We provide a range of extra-curricular and co-curricular opportunities which are enthusiastically embraced by students and viewed as school highlights.
Extra-curricular
Primary students enjoy a wide variety of excursions and incursions including cultural and sporting opportunities. Visits from musicians (Musica Viva), arts’ groups, and other road shows provide variety and supplement the curriculum.
Year 10 to 12 students enjoy the social highlight of the year — the glitz and glamour of the Merredin College Ball.
Students from Year 7-12 can nominate for our Volleyball Specialist Program, with the opportunity to compete at competitions at a State level.
Some of our talented athletes also have the opportunity to participate at Country Week and at football and netball competitions.
Students in Year 6 and Year 9 have the opportunity to attend a camp which are coordinated by our teachers to provide them with new and exciting educational experiences and activities.
Co-curricular
Merredin College offers a set of varied co-curricular activities which complement the academic program and cater for the overall development of our students. By providing these learning experiences we embrace some of the cross-curriculum priorities through our sustainability focus in the primary area of the school.
In secondary, we support new students to make a successful transition to Year 7 and Year 11 through the Transition Program. Our Year 9 Trade Tasters Day, where students from feeder District High Schools are invited, caters for the important decisions a student must make in choosing a realistic but challenging pathway beyond school.
Moving from primary school to secondary school or from a district high school to a larger school like Merredin College is a significant event in every child’s education journey. Most students move to their new schools and thrive on the challenges of the new environment and varied experiences that secondary schools offer. They find it both exciting and scary to be going from being the oldest group in the school to the youngest; to be moving from a familiar environment to a larger and unfamiliar environment; and from being well known by many teachers to being relatively unknown. Even for students who complete primary education at Merredin College the thought of moving into secondary can be daunting.
Our Transition Program is designed to alleviate the anxiety which both parents and children may feel.
The Merredin College Transition Program begins in Term 3 when College staff visit the schools where Year 6 and Year 10 students indicate an intention to enrol at Merredin College as Year 7 and Year 11 students. The visit is aimed at informing parents and students about what is on offer at Merredin College.
The school visits are followed up with separate Transisiton Days Term 4 for prospective Year 7 and Year 11 students. These days are generally organised by the Year Coordinator and involve a visit by students to the College with the aim of:
- Providing essential information about Merredin College (how to read a timetable, routines, ordering lunches etc.)
- Developing some familiarity with the campus layout
- Meeting new students and starting to form new friends
- Meeting some staff – Principal, Deputy Principals, Chaplain, AIEOs/ALO and Year Coordinator
- Engaging in ‘ice breaker’ activities with other students
- Providing parents with a Q&A session
- Providing parents with the opportunity to order the College uniform
Information about strengths and areas requiring support is accessed from the feeder primary schools by the Deputy Principal. Parents of students with special educational needs are asked to make an appointment with our Education Support Coordinator so that the College can provide the necessary support for your child. At any stage we are happy to conduct a tour of College facilities for new parents.
At the start of the new school year, Year 7 students participate in ‘The Big Day Out’ – a fun day of activities to support social inclusion.
For information about dates of school visits, parents are encouraged to contact the Deputy Principal (secondary) on 9041 7520.
