From 2023, Year 12 students from Champion Bay and Geraldton Senior High Schools will have the opportunity to study an alternative pathway course for university entrance while still in school.
A partnership between the Geraldton Universities Centre (GUC), Curtin University and the two schools will see the students attend the GUC a day a week to undertake tuition in Curtin’s UniReady in Schools course.
UniReady in Schools allows students who would not otherwise meet university entry requirements to do so, whilst remaining in school and achieving their WACE.
Representatives from Curtin University travelled to Geraldton to attend the UniReady in Schools parent information session held at the GUC on Tuesday night.
GUC Director Natalie Nelmes said this was a first for a regional university centre to be supporting Curtin’s UniReady in Schools program and GUC was excited at the opportunity it was able to provide the local community.
“The students will be on campus here at the GUC one day a week, which will introduce them to an independent learning environment while being supported to develop the skills needed to succeed at university,” Ms Nelmes said.
“Completing UniReady will enable students to enter supported courses at GUC, Curtin University and other universities.”
Champion Bay Principal Julie Campbell and Geraldton SHS Principal Emma Walker spoke of how the partnership between the schools was providing new opportunities for their Year 12 students to pursue higher education.
“It’s such a terrific thing for our community that the two public high schools have been able to come together around UniReady so that we can collectively ensure sufficient students to make the program sustainable and a more robust learning experience,” Ms Campbell said.
Ms Walker agreed saying “Students will also benefit by having UniReady delivered in an off-school campus setting at the GUC where they’ll gain independence and begin that transition from secondary to tertiary education.”
Both schools have established eligibility criteria for entering UniReady with Year 11 students to be made offers by the end of the term. More information is available at each school: Champion Bay SHS Deb Kempton, Program Coordinator Transition and Pathways and at Geraldton SHS Hazel Snell Program Coordinator Senior School Programs and Operations.
