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 NEW SOUTH WALES 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 Caringbah High School
Jannali Girls High School Mosman High School
Canterbury Boys High School Engadine 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 Cronulla High School
Endeavour High School Drummoyne High School
Tempe High School Kirrawee 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 (Bankstown) 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 Carlingford High School,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 Sefton High School
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 Port Hacking High School (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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mm- .S’ impb-on'ft / I • *-■ J 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. Milperra 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 must be withheld because of lower grades". "Hyji. Frajtkljn Mt. Coimec’iojj^ V ^ V1J0Z'' (( >•> i . t> ;,u Ij! Steppes) 1- • V 1 m/V ^ Aina v , WAWAW'i r Rjriterlaken # TUNERiO^E \ i \ 128 Woodburyf^______\ c V /~J Mt. Tooma Antilf Por 1 » St, S’ *dQCk. B' jjl-aitc few; /r ;? Sit fr It YORK -teT'awtelle v ' pla;: [Victoria [Valley Mt. Anstey n 471 L# 8 "ANDOVER ipSTERLEY ii .^pjrattahV cfStrickl and 3CTHWcLl" JERICHO/ |;W- Mt. Reid, ApsleyWl JEFOORD ' MjT \ 20 MEL'.tonH MOWfBRAY cm/7# y 1 ' vl vY'"TRiABUNNA -iollow Tree levendale ( S.5 Quoin 1 tDYSART 51 T. FIELD \ ) JNAL park i 55 Meadowbonk; , ellendaleT \ lBAGDAD Lov^i % ^^^unnymedefl RyssFLiefc^VONBURYA \\ ■ MANGALORE „„Rekuna \IYj?t£a^D A NIA BRO^MARSH' nvfSTERW^ Jinja b -oj } GRETNA ^ ® ^NATIONAL GLEN OR A PARK ^2 1 BUSHY PAF /"''^"\Pewieensii [NUGENT Tyenna UXBRIDG 4*» 88^“ ’ MC^CGARA^ re,'* on Jj '* a ' MIDWAY, "" ' ---- ' /sj&enfern j MOLES^ORTH^ VfV* \ss»a ' -7 P'-ambRuy, . r-®n-yyt.t TAS v4AN Mt. Styr MT. LLOYD (f -fdcHLAN )MENOil M ■v Collins Cap!^SlIiNSV/PLE' > I v S~HOBAgfl %TE*i > ZWWA RA7 AH V- .LOOKOUT BRUNY VPN ' hartz mfn. i 1 % ' k/h ardenA DfNCTM^' % lice' Cape Cape Raoul »^int »l CR. national Queen Elizabeth GORDOk Surveyc. Vi i PARK Ba}^ APPENDIX 6 . _ ,11e* 231 Simspg Esper&nce Pk. ■^anctstowng DOVff MAP SHOWING SOME SOURCES ApVENVjnM lJJtl-fS FI .. d Cape LSUNAWfX NA^t=jci ADAMSONS PK. OF STUDENTS FOR HOBART \ ^Cookville HASTINGS fSy* CAVES \v Partridge I. \p-. COLLEGE 1967 ,3•Vo’° /f l’5 . is|| ) l ISLAND *■ /< h®3,s5^^H^c.-.r Lune River § N. I Scq/e. 'O (da 3ayj FRECtPiTO'JS BLUFF J Mt. Ert ny 11*20 Cope Bruny PINDARS PK. j Tosmon Htad & .o'r, Lepr»nad "HL **• • Mt. LeitUtuah J , Actceon I. The Friars V. ^ 1 Cat<,msrar>'i )<■ 129 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.