Prairiewood is an academically partially selective high school with a multicultural student enrolment in the Fairfield local government area and was established in 1984, enrolling its first selective students from 2010.
Facilties: The school boasts a safe and secure environment for all students, with covered outdoor shade areas and seating, as well as a treed and leafy outdoor environment with well kept gardens. Students have access to a school library with an extensive range of resource materials, a large assembly hall and gymnasium, five fully dedicated computer rooms, a school farm, outdoor multi-purpose courts and playing fields, new science laboratories and facilities, a dance studio, a dedicated outdoor classroom, a commercial kitchen facility, two connected classrooms and an observatory.
Electives Years 9 and 10: Agriculture, Commerce, Dance, Drama, Food Technology, Geography, Graphics Multimedia, History, Languages, Music, Sport Science, Textiles, Visual Arts, as well as Techniques courses in Electronics, Metal and Wood.
Electives Years 11 and 12: Ancient History, Biology, Business Studies, Ceramics, Chemistry, Community and Family studies, Computer Applications, Drama, Engineering Studies, Exploring Early Childhood, Industrial Technology (Wood and Metal), Geography, Information Processes and Technology, Italian, Legal Studies, Modern History, Mathematics (General and 2-Unit Courses), Music, Photography, PD/Health/PE, Senior Science, Society and Culture, Sport Lifestyle and Recreational Studies, Textiles, Travel and Tourism, Video Production and Visual Arts, as well as Extension courses in History and Languages and Extension 1 and Extension 2 courses in English and Mathematics. Students are also offered enrolment in school-managed VET courses in hospitality Operations, retail studies, information technology, entertainment and primary industries, complemented by a range of TVET courses delivered at the local TAFE colleges.
Extracurricular activities: Students are actively encouraged to participate in the national competitions in English, mathematics, science, chemistry, geography, business studies, economics and languages. Beyond the classroom, a range of whole school and faculty-based gifted and talented programs, as well as special interest programs in debating and public speaking, ag. club, chess, music and dance and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme is also offered to students. A fitness development program and sporting programs in areas such as rugby, volleyball, indoor and outdoor soccer, tennis, cricket, water polo, netball, basketball and hockey are very popular, with many students achieving success in the zone, regional, state and national competitions.
Welfare and personal development: The school has a very active student welfare and support team with a head teacher welfare leading a wide range of staff including two year advisers for each year group, school counsellors, ESL and learning assistance teachers, a literacy team, numeracy team and primary links and transition team. A team of teachers also provides additional individual and small-group support to students who participate in the after-school learning and homework centre which operates on two afternoons each week. A strong student leadership development program unites prefects, sporting house leaders and student council representatives and students who volunteer as peer reading tutors, peer mediators and student mentors. An outstanding and highly acclaimed teaching and learning program in the area of hospitality operations operates for students in the school’s special education classes. Part-time apprenticeships, work experience and other specialised training programs organised by the careers adviser are also available for students to support them in their transition from school to work.