Armadale Senior High School

"Every school has a motto; ours is an appropriate one. The word 'STRIVE' applies to all activities whether in the academic, sporting or cultural field. The success you achieve will be determined by the amount of effort you exert. Never be satisfied with less than your best", (Armadale SHS 1964 Yearbook).

Armadale Senior High School is situated in the South Eastern corner of the Perth Metropolitan region and attracts students from both metro and semi rural districts. Started in 1953 and officially opened in 1955, the school offers a range of courses in a supportive environment and is at the forefront in areas of information technology and senior school. The school also offers a number of scholarships and a Specialist Art Program.

The facilities at ASHS are amongst the best in Western Australia. The Design and Technology area has been upgraded to a 'state of the art' level, several computer laboratories ensure that technology is provided for all students and the school is fully air conditioned.

The school offers a wide range of programs and scholarships. Scholarships are made available to students in the areas of Art, ICT, Music, Academic and Citizenship.

Armadale SHS is proud of the extent to which it provides for the pastoral care of students. Educational programs are designed to cater for all students including those who have specific needs. The school has a strong focus on improving the literacy, numeracy and ICT skills of students. Literacy and ICT are the School Priorities for 2006.

Inclusiveness is a key feature of ASHS. The Armadale Education Support Centre is located with the school. The AESC students join mainstream students for electives. The school also has excellent wheelchair access.

Over its 50 year history, the school has had many outstanding students. Some have achieved national recognition, specifically in law, business, the Australian Defence Forces and sport. We promote these achievements and encourage our current students to emulate their forebears.

Armadale SHS is perceived as 'the school of Armadale'. Many residents of the district graduated from the school. Their children and grand children now attend. We have strong links with the Armadale Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce.

Armadale Education Support Centre (AESC) is situated along the South West Highway in a new, purpose built centre within the grounds of Armadale Senior High School (ASHS). Students come from a mixture of urban, semi-rural and rural settings in Armadale, Kelmscott, Oakford, Byford, Huntingdale, Thornlie, Westfield, Wungong, Karragullen and Serpentine.

The partnership with Armadale SHS offers the advantage of strong links with programmes, extracurricular activities and a wide range of staff while providing opportunities for students to develop wider friendship groups.

Students are grouped according to age, integrating into elective classes in the partner school, Armadale Senior High School and attend year appropriate classes. Students attend core subject classes in the ESC for 16 sessions per week and integrate into the Senior High School for 9 sessions per week.

The Year 8 students are integrated into elective classes as a discrete group. This allows students to fully adjust to the responsibilities placed upon them in the secondary setting and it also allows the staff to become familiar with the abilities of each student.

All other students are integrated into mainstream elective classes. These classes are selected on the basis of student interest and their ability to participate in consultation with students, their families and school staff.

Years 10, 11 and 12 students participate in the Vocational Education Training (VET) Program which enables them to access Certificate 1 in Business while undertaking Structured Workplace Learning (SWL). Senior School students do not participate in elective subjects offered through ASHS. This is to allow them to concentrate on the VET, SWL and Community Access programmes.

The AESC places strong emphasis upon community involvement through the Community Access Program and the Career Education Program, which runs developmentally from Year 8 - 9 for Work Experience while students in the Senior School undertake SWL and Community Access. Students in Years 11 and 12 are enrolled in Tafe courses each Friday.