Darling Range Sports College is an Independent Public secondary school in Forrestfield, a suburb 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) east of Perth, Western Australia. Formerly known as Forrestfield Senior High School, the school was renamed in 2008 due to it becoming a specialist sports school.
| Darling Range Sports College | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
 | |
117 Berkshire Road Australia | |
| Coordinates | 31°58′31″S 116°00′37″E / 31.9754°S 116.0104°E |
| Information | |
| Former name | Forrestfield Senior High School |
| Type | Independent public co-educational day school |
| Opened | 1975 |
| Educational authority | WA Department of Education |
| Principal | Rob Lawson |
| Years | 7–12 |
| Enrolment | 1,124[1] (2024) |
| Campus type | Suburban |
| Website | darlingrangesc |
History
editThe school opened in 1975 as Forrestfield Senior High School.[2]
In 2000, $300,000 was spent on making the school's pool indoors and heated.[3]
In 2001, Bianca Batten, a student at Forrestfield Senior High School, won the Beazley Medal for Vocational Education and Training (VET). This was the first time the Beazley Medal for VET had been awarded, having previously been awarded to just the top TEE student. The Beazley Medal is the most prestigious award offered to year 12 graduates in Western Australia.[4]
In 2008, the school was turned into a specialist sports school. Prior to that, the school had several sports programs, but more became available in 2008.[5] Alongside this, the school was rebranded as Darling Range Sports College, named after the nearby Darling Range.[2][6]
In 2011, a $4 million, 250 seat indoor sports stadium was opened.[7] In late 2014, $2.6 million worth of new buildings were completed to increase the capacity of the school for the addition of year 7 students in 2015. The upgrades included 5 new classrooms.[8]
At the start of 2019, designs were revealed for a $10 million upgrade.[9][10][11] In December 2019, the upgrades commenced. The upgrades were a 2017 election commitment by the Labor Party, and include new buildings for design and technology and food technology, as well as the refurbishment of existing science laboratories.[12] The new buildings were completed late 2020.[13][14]
Programs
editSports academy
editDarling Range Sports College is the first specialist sports school in Western Australia. It provides school based specialist programs in athletics, Australian rules football, baseball, basketball, netball, rugby league, soccer, swimming, and triathlon. Sports facilities include a 250-seat indoor stadium and an eight-lane, 25 metre indoor swimming pool.[7][15] Among the coaches of the specialist programs are Sandover Medallist Aaron Black and former Perth Wildcats and Cairns Taipans coach Alan Black.[15]
Other
editNon sports programs offered by the school include the Academic Challenge and Enrichment program, music program, and Vocational Education and Training program.[16]
Student numbers
edit| Year | Number[1] |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 974 |
| 2017 | 1,005 |
| 2018 | 996 |
| 2019 | 956 |
| 2020 | 1,012 |
| 2021 | 1,055 |
| 2022 | 1.049 |
| 2023 | 1,123 |
| 2024 | 1,124 |
Notable alumni
edit- Jessica Anstiss – Netball player for the West Coast Fever.[17]
- Denver Grainger-Barras – AFL footballer for the Hawthorn Football Club.[18]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b "Darling Range Sports College – Student Numbers". Schools Online. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Home". Darling Range Sports College. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "Enclosed Forrestfield Senior High School pool now heated". Media Statements. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "Beazley Medals to top TEE Student and top Vocational Student". Media Statements. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "Forrestfield Senior High School to become a sports academy". Media Statements. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "State's first specialist sports high school gets a new name". Media Statements. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Specialist sports college boasts new stadium". Media Statements. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "New buildings for year 7s at Darling Range Sports College". Media Statements. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ Brookes, Sarah. "New plans for $10m upgrade to Darling Range Sports College unveiled". Perth Now. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "Designs revealed for major school upgrade in Forrestfield". Mirage News. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "Designs revealed for major school upgrade in Forrestfield". Media Statements. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "$10 million of upgrades starting at Darling Range Sports College". Mirage News. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "New café and kitchen facilities completed at Darling Range Sports College". Mirage News. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "New café and kitchen facilities completed at Darling Range Sports College". Media Statements. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Sports Academy". Darling Range Sports College. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "Programs". Darling Range Sports College. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ Anstiss, Jess. "Jess Anstiss". Athletes Voice. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ Sheil, Melissa. "Grainger-Barras celebrates move to the big league". Echo News. Retrieved 17 May 2021.