Established 2007 Enrolment ~1,580 (7–12) | Principal Cathleen Compton Campus Rural | |
Type Public, Co-educational, Secondary, Day school Website Denison College Website | ||
Denison College of Secondary Education is a college of secondary education in Bathurst founded in 2007.
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Located in Bathurst the college is the largest provider of secondary education in the area with student numbers for 2007 of 1580, a college teaching staff of 130 and support staff of 30.
History
In 2005 a tragic fire completely destroyed Kelso High School (now Kelso High Campus). In the wake of the destruction the NSW Educataion Department sought community consultation as they began to look at new ways to provide enhanced public education to the Bathurst community. These community collaborations, which involved more than 200 people resulted in consensus around a model that called for the establishment of a collegiate, with two-year 7–12 campuses at Kelso and Bathurst High providing quality education and facilities. A feature of this collegiate model was that each campus would maintain its own identity, but the establishment of shared curriculum and resources would increase opportunities for all students.
Denison College was formed to share curriculum, facilities and staff between Bathurst's two public secondary schools, Bathurst High and Kelso High in order to enhance student choice.
Naming
In 2006 the College Reference and Management Committees, which had been created to form the new college, sought in earnest to provide the college with a unique and appropriate name. Community consultation and deliberations by the committees lead to the name for the college: "Denison College of Secondary Education."
The name for the College came from a prominent Bathurst icon, the Denison Bridge. For one hundred and fifty years the Denison Bridge has linked the communities on both sides of the Macquarie River. In much the same way, Denison College now links the Bathurst district communities by providing students with access to an extensive range of facilities incorporating the latest in emerging and traditional educational technologies.
After the naming of the College, the two high school's forming the collegiate were renamed from Bathurst High School and Kelso High School to Bathurst High Campus and Kelso High Campus respectively.
Structure
The college consists of two year 7–12 campuses with a shared senior curriculum. This blend allows the two campuses to maintain their own unique identities but with increased opportunities for students using the resources of the college.
The college structure is supported by a College Principal and extra staff who work closely with Campus Principals to further develop and enhance the educational experiences for all students. College provided transport further supports the educational needs of senior students by allowing easy movement between campuses to meet course and co-curricula requirements. Denison College is also unique in its formation of partnerships with Charles Sturt University, Western Institute of TAFE and local industry.
Campuses
Bathurst High Campus has been a centre for education in Bathurst for over 125 years and one of the oldest inland schools in Australia. The campus is a comprehensive school combining a long history of academic achievement with cultural and sporting excellence. The school itself combines eye-catching heritage buildings with new modern architecture to create a first-rate learning environment.
Kelso High Campus was established in 1976 and has a tradition of academic success. The campus has been recognised as a leader in the performing and creative arts. A new state-of-the-art facility has been built following the fire that damaged the original building.