About Us
William Clarke College is an independent, P-12, co-educational Anglican College located in Kellyville in Sydney’s thriving north west. How do schools, in partnership with parents and carers, prepare young people to thrive in an increasingly complex, globalised world - a world that is characterised by change and technological innovation, and in great need of virtuous leaders who possess robust thinking, moral courage and vision? These ideas have inspired our passion to build a Christ-centred community that seeks to develop extraordinary learners with a passion to serve others. This is our purpose.
Our History
The inspiration for the College came from local church congregations who became aware of the need to establish an independent, affordable, co-educational College in the developing north-western suburbs of Sydney.
The aim was to provide a high quality education that was academically strong and well rounded, delivered in a clear Christian context. William Clarke College opened in 1988 with 113 students in Years 7 and 8 using the St Stephen’s Anglican Church in Kellyville as a temporary site.
In 2005 the College Council made the strategic decision to embrace a broader philosophy of education. In 2007 the College introduced a Junior School (Kindergarten to Year 4), Middle School (Years 5-8) and Senior School (Years 9-12). In 2015 the College commenced a Preparatory School to allow families in the local community to have a Preparatory experience at the College the year before Kindergarten.
More than a decade on and the College is now a well-established and thriving P-12 school. The decision to introduce a Middle School that at the time served to connect the existing 'secondary' years and new 'primary' years achieved its purpose. As such, from 2018 the College will be structured P-6 (Primary) and 7-12 (Secondary), with the core aim of increasing the focus on teaching and learning outcomes and improving efficiencies.
The support and commitment of the original families was instrumental in the College’s growth and subsequent success. Today, community and parent/carer involvement is actively encouraged and is a pivotal part of College life. The College has over 1900 students and 200 highly professional staff.
The College is named after the Rev William Branwhite Clarke, who was a minister of the gospel and the first incumbent of the Parish of Castle Hill, Rouse Hill and Dural. As well as his parish duties, he was the second Headmaster of The King’s School in Parramatta and a scientist who is remembered as the founder of Australian Geology.
2024 Term Dates
Term 1
- Friday 2 February
- Whole College Commences
- Friday 12 April
- End of Term 1
Term 2
- Wednesday 1 May
- All students commence
- Friday 28 June
- End of Term 2
Term 3
- Tuesday 23 July
- All students commence
- Friday 27 September
- End of Term 3
Term 4
- Tuesday 15 October
- All students commence
- Tuesday 10 December
- Primary School
Presentation Day/
End of Term 4 - Wednesday 11 December
- Secondary School
Presentation Day/
End of Term 4
Facilities
The College is set on 23.8 acres (9.65 hectares) of land in the heart of Sydney’s Hills District. It is a modern and convenient campus with facilities which are designed to enhance and maximise learning opportunities for all students. Our College facilities accommodate over 1900 students from Preparatory to Year 12 and include dedicated areas for our 260 staff.
In 2015 the College opened the Sports Centre complex, a building which includes two full sized basketball courts, a cardio and weights room along with a dance studio and four (4) classrooms. The Sports Centre also serves as a venue for the entire College community to gather for assemblies and large functions such as our annual Presentation Day.
Our newest building – The Branwhite Centre was completed in 2020. This building has been designed specifically for Science, Technology and Applied Science, Engineering, Visual Arts and Mathematics. Most classrooms, where theory is delivered, are linked to a practical space for that subject along with a breakout space. Learning in The Branwhite Centre is highly visible with substantial amounts of glass feeding natural light into each room. Features, such as garden walls, exposed piping, and building systems, are visible, having been designed to enhance student understanding of the built environment. Importantly, there are many spaces and surfaces upon which students will be able to display their work, including some of the more formal exhibitions that we have during the year.
Facility Hire
William Clarke College has a variety of venues and facilities for hire. Please click here for further information.
Information on facility hire rates can be found here.
For all enquiries and bookings, please contact our Facilities and Hire Co-ordinator at hire@wcc.nsw.edu.au
Location and Travel
Our Address
1 Morris Grove,Kellyville, NSW 2155
Australia
Transport
Many buses provide transport to and from the College, and some of these also pick up from nearby train stations. Hillsbus and Busways can be contacted for specific service information. For those parents/carers who wish to drive their children, there are designated 'Kiss and Drop' zones.
Foundation
The purpose of the College Foundation is to promote voluntary tax-deductible giving by parents/carers and the community to College gift funds. These funds include the Building Fund, Scholarship Fund and Library Fund.
The College Foundation is run by the College Council. All funds raised by the College Foundation are distributed to directly benefit the students of the College.
The Building Fund is designed to raise money to purchase land and to construct buildings in the College. Over the last 29 years, each successive generation of parents/carers has regularly contributed to the Fund according to their means.
The Scholarship Fund is designed to raise money to be distributed to families who wish to access a College education but do not have the financial means to do so. Strict eligibility requirements are applied. This Fund commenced in 2005 and provides some level of fee support to around 50 students each year ranging from Kindergarten to Year 12 .
The purpose of the Library Fund is to raise money for the collection and for ongoing development of the facility such as building expansion.
Child Protection and National Redress Scheme
CHILD PROTECTION STATEMENT/POLICY
The safety, protection and well-being of all students is of fundamental importance to the College. Therefore, the College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
All persons who have a concern or allegation related to a Child Protection matter must report their concern or allegation to the Head (Head of Entity) by direct correspondence at Head@wcc.nsw.edu.au.
If the allegation involves the Head, then it should be reported to the Chair of College Council by direct correspondence at chair@wcc.nsw.edu.au.
The College commits to be a child-safe organisation and to the implementation of the recommendations and the Child Safe Standards contained in the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
The College will operate in accordance with all legislation in respect to Child Protection as a matter of priority.
All staff and volunteers must undertake annual training to make them aware of their Child Protection Obligations.
REPORTING CHILD PROTECTION CONCERNS
Complaints and allegations of staff misconduct and/or reportable conduct are managed by the College in a different manner to other complaints. This is because the College has legal obligations to report certain staff conduct to external authorities. Staff misconduct is a broad term that could include breaches of professional boundaries, codes of conduct or standards of behaviour, whereas reportable conduct is a term defined in law as including:
- A sexual offence
- Sexual misconduct
- An assault against a child
- Ill-treatment of a child
- Neglect of a child
- An offence under section 43B (failure to protect) or section 316A (failure to report) of the Crimes Act 1900; and
- Behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm to a child.
The College requires you to report any concern you may have about the safety, welfare or wellbeing of a child or young person directly to the Head immediately, including if you are unsure about whether a matter is one of child protection. This covers complaints or allegations of staff misconduct or reportable conduct. If unsure, still report.
You may also have an obligation to report directly to the Department of Communities and Justice as a mandatory reporter.
NATIONAL REDRESS SCHEME
In November 2018, the William Branwhite Clarke College Council (William Clarke College) made application to join the National Redress Scheme through the Anglican Representative (National Redress Scheme) Limited.
In December 2019, the Minister for Families and Social Services declared the Council of William Clarke College a participating institution in the National Redress Scheme and a member of the Anglican Participating Group in accordance with the Scheme legislation.
The National Redress Scheme provides support to people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse.
The National Redress Scheme can provide:
- access to counselling;
- a payment; and
- a direct personal response (for example, an apology) from the institution for people who want this.
To access the National Redress Scheme, please go to www.nationalredress.gov.au or call the National Redress Scheme directly on 1800 737 377. Free and confidential redress support services are also available.
CHILD PROTECTION RESOURCES/FILES (Available on the page)
Contact Us
Phone
- Main
- (02) 8882 2100
- Fee Payments &
Fee Inquiries - (02) 8882 2403
- Enrolments
- (02) 8882 2400
- College Shop
- (02) 8882 2401
- Library
- (02) 8882 2146
- Security & Alarm
Emergencies - 1300 445 263