John Curtin College of the Arts

John Curtin College of the Arts Overview

John Curtin College of the Arts is committed to the student’spursuit of excellence in all areas of the formal and informal curriculum with a special emphasis on the arts.

John Curtin College of the Arts provides special courses and support structures so that students may achieve to the best of their ability according to their needs and aspirations and develop skills and values that will enable them to participate effectively in society.

LOCATION

Overlooking the port city of Fremantle, John Curtin College of the Arts is 30 minutes from the Perth city centre and five minutes from the centre of Fremantle. Fremantle is an attractive, historic city with major retail outlets, cinemas, food
halls and cafes.

DESCRIPTION

John Curtin College of the Arts has an outstanding reputation for its special programs in the performing and visual arts and soccer.

The college boasts a new 460-seat theatre installed with state of the art technology. This theatre supplements the existing theatre, rehearsal spaces, green rooms, dance and ballet studios, a media studio with digital film production capacity, and a photography laboratory and dark room. Professional technicians, working in consultation with the teaching staff, manage weekly performances in music, dance and drama.

John Curtin has established strong links with the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts at Edith Cowan University and successfully places graduates from its arts programs there each year. Graduates from John Curtin have won places in the National Institute of Dramatic Arts, the Australian Ballet Company and scholarships to European dance schools.

Some have gone on to achieve recognition as actors in the international film industry. The special soccer program is renowned and has produced state, national and international representatives. Several former students are apprenticed to international professional clubs and some are professional players in the Australian National Soccer League.

A number of international students have successfully completed this program.
John Curtin College of the Arts has international students from Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea and Japan. It also participates in exchange programs with sister schools in China and Japan. Students at John Curtin achieve well academically, winning major awards for excellence across a variety of subjects each year. Students are regular finalists in statewide competitions in areas such as art, English, media and dance.

Graduates go on to university studies in courses such as law, engineering, media, education, and science. Each year two graduates are awarded scholarships to Curtin University to study courses in the humanities.

The college places a strong emphasis on human rights and equity and on creating a safe environment for its students.

LANGUAGES TAUGHT

French (Years 8-10), Italian and Japanese (Years 8-12)

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

These programs are available to international fee paying students. Interested students should contact the school for information about application procedures.

  • Academic Excellence (Years 8-10) extends and enriches learning for talented students in the humanities, and mathematics/science. Selection is based on tests, academic records and an interview.
  • Artsmedia (Years 8-12) offers students the opportunity to engage in video production, radio broadcasting and multimedia journalism.
  • Ballet (Years 8-12) offers learning experiences in choreography and performance with a special emphasis on ballet.
  • Dance (Years 8-12) develops understanding of a range of dance forms including contemporary classical, jazz, tap and Spanish.
  • Drama (Years 8-12) enables students to become proficient in performing for audiences, improvisation, play building, script writing, stage management, production management and design.
  • Music (Years 8-12) focuses on jazz and composition and offers students the opportunity to participate in performances in concert band, orchestra, vocal and classical guitar ensembles.
  • Music Theatre (Years 8-12) combines aspects of dance, drama and music, giving students opportunities to develop their skills to performance standard.
  • Production course (Years 10-12) is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge of stage management, lighting, sound, set design, model making and arts management.
  • Football/Soccer (Years 8-12) aims to develop skills, attitudes and knowledge that will enable students to compete successfully in soccer at the highest levels. Selection is based on trials, an interview and academic records.

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

An English as a Second Language teacher gives assistance on an individual or small group basis to students with a non- English speaking background.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

John Curtin College has a special interest in the welfare, progress and emotional well-being of its students. The student services team consists of two full time managers, year coordinators, course advisers, a nurse, careers coordinator, psychologist, chaplain and learning support teachers.

 Application