATIONAL ARCHITECTURE. RESEARCH LABORATORY REPORT DiV lull I1JLCrll uoIlU'J U 11

NO. 2. i.rlUiUj < ftijUULAilON - AT FORM VI LEVEL.

;EHUNATION OP TEACHING HOURS + PRIVATE STUDY HOURS. SEPT. 1967c . , - T i, ——— '■ - ■■■ ■ - Si CODS SUBJECTS NUMBER OF NUMBER OF • NUMBER■ NUMBER OF TOTAL NO. 71 THIN ■STUDENTS - GROUPS SO OF CLASS P.5. HOURS NUMBER OF THE to be x FOB VIED. HOURS (1 x No. CLASS HOURS + 5 FACULTY by* 7 j (4,3 or of groups., P.o. HOURS FOR 4 then 2 x bv THE FACULTY. divided Ho. of by 24. groups.) t

19 Accounting 67 84 4 16 4 ( Economics 109 137 6 24 6 $5 Business Ed. 43 60 3 9 $ 29 Consumer Ed. 4 5 1 3 30 Electronic D.P. 37 47 2 6 50 Personal Typ. 129 16*2 7 14

394 495 23 72 10 82

21 Art. 40 50 3 12 3 33 Woodwork 2 3 1 3 34 Metalwork 35 Painting 8 10 1 3 36 Sculpture 10 13 1 3 37 Ceramics 6 8 1 3 i 33 Drawing 1 2 1 3 39 Needlecraft 35 44 2 6 40 Graphics 4 5 1 3 1 46 Art App. 21 27 2 4 49 I.D. & Landsc. 117 147 7 14 244 309 20 54 3 57 uU ------.... 22 Mus. Theo. 2 3 1 4- 1 23- Ifols. Prac. 8 10 1C 40 10 24 Mus. App. ’ 5 7 1 4 1 47 Mus. App. 14 18 1 2 42 Choir 8 10 1 2 43 Orchestra 5 7 1 2

42 55 15 54 12 66 . 44 Drama 42. 53 3 ■ 6 45 Public Speak. 46 58 3 6 43 Film - T.V. App). 37 47 2 • 4 • _ 125 158 8 16 16

• 41 Phys. Ed. 183 229 10 20- ! 10 20 20

actual numbers were increased by '25fo9 to bring the 'figures as near as possible ! those that would ie expected in.a fully-developed Senior High School.