Varsity College Australia
Address
Map
198 Varsity Parade Varsity Lakes, Queensland

Gold Coast
,
Queensland
,
4227

Australia
Coordinates28°04′41″S 153°24′40″E / 28.078°S 153.411°E / -28.078; 153.411
Information
TypeIndependent primary/secondary state day school
MottoDare to Dream[1]
EstablishedJanuary 2001 (2001-01)[2]
Executive principalSharon Schultz
GradesP–12
Enrolment3,400 (August 2023)[2]
LanguageEnglish
Colour(s)      Navy, gold, and grey
Websitevarsitycollege.eq.edu.au[2]

Varsity College is a primary and secondary school in Varsity Lakes (Queensland, Australia).

Infrastructure

In 25 July 2001, Stage 1 of the school was officially opened by Hon Peter Beattie (Premier of Queensland).[3] On 13 August 2002, stage 2 of the school was officially opened by Anna Bligh (Queensland Minister for Education), a project costing $18 million dollars (State and Federal Government funding). In 2002, the school opened a secondary campus, then known as "Varsity College Middle School".[3]

In 3 April 2004, the school's Senior Sports Centre, Performing Arts Centre and the Senior General Learning building were officially opened by Senator George Brandis.[3] In 2005, the "Lake Orr" footbridge, connecting both campuses, had been constructed.[3] In 2010, the Senior Learning Centre (SLC), originally known as the "Chinese Language & Cultural Centre of Excellence", was officially opened by Hon John-Paul Langbroek.[3] In 2015, the Junior Learning Centre was officially opened.[3]

In 2019, an outdoor multi purpose sports court (known as "The Hanger"), was built at the secondary campus.[3]

School leadership

In 2001, on the school's opening year, Mr Micheal Roberts was the Preparatory School Principal and Mrs Julie Grantham was the College Principal.[3] Since then, the school has had multiple principals:

Principals
Principal Years
Julie Grantham 2001[3]–2002[citation needed]
Tracey Cashman 2002–2004[citation needed]
Mike Kelly 2004–2005[citation needed]
Jeff Davis 2005–2015[citation needed]
Steven McLuckie 2015–2018[citation needed]
Sharon Schultz 2018[3][4]–2023[5]
Nigel Hughes 2023–present[6]

Students

Years

In 2002, with the opening of the school's then "Middle School", the school enrolled students for years 4 - 9.[3] In 2005, the school enrolled students for year 12, inducting the school's first premier College Captains.[3]

Class sizes

The trend in the average size of classes has been: -

Movie Premiers
Year Years
Prep – Year 4 – 6 7 – 10 11 – 12
2016 23 25 26 20[7]: 4 
2017 24 26 25 21[7]: 4 
2018 23 26 25 19[7]: 4 
2019 24 27 24 19[8]: 3 
2020 22 26 24 20[9]: 2 
2021 22 26 23 19[10]: 2 
2022 21 26 23 19[11]: 2 
2023 TBA TBA TBA TBA

Student enrolments

In 2023, Varsity College was reported to have a maximum student enrolment capacity of 3,619 students.[12] The number of students entering Prep in any given year must not exceed 200 in 8 classrooms, unless there are more than 200 students enrolling from within the catchment area.[12] With respect to the school's "Programs of Excellence in Academic, Cultural and Sports Excellence", the school has an enrolment capacity of[12]:

Upon opening in 2001, the school had an initial cohort of 354 students from preschool to Year 3. In 2006, Varsity College reached over 2,500 enrolments across both campuses.[3] The trend in school enrolments (August figures) has been:-

Year Years Boys Girls Total
Prep 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
2014 __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ 1,592 1,477 3,069[13]
2015 __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ 1,606 1,500 3,106[14]
2016 __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ 1,593 1,513 3,106[7]: 3 [15]
2017 __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ 1,655 1,568 3,223[7]: 3 [16]
2018 209 221 212 216 200 233 233 362 332 338 289 170 254 1,694 1,575 3,269[9][7]: 3 [17]
2019 179 222 223 222 217 223 249 341 350 323 311 258 161 1,618 1,598 3,279[9][8]: 2 [18]
2020 184 176 235 231 224 240 341 347 339 337 307 276 233 1,729 1,641 3,370[9]: 2 [19]
2021 180 189 180 238 228 227 241 335 350 327 312 283 255 1,700 1,645 3,345[10]: 2 [20]
2022 172 183 197 186 247 230 237 367 329 353 294 289 260 1,609 1,654 3,344[11]: 2 [21]
2023 TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA 3,400[2]

Attendance

The trend in student attendance has been: -

Year Years Overall
Prep 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
2016 93% 93% 94% 93% 94% 94% 95% 93% 92% 90% 89% 91% 91% 92%[7]: 10–11 
2017 95% 93% 93% 94% 94% 94% 93% 93% 91% 90% 89% 92% 92% 92%[7]: 10–11 
2018 94% 94% 94% 94% 93% 94% 93% 93% 90% 90% 88% 91% 92% 92%[7]: 10–11 
2019 94% 94% 94% 94% 94% 94% 93% 92% 91% 89% 89% 90% 90% 92%[8]: 8 
2020 93% 92% 92% 92% 91% 91% 91% 91% 90% 89% 89% 90% 89% 91%[9]: 7 
2021 95% 94% 94% 94% 93% 93% 92% 91% 89% 87% 89% 88% 88% 91%[10]: 7 
2022 91% 90% 91% 91% 90% 90% 89% 87% 85% 84% 83% 87% 84% 87%[11]: 7 
2023 TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA

Discipline

The trend in student discipline has been: -

Movie Premiers
Year Short Suspensions
1 – 15 days 		Long Suspensions
6 – 20 days 		Exclusions Enrolment
Cancellations 		Total
2016 223 2 10 9 244[7]: 8 
2017 249 15 6 9 279[7]: 8 
2018 290 8 10 4 312[7]: 8 
2019 306 10 11 3 330[8]: 6 
2020 163 6 4 1 174[9]: 5 
2021 308 25 10 3 346[10]: 5 
2022 192 42 8 5 247[11]: 5 
2023 TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA

Curriculum

Languages

The school's language department offers Mandarin from prep to year 12.[2] The school also runs an English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) support team.[2]

Sports

Participation

During the school year, students participate in a range of carnivals, including cross country running, track and field, and swimming.[22] Age champions are awarded for students who excel in these fields.[22]

House system

The school has four sporting houses, named after "iconic" Gold Coast beaches[22]:

Current House System
House Name Colour Mascot Student Surname Gold Coast Beaches
Burleigh   blue barracudas A B C D Burleigh Beach
Kirra   yellow sharks E F G H I J K Kirra Beach
Miami   green rays L M N O P Q Miami Beach
Rainbow   red serpents R S T U V W X Y Z Rainbow Beach

Popular culture

In 2002, the series The Sleepover Club was shot and partially produced at the school.[3]

The college has appeared in Sea Patrol.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ "Prep to Year 3". Varsity College (www.varsitycollege.eq.edu.au). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Varsity College". Education Queensland International. Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Our History". Varsity Life (www.varsitylife.com.au). Archived from the original on 8 April 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  4. ^ "Yesterday we said a sad farewell to Mrs Sharon Schultz". Woodridge State High School (www.woodridgeshs.eq.edu.au). 13 October 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024 – via Facenook (www.facebook.com).
  5. ^ "Executive Address: Mrs Sharon Schultz | A Final Farewell From Mrs Sharon Schultz". Varsity College (www.varsitylife.com.au). Archived from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Executive Address: Mr Nigel Hughes | A Warm Welcome – Our New Executive Principal Mr Nigel Hughes". Varsity College (www.varsitylife.com.au). Archived from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Varsity College – Annual Report – 2018 – Queensland State School Reporting" (PDF). Varsity College (www.varsitycollege.eq.edu.au). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 2018. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d "Varsity College – Annual Report – 2019 – Queensland State School Reporting" (PDF). Varsity College (www.varsitycollege.eq.edu.au). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 2019. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "Varsity College – School Annual Report – Queensland State School Reporting – 2020" (PDF). Varsity College (www.varsitycollege.eq.edu.au). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 2020. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d "Varsity College – School Annual Report – Queensland State School Reporting – 2021" (PDF). Varsity College (www.varsitycollege.eq.edu.au). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d "Varsity College – School Annual Report – Queensland State School Reporting – 2022" (PDF). Varsity College (www.varsitycollege.eq.edu.au). Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. 2022. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  12. ^ a b c "Varsity College". Education. Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Varsity College, Varsity Lakes, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  14. ^ "Varsity College, Varsity Lakes, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  15. ^ "Varsity College, Varsity Lakes, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  16. ^ "Varsity College, Varsity Lakes, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2017. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Varsity College, Varsity Lakes, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2018. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  18. ^ "Varsity College, Varsity Lakes, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  19. ^ "Varsity College, Varsity Lakes, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2020. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  20. ^ "Varsity College, Varsity Lakes, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  21. ^ "Varsity College, Varsity Lakes, QLD". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  22. ^ a b c "Sports". Education Queensland International. Queensland Government – Department of Education and Training. Archived from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.

External links

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