Warwick is set to get a new secondary school in 2013, with one more significant step forward taken last week.
The Warwick Christian College has now received the State Government’s formal stamp of approval on its plans to start operating a secondary school in 2013.
They have also given necessary approvals for the school to occupy Slade Campus, starting later this year.
Warwick Christian College is part of a network of P-12 schools run by Christian Community Ministries (CCM). CCM acquired Slade Campus from the Southern Downs Regional Council earlier this year.
“We are very excited about this milestone in our planning,” principal Terrence McCorkell said.
“We have strong enrolment numbers for Year 8 already. Planning and work at Slade are well underway for a confident start to the 2013 school year,” he said.
Electrical work has already started on Slade House and other buildings on the Slade Campus. The pool now also has a new safety fence. Minor building work and painting are about to begin in many buildings.
“The site is ideal for the operation of our school. The families of the college can’t wait to move in. Town buses even go directly to Slade,” Mr McCorkell said.
The college is forming a group of people interested in the ongoing restoration of the main homestead on the property.
The group, Friends of Slade House, aims to find community support for the project of refurbishing Slade House and other icons on the campus.
“We are privileged to be operating from this historic site, but our key focus is children,” Mr McCorkell said.
“What families need more than anything is a nurturing and supportive place to have their children educated. This is true for young children and it’s true for teenagers,” he said.
A number of families have recently enrolled at the college, citing that they are looking forward to being able to have their primary and secondary students all at the one campus. The college is now taking enrolments for 2013.
