Burnside State High School is located in the western suburb of Nambour and services the needs of students from as far afield as Landsborough and Coolum.
Burnside is the proud winner of numerous awards and has hosted many international educators on fact-finding visits. The school’s innovative structure, quality curriculum programs and emphasis on values meet the needs of a diverse range of students.
The major focus of Burnside is relationships. The school places a priority on quality relationships and this emphasis has provided the key ingredient for its outstanding success across all year levels. People work hard at getting on together and, because Burnside is a small school, it is easier to monitor student progress and provide support.
Facilities: The school benefits from an enclosed Student Centre/Indoor Sports facility, which is large enough to have 3 full-size volleyball courts in use at the same time. This is where weekly assemblies are hosted. The seating capacity exceeds 600 people.
The school has two full-sized outdoor soccer/rugby league pitches, 6 grass-court netball playing surfaces, a new renovation of existing hard-court multi-purpose play areas, and recent completion of 2 full-size tennis courts.
There are 7 full-class computer labs in the school, plus smaller modules set up in other parts of the school, giving students incomparable access to technology. Each classroom has access to media/data projector, plus digital technology via data screen or SmartBoards, a laptop docking station and internet access.
The school’s 5 dedicated science labs were recently refurbished, including new furniture, bench-tops and wet areas.
The Music facility includes 2 dedicated teaching spaces, 3 sound-proof prac/recording rooms. The music department is very well resourced, with an upgraded range of instruments, including guitars, keyboards and drums recently replaced. There is also a suite of computers for students to use with industry standard recording and mixing software. Instrumental music specialists visit the school weekly to cater for the needs of students with talent in brass and strings.
Subjects/Electives Years 8 to 9: Core curriculum Years 8-9. These include: English, Mathematics, Science, Health and Physical Education, Study of Society and Environment, The Arts, Technology and Languages.
Subjects/Electives Years 10 to 12: Burnside State High School has extensive vocational offerings and the four day timetable very much supports those students who wish to undertake a school based traineeship. The Senior School (Year 10-12) offers Foundation studies for Year 10, TAFE partnerships to deliver Certificate courses, and a Headstart program in partnership with University of Sunshine Coast.
Authority subjects include Ancient History, Biological Science, Business Communication and Technologies, Chemistry, Drama, English, Geography, Graphics, Health Education, Home Economics, Information Processing and Technology, Japanese, Legal Studies, Marine Studies, Mathematics A, Mathematics B, Mathematics C, Modern History, Physical Education, Physics, Science 21, and Visual Art. Authority Registered/VET subjects include Applied Art, Building Construction, Certificate II in Business, Certificate II in Hospitality (Operations), Certificate III in Music Industry, Early Childhood, Engineering, English Communications, Prevocational Mathematics, Recreation Studies.
Extracurricular activities: Lunchtime activities and competitions, Extra-curricular activities, Camps/Tours, Excursions, Career pathways program, Student Representative Council, Care Program, Transition program, Sport, Inter-school sport, Youth week, Concerts, Musicals, Arts Expo, Support services room, Drugs/Alcohol Forum, Smart & Healthy Schools program, Work placement programs, RYDA driver education, Road-craft driver education, Traineeships, Beacon program, Y-lead, Dance Party night, TREK, Constitutional Convention.
Welfare and personal development: Support services room, School Nurse, Chaplain, Youth Support Officer, Youth behaviour support personnel.
Special features: School-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SATs) allow you to work for an employer and train towards a recognised qualification while you’re completing high school.
SATs are available in hundreds of fields ranging from rural to retail, business to building, hospitality to hairdressing and automotive to arts.
A Special Education Program which caters for students with a range of lower-level disabilities, including hearing, visual and mild intellectual impairments. A dedicated Learning Support classroom, with specialist staff to meet the learning needs, particularly Literacy and Numeracy, across all cohorts.
Burnside High School has hosted several Japanese schools over the years including from its sister school, Kuki Hokuyou, every year. The school has a current data base of more than 30 interested students and their families who are keen to host students each year.