Rehoboth Christian College
Encyclopedia
Rehoboth Christian College, formerly Rehoboth Christian School and for many years utilising separate designations as Rehoboth Christian Primary School and Rehoboth Christian High School, is an independent
protestant Christian
day
school
located in the south-eastern corridor of Perth
, Western Australia
. It comprises a primary K-7 campus in the suburb of Wilson
, and a K-12 campus in the suburb of Kenwick
. The College currently enrols some 500 students across its two campuses.
Rehoboth pioneered the establishment in Western Australia of a particular style of school governance and a distinctive approach to curriculum which have since been adopted by a number of other schools. Rehoboth is affiliated with Christian Education National and with the Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia
movement having its origins in Europe
and brought to Australia
by post-World War II migrants
. Its distinctive parent-governance model was innovative in an era when most Christian schools were run by churches. It was established by an association of parents, The Association for Christian Education (Perth) Inc., which was established in 1959, and was the first school of its type in Western Australia when it opened its doors in 1966. Its main distinctive by comparison with the church-operated schools was an intent to relate Christian belief to all areas of the curriculum
. At the same time, teaching was to utilise mainstream curriculum, and the school consciously avoided packaged curriculum materials such as Accelerated Christian Education
. The role of the parent
was paramount, both in school governance and in taking final responsibility for the education of the child, of which schooling was considered only a part.
The school commenced as a primary school only, and it was another 11 years before, in 1977, a secondary campus was established in temporary premises at Kensington
. In its first year known as Rehoboth Christian Secondary School, it moved to its current location at Kenwick in 1979, becoming Rehoboth Christian High School in keeping with conventional local nomenclature practice at the time. For many years the primary and secondary campuses operated distinctly, but in 2005 primary and pre-primary classes also commenced on the Kenwick site. An earlier second primary work at the southern Perth suburb of Yangebup
, commenced at that more remote location from its core population because of restrictions imposed by the Hawke
-Keating
Labor government in the early 1990s, had ultimately failed because of its distance from the other campuses, and closed its doors after 10 years. In 2009 the school became Rehoboth Christian College.
The philosophy of schooling represented by Rehoboth was taken up by other Christians in Western Australia in the early 1980s, as several parent associations were established in other parts of Perth leading to the establishment of similar schools, as well as in several country centres across Western Australia. In the early 21st century Rehoboth was one of the smaller schools of its type in Western Australia as it sought to maintain its distinctiveness and the integrity of its philosophy.
through which students participate in inter-house activities and competitions. The three Houses are:
Newton
Colours: green & gold. Named for 18th century pastor, hymn writer, former slave trader and anti-slavery campaigner John Newton
.
Tyndale
Colours: black & white. Named for 16th century church reformer and Bible translator William Tyndale
.
Wycliffe
Colours: red & blue. Named for 14th century church reformer and Bible translator John Wycliffe
.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
protestant Christian
Christian school
A Christian school is a school run on Christian principles or by a Christian organization.The nature of Christian schools varies enormously from country to country, according to the religious, educational, and political cultures...
day
Day school
A day school—as opposed to a boarding school—is an institution where children are given educational instruction during the day and after which children/teens return to their homes...
school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
located in the south-eastern corridor of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. It comprises a primary K-7 campus in the suburb of Wilson
Wilson, Western Australia
Wilson is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Canning on the north bank of the Canning River....
, and a K-12 campus in the suburb of Kenwick
Kenwick, Western Australia
Kenwick, Western Australia is a mixed residential, light industrial and semi-rural suburb located in the south-east of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Gosnells...
. The College currently enrols some 500 students across its two campuses.
Rehoboth pioneered the establishment in Western Australia of a particular style of school governance and a distinctive approach to curriculum which have since been adopted by a number of other schools. Rehoboth is affiliated with Christian Education National and with the Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia
History
Rehoboth is part of a Christian schoolChristian school
A Christian school is a school run on Christian principles or by a Christian organization.The nature of Christian schools varies enormously from country to country, according to the religious, educational, and political cultures...
movement having its origins in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and brought to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
by post-World War II migrants
Human migration
Human migration is physical movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. Historically this movement was nomadic, often causing significant conflict with the indigenous population and their displacement or cultural assimilation. Only a few nomadic...
. Its distinctive parent-governance model was innovative in an era when most Christian schools were run by churches. It was established by an association of parents, The Association for Christian Education (Perth) Inc., which was established in 1959, and was the first school of its type in Western Australia when it opened its doors in 1966. Its main distinctive by comparison with the church-operated schools was an intent to relate Christian belief to all areas of the curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
. At the same time, teaching was to utilise mainstream curriculum, and the school consciously avoided packaged curriculum materials such as Accelerated Christian Education
Accelerated Christian Education
Accelerated Christian Education is an American educational products company which produces the Accelerated Christian Education school curriculum. The home office is in Nashville, Tennessee, with a customer service and distribution center in Lewisville, Texas. According to a study, by 1980 there...
. The role of the parent
Parent
A parent is a caretaker of the offspring in their own species. In humans, a parent is of a child . Children can have one or more parents, but they must have two biological parents. Biological parents consist of the male who sired the child and the female who gave birth to the child...
was paramount, both in school governance and in taking final responsibility for the education of the child, of which schooling was considered only a part.
The school commenced as a primary school only, and it was another 11 years before, in 1977, a secondary campus was established in temporary premises at Kensington
Kensington, Western Australia
Kensington is an inner southern suburb of Perth. While mostly within the City of South Perth local government area, a small section is within the Town of Victoria Park....
. In its first year known as Rehoboth Christian Secondary School, it moved to its current location at Kenwick in 1979, becoming Rehoboth Christian High School in keeping with conventional local nomenclature practice at the time. For many years the primary and secondary campuses operated distinctly, but in 2005 primary and pre-primary classes also commenced on the Kenwick site. An earlier second primary work at the southern Perth suburb of Yangebup
Yangebup, Western Australia
Yangebup is a southern suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Located in the City of Cockburn, the suburb takes its name from the nearby Yangebup Lake.- History :...
, commenced at that more remote location from its core population because of restrictions imposed by the Hawke
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
-Keating
Keating Government
The Hawke-Keating Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia of the Australian Labor Party from 1983 to 1996. The government was led initially by Bob Hawke as Prime Minister, who was succeeded by Paul Keating in 1991....
Labor government in the early 1990s, had ultimately failed because of its distance from the other campuses, and closed its doors after 10 years. In 2009 the school became Rehoboth Christian College.
The philosophy of schooling represented by Rehoboth was taken up by other Christians in Western Australia in the early 1980s, as several parent associations were established in other parts of Perth leading to the establishment of similar schools, as well as in several country centres across Western Australia. In the early 21st century Rehoboth was one of the smaller schools of its type in Western Australia as it sought to maintain its distinctiveness and the integrity of its philosophy.
House system
Rehoboth utilises a House systemHouse system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
through which students participate in inter-house activities and competitions. The three Houses are:
Newton
Colours: green & gold. Named for 18th century pastor, hymn writer, former slave trader and anti-slavery campaigner John Newton
John Newton
John Henry Newton was a British sailor and Anglican clergyman. Starting his career on the sea at a young age, he became involved with the slave trade for a few years. After experiencing a religious conversion, he became a minister, hymn-writer, and later a prominent supporter of the abolition of...
.
Tyndale
Colours: black & white. Named for 16th century church reformer and Bible translator William Tyndale
William Tyndale
William Tyndale was an English scholar and translator who became a leading figure in Protestant reformism towards the end of his life. He was influenced by the work of Desiderius Erasmus, who made the Greek New Testament available in Europe, and by Martin Luther...
.
Wycliffe
Colours: red & blue. Named for 14th century church reformer and Bible translator John Wycliffe
John Wycliffe
John Wycliffe was an English Scholastic philosopher, theologian, lay preacher, translator, reformer and university teacher who was known as an early dissident in the Roman Catholic Church during the 14th century. His followers were known as Lollards, a somewhat rebellious movement, which preached...
.
Important Alumni
- Nick GoiranNick GoiranNicolas Pierre "Nick" Goiran is an Australian politician.Born in Sydney, New South Wales, he was a barrister and solicitor in private practice before entering politics, holding a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Law. In 2008, he was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Council as a...
- Member of the Western Australian Legislative CouncilWestern Australian Legislative CouncilThe Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
representing South Metropolitan RegionElectoral region of South MetropolitanThe electoral region of South Metropolitan is a multi-member electoral region of the Western Australian Legislative Council, located in the southern suburbs of Perth. It was created by the Acts Amendment Act 1987, and became effective on 22 May 1989 with five members who had been elected at the...