Eynesbury Senior College facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eynesbury Senior College |
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The Franklin Street college campus
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5000
Australia
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| Coordinates | 34°55′39″S 138°35′54″E / 34.92750°S 138.59833°E |
| Information | |
| Type | Independent senior high school |
| Motto | Many faces, different pathways – one goal... |
| Established | 1989 |
| Founder | Tony Stimson |
| Closed | December 2021 |
| Principal | Claire Flenley |
| Years offered | 10–12 |
| Newspaper | Eynesbury Times |
Eynesbury Senior College was a special high school in Adelaide, South Australia. It was an independent school for both boys and girls, located on Franklin Street in the city centre. The college was a modern, five-storey building designed for students in Years 10, 11, and 12.
Eynesbury Senior College closed down at the end of 2021. This happened because the COVID-19 pandemic meant fewer international students could come to Australia.
The school was known for its unique way of teaching older students. It focused on an "adult learning" style, meaning it didn't have many extra activities like sports teams or big festivals that traditional schools often have. Instead, teachers were always ready to help students one-on-one, even outside of class time. Students were encouraged to see their teachers as teammates and could even call them by their first names.
Eynesbury was very successful academically. Most of its students (about 95%) went on to study at universities after finishing school.
History of Eynesbury College
Eynesbury House: A Historic Start
| Eynesbury House | |
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The Kingswood Campus: Eynesbury House, pictured in 2008
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| Type | Former dwelling; now educational institution |
| Etymology | Eynesbury, Cambridgeshire, England |
| Location | 69 Belair Road, Kingswood, South Australia |
| Area | 5.7 hectares (14 acres) |
| Built | 1880–1881 |
| Built for | William Martin Letchford |
| Architectural style(s) | Italianate |
| Owner | Eynesbury Senior College |
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South Australian Heritage Register
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| Official name: Eynesbury House (former dwelling) | |
| Designated | 12 January 1984 |
| Reference no. | 11526 |
The name "Eynesbury" comes from a town in England called Eynesbury, Cambridgeshire. The college's story began with a historic building called Eynesbury House. This large, old mansion was built between 1880 and 1881. It is located at 69 Belair Road in Kingswood.
The house was first built for William Martin Letchford. Later, a businessman named George Wilcox bought it and gave it the name Eynesbury. The house is now listed on the South Australian Heritage Register because of its historical importance.
Before becoming a school, Eynesbury House was even used as a temple by the Hare Krishnas. In 1989, it was changed into a college, with new labs and a library.
Eynesbury College: Growing Over Time
Eynesbury officially became a school on October 1, 1989. The first students, about 140 of them, started in January 1990. At first, it was called Eynesbury House Senior Secondary College, but soon everyone just called it Eynesbury College.
By 1995, the Kingswood campus was too small for all the students. So, in January 1996, a second, bigger campus opened on Franklin Street in the middle of Adelaide. Eynesbury had two campuses until the end of 2001. After that, all teaching moved to the Franklin Street campus, which was made bigger and better.
The Franklin Street campus was improved in many ways. This included updating the electricity, fire safety, and building new science labs. They also rebuilt the reception areas and added more computer rooms. A cool, cafe-style recreation area was created on the second floor. In 2005, a new Drama centre opened. The air conditioning system was replaced in 2006, and the two original lifts were updated in 2009.
In 2009, Eynesbury celebrated its 20th birthday by opening another new campus on Coglin Street in Adelaide. This campus was mainly for international students. The Eynesbury Institute of Business and Technology (EIBT) moved there in April 2009.
Why Eynesbury College Closed
On June 16, 2021, Eynesbury Senior College announced it would close at the end of that year. Stephen Spencer, the college chairman, explained that the closure was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic caused international borders to close, which meant many fewer international students could come to the school.
Before the borders closed, international students made up a large part (up to 40%) of Eynesbury Senior College's student body. The company Navitas helped the college by providing these students, as well as the Franklin Street campus and other important facilities. Because of the border closures, Navitas could no longer provide these things.
The College Council tried to find other solutions, like moving the campus or partnering with other schools. However, none of these ideas worked out. They decided that staying open without enough international students would make it hard to keep the quality of education high and attract good teachers. So, they had no choice but to close.
What Students Studied
Senior High School Programs
Eynesbury Senior College was a special school just for Years 10, 11, and 12. It focused on helping students get ready for university. Classes were 1 hour and 50 minutes long, with a short break in the middle, and there were two lessons per subject each week. Students didn't have to be at school when they didn't have a scheduled class.
New students could start in Year 10 or Year 11 at the beginning of the first or second semester. For Year 12, students had to start at the beginning of the year. Before joining, students had an interview to talk about their future plans and how they liked to learn independently. Eynesbury believed in creating individual study plans, so many students took subjects from different year levels.
Students were expected to study full-time. Part-time study was usually only for students in Year 13 who wanted to improve their Year 12 results.
Year 10 Subjects
Year 10 students at Eynesbury took a mix of required and optional subjects.
- Required subjects (all year): English (or English as a Second Language), 'Learning about Thinking', Mathematics, Science, and Studies of Society and Environment.
- Optional subjects included: ASX Stock Exchange Challenge, Business Studies (Financial Literacy), Debating, Creative Writing, Drama, French, Health and Nutrition, Introduction to History, History Through Film, Electronic and Digital Publishing, Physical Education, and Visual Investigations.
If students got an A grade in their first semester subjects, they might have been able to join regular Year 11 (Stage 1) classes in those subjects during the second semester. All Year 10 students also took part in the Eynesbury Mentor Program, which included creating a Personal Learning Plan.
Year 11 Subjects
Year 11 students at Eynesbury studied at least 110 credits, which is a full year's program. They chose 100 credits of subjects and also completed the Personal Learning Plan (10 credits) and started their Research Project.
Here are some of the subjects offered in Year 11 (Stage 1):
- Accounting
- Ancient Studies
- Australian and International Politics
- Biology
- Business and Enterprise
- Chemistry
- Drama
- Economics
- English
- English as a Second Language (ESL)
- Environmental Studies
- French (Beginners Level)
- French (Continuers Level)
- Geography
- Information Technology Systems
- Japanese (Continuers Level)
- Legal Studies
- Mathematics
- Modern History
- Physics
- Psychology
- Visual Arts - Art
- Visual Arts - Design
Students usually only changed subjects after the first semester. If a student wanted to change a subject, they had to write a request to the Director of Studies by the middle of Term 2. After Term 2, subject changes were only allowed in special situations.
Year 12 Subjects
To get into a university program, students needed to complete 80 credits of special university entry subjects (called Tertiary Admissions Subjects or TAS). All students were expected to complete these 80 credits by the end of Year 12.
Here are some of the subjects offered in Year 12 (Stage 2):
- Accounting
- Australian and International Politics
- Biology
- Business and Enterprise
- Chemistry
- Chinese (for Background Speakers)
- Classical Studies
- Drama
- Economics
- English as a Second Language Studies
- English Communications
- English Studies
- French (Continuers)
- Geography
- Information Technology Studies
- Japanese (Continuers)
- Legal Studies
- Mathematical Applications
- Mathematical Methods
- Mathematical Studies
- Specialist Mathematics
- Modern History
- Physics
- Psychology
Foundation Studies Program
In 1992, Eynesbury College started the first University Foundation Studies Program (FSP) in South Australia. This program helped students get ready for university. By 1994, Flinders University and the University of South Australia also joined the program.
Students in the Foundation Studies Program were given a temporary acceptance into their chosen university degree. Their acceptance was confirmed once they finished the program and got the required score for that degree. So far, 96% of students who completed the FSP have gone on to university. The South Australian Universities’ Foundation Studies Program is also accepted by universities in other Australian states.
This program also allowed Australian students to go straight into their first year of a bachelor's degree at the University of Adelaide without having to complete the SACE Stage 2 (Year 12).
Students could start the FSP in January (Standard Program – 12 months), April (Accelerated Program – 8 months), or October (Accelerated Program – 8 months or Extended Program – 15 months).
Standard and Accelerated FSP
The Standard Foundation Studies Program started in January and finished in December. Students in this program studied some subjects with Australian Year 12 high school students, like physics, chemistry, biology, and economics.
All FSP students had three compulsory courses:
- Language and Communication (4 hours per week)
- International Studies (2 hours per week)
- Clear Thinking and Logic (2 hours per week)
Students also chose at least three other subjects (called electives) from different areas like:
- Business (Accounting, Economics)
- Humanities (Australian and International Politics, Environmental Studies, Modern History)
- Health Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics)
- Engineering (Additional Mathematics, Mathematics, Physics)
- Science (Additional Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology)
The Accelerated FSP started in April and finished in December, or started in September for mid-year university entry. These programs were faster and best for students who were already good at academics and languages. They covered most of the same material as the Standard FSP but sometimes left out some practical examples.
Students were graded based on their work throughout the year and a final exam. To be considered for university, students needed to get at least 60% in Language and Communication and a total score of 275 out of 500.
Extended Foundation Studies Program
The Extended FSP was for students who needed more help with language or wanted to review key academic areas. This program lasted 15 months (4 terms). In the first term, students took special classes focused on skills and knowledge needed for the Foundation level.
During this first term, students took three compulsory courses:
- Language and Study Skills
- An Introduction to Communication and Critical Thinking
- Mathematics
They also chose two introductory elective courses from areas like:
- Biological Sciences (Biology, Chemistry)
- Pure Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Additional Mathematics)
- International Business (Accounting, Economics)
In January, successful Extended Program students joined the Standard Foundation Studies Program classes. They studied with Australian and international Year 12 students for several elective courses.
Students were assessed in two stages. The first stage was for the Term 1 courses. The second stage was for Terms 2-5, similar to the Standard FSP. Both stages used a mix of ongoing assignments (50%) and final exams (50%). The results from the first stage helped decide if students could move to the second stage.
Scholarships
Eynesbury offered scholarships that were like 6-8 full-time student places. These scholarships were usually split into different amounts, such as:
- 2 scholarships covering 100% of fees
- 4 scholarships covering 50% of fees
- 8 scholarships covering 25% of fees
These scholarships were mainly for students starting in Year 10 or 11 and lasted for their whole time at Eynesbury. To get a scholarship, students had to:
- Take an aptitude test.
- Write a short personal statement (200-300 words).
- Show their past academic and community achievements.
- Have an interview with the principal.
Scholarship selections happened twice a year, in Term 1 and Term 3. The exact dates were announced in local newspapers, on the Eynesbury website, and in the school's newsletter, Eynesbury Times.
Images for kids
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Eynesbury Senior College logo
See also
