Castle Street
Castle Hill NSW 2154
Telephone 02 9634 4199 Fax No: 02 9899 6527
Educational District: Hornsby
School Sport Area: Sydney West
School Sport Zone: Hills

SCHOOL DESCRIPTION

Castle Hill High School is a coeducational comprehensive secondary school located in the northwestern part of Sydney. The school has a population of 1098 and strives to provide a balanced education that challenges and prepares the individual and provides opportunities that enables students to develop into successful, self-disciplined, self-directed learners. Castle Hill High School provides a safe and happy environment in which all students are encouraged and valued. The school has a unitised vertical curriculum for Years 7-10 including sport. All Year 11 are involved in the Sport, Lifestyle and Recreation Course. Participation in sport through this system is 100% with an 80% attendance at all school carnivals. The school has been successful in the sporting arena with ninety one (91) students representing the school at Zone, Area and State levels in 2000. Eight (8) students represented at the National level in a range of sports with one student representing at the Junior Commonwealth Games in 2000. Castle Hill High School was Area finalist in Open Girls Touch, Open Boys Soccer, U15 Girls Netball and Open Boys Basketball.

SPORTS ORGANISATION

Sports Program

Contact Tim O’Brien Head Teacher PDHPE, or David Jaffe, Principal

Castle High School incorporates sport into the vertical curriculum structure for Years 7-10. Following is the list of Sports Units offered. Not all units are offered each term:

Aerobics, Aussie Rules, Badminton, Basketball, 2 V 2 Basketball, Baseball, Cricket, Cycling, Golf, Hockey, Indoor Cricket, Indoor Netball, Jazzercise, Lawn Bowls, Learn to Swim, Lifesaving, Netball, Orienteering/Bushwalking, Rock Climbing, Rollerskating, Self Defence, Soccer, Sports Accreditation, Sports Administration, Sports Coaching/Training, Sport Skills, Squash, swimming/Water Polo, Table Tennis, Tennis, Ten Pin Bowling, Touch, Volleyball, Weights/Circuit Training.

Students

Students select their sport from the range offered along with their other subjects each term. They select their sport unit at the same time as they select their other subjects. Not all sports units are offered each term and students are encouraged to take the sports unit once. If a student is having a problem fitting into the timetable then they may be given a sport that is their second choice. Sport is given parity of subject with other faculties and students select a sport for one term consisting of five (5) periods (2 x 86m practical and 1 x 43m theory). Classes are based on the choices made by the students.

All year 11 students study 1 Unit Sport, Lifestyles and Recreation that includes the Crossroads Course. They select new sports each term from Aquatics, Badminton, Dance, Cricket, Netball, Soccer, Squash, Taekwondo, Tennis, Touch, Volleyball, Weights and Yoga. At present there are eight (8) classes running. The school operates on seven (7) lines and Year 11 Sport, Lifestyle and Recreation occurs on line seven (7). Students receive five (5) periods per week 2 x 86 mins and 1 x 43 mins. This covers practical and theory lessons.

Staff

The Head Teacher PDHPE allocates staff members to classes in negotiation with other Head Teachers.

The school supports staff members if a suitable opportunity for training becomes available. Staff members are also encouraged to gain a bus licence for the 22-seater and school funds the expenses. PDHPE faculty provides training and lesson outlines for sport units.

OTHER SPORT INVOLVEMENT

Knockouts and Gala Days

The school enters twenty five (25) Combined High School knockout competitions. Approximately 25% of students across the whole school are involved in these knockouts. Staff members act as coaches and managers and approximately 20% are involved. Training occurs before and after school and at lunchtime under the supervision of staff. Some train more than others depending on staff and students commitment.

Castle Hill High School also competes in the Gala Days run by Sydney West Area School Sport Association, as well as those competitions run by Australian Football, Cricket and Futsal Soccer. Participation varies according to school timetabling and timing of the Gala Day.

Other Student Participation

Senior students participate as team managers at Zone Swimming and Athletics carnivals and also assist in school carnivals. Students from Years 10 and 11 assist Primary School Sport by refereeing.

The school operates a Sports Council consisting of 12 – 15 students from Years 11 and 12. Focus is on leadership through sport. The Council run lunchtime competitions across different Years, speaks on assemblies, liase with staff to gain coaches for knockout teams, assist in coaching knockout teams (including Primary) teams, maintain equipment etc. The Sports Council develops a sports management plan.

Community Involvement

Outside groups may be asked in as guest coaches or assist with sports such as Yoga and Taekwondo. Some members of the community are involved as Referees and Umpires for knockout competitions eg soccer, touch, baseball and softball.

SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM

Sport is given parity of subject with other faculties. This is both in time available, the selection process and the reporting process. The school leases a twenty-two seater bus that transports students to outside venues. The bus is the responsibility of the PDHPE Head Teacher and is essential for the success of the schools sports program.