Student opportunities and activities
At West Wallsend High School, we offer a variety of programs in the classroom and across the school to help students build new skills, make friends and explore new interests.
Our programs include:
- school sport, athletics and inter-school competitions
- creative and performing arts groups and showcases
- cultural and language activities
- excursions and incursions
- interest-based clubs
- student leadership opportunities
- activities that support high potential and gifted learners.
Students can hear more about our opportunities and activities by listening to daily notices in Connect.
Clubs and groups
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Girls Group
- Book Club
- Creative Club
- Japanese Club
- Knit/Crochet Crew
- Mindful Colouring
- Minecraft Club
- Music Rehearsals
- Yidaki Group
Student leadership
Students don't have to be school captains or house captains to be considered leaders.
At West Wallsend High School we believe all members of our community should be capable of exercising leadership in different contexts. The more leadership is encouraged, the more it flourishes.
Helping our students develop leadership skills is not just confined to formal positions. We encourage all students to be leaders. Students are given many opportunities to lead including in the classroom, on the sporting field, at community events and as mentors to other students.
Students who participate in leadership experiences are exposed to activities that strengthen and develop their self-confidence and self-esteem.
Sport
The West Wallsend High School sports program caters to students who wish to compete at a highly competitive level all the way to those who wish to participate at a recreational level. The PDHPE faculty and school ensures that all students receive the necessary support to reach their own personal goals.
The PDHPE department organises three carnivals every year:
- Swimming
- Cross Country
- Athletics
If students perform well, they can represent the school at zone, regional and state levels. This is a great opportunity for students who wish to pursue their strengths or passions and compete against other schools.
There are many opportunities throughout the year for students to participate in knockout sporting competitions and gala days.
Statewide Combined High Schools (CHS) Knockout Competitions
Knockout sport involves our students competing against other schools either at our home ground or theirs. If the school wins, we continue to the next game; if we lose, we are out of the competition, hence the term ‘knockout sport’.
Gala days and other competitions
In addition to CHS knockout competitions, we also enter other competitions and gala days which increases opportunities for students of all ages to represent our school.
There are many opportunities throughout the year for students to trial for Hunter sporting teams.
The elite sports pathway provides students with the opportunity to trial for Hunter region representative teams. Students who wish to trial should be highly proficient in their chosen sport and generally play at a representative level outside of school.
- Students trialling for open teams must be aged 16 years and older.
- All trialists must complete the appropriate online registration forms.
- All trials will cost $10 to enter.
Click below for instructions on nominating and trialling for Hunter sporting teams.
How to register for Hunter regional trials
Hunter School Sports Association (HSSA) Calendars
Students have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of weekly school-based and non-school based sports. Students in Years 7-10 select a sport each term via a sport selection process.
Participation in Thursday afternoon school sport is mandatory for Years 7-10. Students have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of weekly school-based and non-school based sports and should make their choice after careful consideration of costs, equipment required and the demands of the activity.
Note: Year 7 students will participate in a specialised sport program in Term 1 including a mandatory swimming program at West Wallsend Swim Centre. Year 7 will be given the opportunity to select a sport from the wider 7-10 sport program for Terms 2-4.
Sport houses
Our sport houses honour our local mining history.
Rhondda | House colour: black | Surnames: A-D*
Rhondda is located to the west of Boolaroo and to the south of Holmesville and "was once a thriving town which serviced the workers of Rhondda Colliery".
According to a Newcastle Herald article from 1949, the area was named Rhondda by Welsh migrants "in memory of a similar setting of the famous South Wales coalfield of Rhondda Valley".
Coal was first mined in the area in 1900 when Mr James Donaldson prospected for coal in a tunnel under his property, and so the Rhondda Colliery was born!
Rhondda Colliery was open until 1970 when a fire destroyed the mine and its operation.
Seaham | House colour: red | Surnames: E-K*
Two of four prominent mines that historically formed the economic basis of West Wallsend were Seaham Colliery No. 1 which operated from around 1891-92 to 1932 and Seaham Colliery No. 2 which opened in 1905 and closed in 1945.
The village of Seahampton "came into existence when the nearby Seaham No. 1 colliery was opened. Its name was originally Seaham, and evolved to become Seahampton."
- Lake Mac Libraries - Seahampton
- Lake Mac Libraries - West Wallsend
- University of Newcastle - Living Histories
- Image 1: "Seaham Colliery, NSW, [1894]" from the John Turner Collection, the University of Newcastle Special Collections.
- Image 2: "Seaham No 1 Colliery, [1890s], NSW Geology and Mining Museum 0067" from the John Turner Collection, the University of Newcastle Special Collections.
- Image 3: "Seaham No 1 Colliery, Seahampton, NSW, [1890s], NSW Geology and Mining Museum 0067" from the John Turner Collection, the University of Newcastle Special Collections.
Stockrington | House colour: yellow | Surnames: L-R*
The Stockrington No. 1 and Stockrington No. 2 collieries commenced operation during the mid-1920s and mid-1940s respectively. When mechanisation became available in the late 1940s and early 1950s an additional No.3 tunnel was attached to Stockrington No. 2. In around 1952, No. 1 and No. 2 collieries were closed and workers were absorbed at the No. 3 tunnel - eventually known as the new Stockrington No. 2 Colliery.
During the operation of Stockrington Colliery, miners worked closely with beloved pit ponies that were slowly withdrawn as mechanisation increased. The last two pit ponies in the Hunter region retired in the late 1980s and Stockrington No. 2 Colliery ceased operation in 1988.
- Light Railway Research Society of Australia
- Museums & Galleries of NSW - Storyplace
- University of Newcastle - Living Histories
- Image 1: "Stockrington Number 2 Colliery, NSW, Australia", from the J and A Brown Collection, the University of Newcastle Special Collections.
- Image 2: "Stockrington Number 2 Colliery, NSW, Australia", from the J and A Brown Collection, the University of Newcastle Special Collections.
- Image 3 "Stockrington No.2 Colliery, NSW, 9 August 1988" by Brian R Andrews from the University of Newcastle Special Collections. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Sugarloaf | House colour: blue | Surnames: S-Z*
Mount Sugarloaf Colliery operated from 1949-1978 and "was situated at West Wallsend in the shadow of Sugarloaf mountain".
The population of West Wallsend reached its peak of approximately 6000 residents in the early 1900s when all four mines were operating in the area and families flocked to work in the local coalmines.
- Lake Mac Libraries
- University of Newcastle - Living Histories
- Images from the Hannan Photographic Archive and held by the University of Newcastle Library's Special Collections. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
* NOTE: Surnames are used as a guide - students may be moved to other sporting houses to balance overall house numbers or be enrolled in the house of an older sibling with a different surname.