BARHAM High School has experienced a remarkable surge in student enrolment, climbing from 142 students in 2022 to 152 in 2023.
Projections have also shown the expected number of students will soar to more than 160 in 2024.
This positive trend is indicative of the school’s dedication to providing quality education and preparing students for the future.
Over the past six months, Barham High School has also made strong improvements to develop a stronger sense of cultural understanding.
The Barham High School site is a significant one, as the agriculture plot is where local Elder Uncle Ron Galway and his family grew up.
Both of Uncle Ron’s sons completed their schooling at Barham High School.
The school has installed an Aboriginal flag shade sail over the yarning circle and work has commenced on a Barapa Barapa garden.
Principal Brendan Yu said he was proud of the progress made in a short timeframe, with the Term 2 staff development day welcoming Uncle Ron and his son Glen to school to complete a smoking ceremony.
“It was the first time that Uncle Ron and Glen had returned to the school since Glen was a student in the 1980s,” Mr Yu said.
“The day’s professional learning focused on facilitating learning conversations using Aboriginal exposures.
“This built genuine capacity for improved staff expertise, improving school teaching attributes and inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in teaching practices.
“During NAIDOC Week 2023, all students participated in rock painting, NAIDOC-themed sporting games and cooking activities to make wattle seed biscuits, johnny cakes and saltbush damper.”
Year 7 students have been working on a literacy project to develop a stronger understanding of Aboriginal knowledge, building totem poles and linking reconciliation with learning.
Mr Yu said the literacy project had proven to be a powerful mechanism to introduce Aboriginal learning strategies that students could connect to, embedding Aboriginal ways of knowing into the classroom.
This class is being taught by Gundungurra Koori Yuin and Aboriginal teacher Daryl Nayler.
Mr Yu expressed his excitement about the school’s growth and advancements.
“Our commitment to academic excellence and holistic student development is unwavering,” he said.
“The increase in enrolments is testament to our dedicated staff and our students’ enthusiasm for learning.
One of the most significant developments at Barham High School is the modernisation of its timber and metal workshop.
This state-of-the-art facility now boasts cutting-edge machinery, ensuring that students receive hands-on training using the latest equipment.
Looking forward, Barham High School is set to continue its journey towards excellence, with plans to expand its course offerings and further enhance its facilities.
