College history and structure
Great Lakes College was formed in 2003, after considerable department, staff and community consultation, when Forster High School (present site of Forster Campus) became too small to accommodate the growing numbers of high school students in the Great Lakes area. A new site was established at Tuncurry where two campuses, one catering for students from Years 7-10 and the other for students in Years 11-12, were built (co-joined to a new campus of the North Coast Institute of TAFE). The site at Forster was renamed Forster Campus, catering for students in Years 7-10.
The College consists of three campuses. They are:
- Great Lakes College Forster Campus (7-10)
- Great Lakes College Tuncurry Campus (7-10)
- Great Lakes College Senior Campus (11-12)
What our College environment offers students
With an intensive focus of either a 7-10 or 11-12 student environment, each campus is able to best meet the educational needs of their students by tailoring curriculum options, teaching and learning programs and approaches to student welfare, appropriately to each student's age and stage of development.
The 7-10 Campuses
- Cater for students in Stage 4 (Years 7 & 8) and Stage 5 (Years 9 & 10) of their schooling.
- Focus on the Young Adolescent Learner (age 12-16).
- Have commonalities in curriculum, teaching and learning programs, assessment and reporting practices and welfare structures.
The Senior Campus
- Caters for students in Stage 6 (Years 11-12) of their schooling.
- Has developed an Adult Learning and Working Environment that focuses on the learning needs of students aged 16-19.
- Offers broad, flexible and diverse curriculum opportunities with a variety of pathways to a HSC and post school options.