# Churchlands Senior High School

Churchlands Senior High School is an independent public secondary school located in Churchlands, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, approximately eight kilometres (five miles) northwest from the Perth central business district. It is one of the largest schools in Western Australia, with 2,357 enrolled students as of 10 May 2024.

## Background and history

Churchlands Senior High School (Churchlands SHS) is a co-educational high school for Year 7 to Year 12. The school is located in Perth's western suburbs, three kilometres (two miles) from the Indian Ocean and eight kilometres (five miles) from the city centre.
On 6 November 1991, a female student was murdered in class when she was stabbed 18 times by her ex-boyfriend.
On 26 May 1997 the majority of the school was burnt down in a failed attempt to destroy evidence of a break-in. The school was largely rebuilt after spending a few years using demountable classrooms.
On 14 August 2008 the administration block was badly damaged by fire as a result of arson, and demountable offices were brought in to the school. The time taken for refurbishment from the time of the fire until completion was over 13 months.
In 2011 Churchlands SHS joined the Education Department's Independent Public Schools programme.

## Academic status

Churchlands Senior High School students have received many major awards including three Beazley Medals. For the 2009 TEE, Churchlands was the highest ranked public school, based on the number of students who scored 75% or more over four subjects. For the 2008 TEE, Churchlands was the second-highest ranked public school, based on the number of students who scored 75% or more over four subjects.

### WA school ranking

| Year | Rank | Median ATAR | Eligible students | Students with ATAR | % students with ATAR |
| 2018 | 29 | 85.05 | 352 | 250 | 71.02 |
| 2017 | 23 | 86.6 | 336 | 226 | 67.26 |
| 2016 | 28 | 84.7 | 346 | 271 | 78.32 |

### Year 12 student achievement data

| Year | Rank | % +75 in WACE | Rank | % +65 in WACE | % graduates |
| 2015 | 28 | 14.48 | 31 | 38.06 | 0.00 |
| 2014 | 16 | 50.39 | 14 | 68.89 | 99.29 |
| 2013 | 14 | 17.61 | 17 | 43.48 | 96.85 |
| 2012 | 14 | 20.20 | 16 | 49.18 | 98.70 |
| 2011 | 11 | 22.87 | 15 | 56.86 | 100 |
| 2010 | 17 | 18.57 | 20 | 58.12 | 97.1 |
| 2009 | 10 | 50.99 (>75% minimum of one subject) | 6 | 63.36 (64.6% or more) | 97.88 |
* ↑ Ranking of school compared to other schools in the state
* ↑ Based on the number of Stage 3 course enrolments in the school where a WACE course score of 75 or above was achieved
* ↑ Based on the number of Stage 3 course enrolments in the school where a WACE course score of 65 or above was achieved
* ↑ Percentage of Year 12 cohort that graduated with a WACE certificate
Beazley Medal academic winners
Each year, a Beazley Medal is presented to the top ranked academic student in Western Australia. Churchlands Senior High School recipients have been:
* 2009: Hayley Anderson
* 1992: Jonathon Robert Leslie Paget
* 1989: Howard Ho-Wah Yip

## Music

Churchlands Senior High School's Gifted and Talented music program has run sincere 1972. Facilities include a 504-seat acoustically engineered concert hall, a music auditorium seating 254, a dedicated choral studio and with instrumental practice rooms. International recognition includes the attainment of honours at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales and at the World Music Festival in Geneva. Student musicians perform for audiences in Australia and overseas with three-yearly tours to Europe, Asia and North America.
Ensemble performance is an integral part of the Churchlands music experience, and the performing ensembles include choirs, concert bands, orchestras, chamber groups, and guitar ensembles. To enter any level of the music program students must complete tests and auditions. Those who win a place in the program undertake an intensive course that is both practical and theoretical.

## Enrolment patterns

Churchlands SHS is the largest school in Western Australia, with 2,758 students in 2021. Churchlands had 34 temporary transportable classrooms in 2018 to accommodate increasing student enrolment. The creation in 2020 of Bob Hawke College, 5 km (3.1 mi) away in Subiaco, was intended to decrease pressure on Churchlands and other schools in the western suburbs.
Enrolment patterns 2001-2015 :
| | Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | Year 10 | Year 11 | Year 12 | Totals |
| 2001 | | 238 | 216 | 265 | 290 | 279 | 1,288 |
| 2002 | | 249 | 256 | 235 | 301 | 284 | 1,325 |
| 2003 | | 242 | 270 | 285 | 288 | 244 | 1,353 |
| 2004 | | 305 | 253 | 291 | 299 | 255 | 1,403 |
| 2005 | | 361 | 318 | 295 | 318 | 280 | 1,572 |
| 2006 | | 346 | 389 | 338 | 295 | 282 | 1,650 |
| 2007 | | 357 | 355 | 397 | 365 | 290 | 1,764 |
| 2008 | | 319 | 370 | 366 | 422 | 320 | 1,797 |
| 2009 | | 298 | 320 | 385 | 374 | 389 | 1,766 |
| 2011 | | 294 | 128 | 312 | 356 | 361 | 1,451 |
| 2012 | | 360 | 302 | 139 | 324 | 328 | 1,453 |
| 2013 | | 348 | 368 | 312 | 155 | 301 | 1,483 |
| 2014 | | 353 | 360 | 378 | 330 | 145 | 1,566 |
| 2015 | 421 | 412 | 364 | 373 | 390 | 309 | 2,269 |

## Notable alumni
### Government

* Kerry Sanderson – Governor of Western Australia, CEO of Fremantle Port Authority (1991–2008)
* Eric Ripper – Deputy Premier and WA Treasurer 2001–2008, Leader of the Opposition in Western Australia 2008–2012

### Academia and science

* Natashia Boland – Mathematician
* Aron Chakera – Rhodes Scholar
* Mike Fitzpatrick – Rhodes Scholar
* Andrew Poole – cave diver & explorer, co-discovered longest cave in Indonesia, and co-discovered the remipede species L. exleyi in a sink hole near Exmouth
* Ian Puddey – Emeritus Professor, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia

### Art, entertainment and media

* Taryn Fiebig – soprano, Opera Australia
* Conor Barton – drummer, Mosquito Coast, Winner of Triple J Unearthed High 2015
* Sally Carbon – radio host, journalist, and children story-book writer
* Neil Eliot (1955–2007) – press photographer, Walkley Award 1991 and Press Photograph of the Year 1992
* Neil Fisenden – flautist, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and West Australian Symphony Orchestra
* Christopher Malcolm – art curator, Director of the John Curtin Gallery
* Allan Myers – clarinetist, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and West Australian Symphony Orchestra
* Michael Turkic – actor, director, and producer of musical theatre
* Christine Turpin – timpanist, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

### Business

* Mike Fitzpatrick – Director, Rio Tinto Ltd
* John Gillam – Chairman Officeworks, CEO Bunnings, Director CSR Limited
* Melanie Greensmith – fashion designer, co-founder Wheels and Doll Baby
* Peter Stirling – Corporate lawyer and Partner, King & Wood Mallesons

### Sport

* Neil Brooks – swimming, Moscow Olympics 1980 gold medal 4 × 100 m medley relay, Los Angeles Olympics 1984 silver medal 4 × 100 m medley relay, bronze medal 4 × 100 m freestyle relay
* Calvin "C.J." Bruton – basketballer, Australian Boomers, Brisbane Bullets NBL
* Sharon Buchanan – hockey, Los Angeles Olympics 1984, Seoul Olympics 1988 gold medal, Barcelona Olympics 1992, Hockeyroos Captain
* Sally Carbon – hockey, Seoul Olympics 1988 gold medal
* Mike Fitzpatrick – VFL footballer, Carlton premiership captain 1981 & 1982, captained Victoria 1982, Chairman of the AFL Commission
* Richard Hardwick – rugby, Wallabies, Western Force
* Maddison Keeney – diving 3m synchronised springboard, bronze medal Rio de Janeiro Olympics 2016
* Richard Pengelley - water polo, Los Angeles Olympics 1984 and Seoul Olympics 1988
* Shannon Reynolds – canoe sprint K4 500, Tokyo Olympics 2020
* Tom Stachewicz – swimming, Los Angeles Olympics 1984, Seoul Olympics 1988, Barcelona Olympics 1992 – Swimming Western Australia Hall of Fame 2009
* Christine Stanton – high jumper, Moscow Olympics 1980, Los Angeles Olympics 1984, Seoul Olympics 1988
* David Watts – rowing, Rio de Janeiro Olympics 2016
* Sam Welsford – cycling men's 4000m team pursuit, silver medal Rio de Janeiro Olympics 2016