Windsor Gardens Secondary College

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (15:29): 2016 promises to be an exciting year for Windsor Gardens Secondary College in my electorate of Torrens, with the new and improved college facilities. These include a new music performance suite and sound recording studio that will be used to deliver Certificate III in Technical Production in music. I look forward to attending the opening of the suite and studio with the Minister for Education in February. The music-focused curriculum will be on music in the performance space, practice rooms and a recording studio. The college, which already has a significant cohort of music students, is pursuing the path to becoming a specialist music school to grow its music program.

Another focus of the college curriculum will be STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths), with pathways developed through to university in those areas of new, clean technologies. The college is about to sign a memorandum of understanding with the University of South Australia, and 20 teachers are working with UniSA to work on advance pedagogies for science, technology, engineering and maths. Renovations to the sports area are now complete, and the fully functioning gym and physical education learning area will see students through to a Certificate III in Sport and Recreation. The college works with state sport organisations to increase students' knowledge of professional sporting careers.

The college's design technology area includes state-of-the-art CAD, with 3-D printers where you can see students engaged in projects designing work in quadcopters. Students also have access to a media centre where they can study and create multimedia films and college radio. Students can also study for a Certificate I and II in Kitchen Operations or front of house in the fully equipped industrial kitchen and Parendi cafe, headed by experienced TAFE trainers.

At all year levels, students at Windsor Gardens Secondary College are engaged in projects that provide creative thinking. Programs include the business pathway at the trade fair; the comprehensive sports program, which includes over 50 years of sport and recreational exchange with Cheltenham College in Melbourne; the statewide Ice Factor team program; the Power Cup; the Pedal Prix team participation in the UniSA Australian Human Powered Vehicle Super Series; concepts to creation; dramatic games; media competitions; making tracks to the future; as well as academic challenges.

Next month, I look forward to attending the college's upcoming Windsor Under the Stars for the third year in a row, an annual showcase of the arts staged by the college, where music students perform on an outdoor stage throughout the evening, and students' multimedia, painting and photography pieces are exhibited. This year saw some wonderful achievements for the college including the Auslan singing choir and the Windsor Stage Band being selected to perform at the Festival of Music, the first time that a signing choir and stage band have combined to play and sing together.

Year 9 student Jenny Master-Collins was one of 80 students from across the state chosen as lead soloist at the annual Instrumental Music Service singing day. Windsor Gardens Secondary College offers a full range of Australian curriculum and SACE subjects across years 8 to 12. In addition, it offers a certificate III course in sport and recreation, laboratory skills certificate III as well as hospitality certificates. All are accredited and designed to be part of students' SACE certificate and count towards their ATAR score.

Principal Paulette Seargent said the college is focusing on personalised pathways for students with university, business and industry partners, and it approaches education with the aim of motivating and inspiring young people to actively pursue their chosen university, tertiary education and employment pathways.