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Under the auspices of the Presbyterian and Methodist churches, the Reverend R E Bacon founded Thornburgh College for boys in 1919.
The vision of Reverend Bacon led to the opening of Blackheath College for girls in 1920. Since 1921, students from both Colleges have studied together in a co-educational environment. The Colleges have operated under the leadership of a single principal since 1940.
In 1978 the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association handed governance of the College to local management. In 2004, Blackheath and Thornburgh College, a company limited by guarantee, took control of the College.
Although Blackheath and Thornburgh College is an innovative and progressive College, history and tradition are still very important within the College community.
The Blackthorn Past Students Association comprises a large community of Past Students who actively support the College and who are more than happy to shout, “Go It Blue!”.
The strong ethical basis of the College’s character—which promotes honesty, integrity and personal responsibility, is derived from common Christian traditions. BTC welcomes students from all Christian denominations and other faith traditions. |
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Blackheath and Thornburgh College’s commitment to promoting conscientious academic endeavour is evident through consistent annual benchmark results. Our academic curriculum is kept current and relevant through regular review and revision of work programmes and a very comprehensive range of subjects are available to students. In Years 8 and 9, students are streamed in Maths, English and Science to create more appropriate environments for concentrated learning.
In addition to this, BTC caters for the growing student preference for Vocational Education and Training (VET) by being leaders in this area and by being one of only a handful of schools in Australia to have two full-time, specialist VET Co-ordinators. All Certificate Courses are offered to students as fully timetabled and mentored subjects, as opposed to them being an additional undertaking for students. Some curriculum subjects, (including Furnishings, Metal Techniques and Ag. Science) also have a Certificate qualification imbedded in them. Some of the Certificate Courses that BTC currently offer students include Certificate IV in I.T/Business Management, Certificate II in Information Technology, Certificate III in Aged Care, Certificate III in Retail and many more. The RITE (Rural Industries Training and Employment) program is also available for students in Years 9 – 12 to undertake.
In addition to this, students at BTC may choose to study University subjects while they are still at school through Central Queensland University and other universities. Students who pass these University subjects are guaranteed entry into that particular course upon completion of their schooling.
Students may also choose to undertake a School Based Traineeships (SBT) or a School Based Apprenticeships (SBA) and use their allocated sessions on the timetable to undertake placement or complete theory work. For students wishing to pursue a trade or enter the workforce after completing their schooling, the BTC VET Program offers them a flexible education that caters specifically to their needs.
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An Extensive Music Programme:
Blackheath and Thornburgh College’s extensive music programme for instrumental and vocal ensembles gives students in every year level opportunities to appreciate music and to perform before audiences. Students can become members of the Concert Band, Stage Band, Senior Choir and numerous other vocal and instrumental groups. Private music lessons are also available with tutors at the College. In Year 8, all students undertake Music as part of the curriculum and in this class students learn an instrument and play together in a band. BTC students perform at the Charters Towers Eisteddfod, the Charters Towers Show and a range of other venues both locally and regionally. BTC is also proud to offer a timetabled Excellence in Music subject for students in Years 11 and 12.
An Active Drama Department:
The Blackheath and Thornburgh College Drama Department has rapidly expanded after the College’s 2007 production of “Back to the 80’s”, which was a huge success. All Year 8 students undertake a Semester of Drama and it is offered as a subject in every Year level, including Years 11 and 12. The College also has a successful After-School Drama Program available for students in Years 4—12. Junior School students also participate in drama class with a specialised drama teacher once a week.
Leaders in Dance:
The Blackheath and Thornburgh College Dance program is one of the biggest and most successful school dance programs in North Queensland. The “Power Up” Professional Dance and Fitness Studio is conveniently located on campus and is coordinated by experienced and enthusiastic instructors. Students in all Year levels are able to participate in the dance program, with a huge range of dance, fitness, flexibility, latin, ballroom and pilates classes available, as well as classes for younger siblings (3-4 years) and parents.
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Sporting Success:
Blackheath and Thornburgh College has a history for being a strong sporting school. The College has won many Inter-School Swimming, Athletics and Cross-Country competitions over the years and are consistently strong competitors in the Inter-School Cricket, Netball, Softball, Rugby League and Tennis competitions. The Inter-School sports competition is played once a week, with a different sport being available to students each Term. Inter-House sport is also played once a week, where students also play Touch Football and Soccer in addition to the same sports that are played at an Inter-School level. BTC students can also participate in the local Touch Football, Netball, Tennis, Rugby League and Rugby Union competitions. Sport is also an important part of the curriculum at BTC, with all Year 8 students undertaking Health and Physical Education as a subject. Senior Physical Education is also offered as an OP subject to students in Years 11 and 12 and students can also choose to complete a Certificate III in Recreational Studies. HPE is also offered as an elective subject for students in Years 9 and 10. All Junior School students have PE lessons each week and participate in Inter-House and Inter-School Swimming, Athletics, Cross-Country and Sport competitions.
Cattle Club and More:
Blackheath and Thornburgh College offers a range of other Co-curricular activities in addition to Music, Dance, Drama and Sport. The College has its own Cattle Club which regularly has camps and Cattle Handling courses locally at Pajingo Station. BTC students also have the opportunity to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, a well known award which recognises talent and commitment. Students can also link their participation in the DOE scheme with membership in the Interact Club, which is a Club associated with Rotary that is extremely active within the College, local and wider communities. There are also opportunities for students to participate in Inter-School Debating and various Public Speaking competitions within the region.
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Nothing can replace the familiarity of home. Blackheath and Thornburgh College does not attempt to recreate a child’s home, but works to give students a different experience of living in a small community which is familiar and supportive. Approximately half of the students at BTC are Boarders and this results in new Residential students having a large support network of peers in the dormitories as well as a large number of other students who understand the specific issues they may face as boarders. These may include homesickness and adjusting to an environment that is unfamiliar to them. The pastoral care system that is in place within the residential environment ensures that younger students receive extra support from older students and staff members.
BTC has separate boarding facilities for boys and girls. Students each have their own cubicle containing a bed, desk, lockable cupboard and shelving. Cubicles are located in dormitories which all have evaporative cooling systems, security screens on windows and alarm systems. Common rooms in each dormitory are equipped with TV, Austar, VCR/DVD player, fridge, toaster, electric jug and soft furnishings. Pool tables, Ping Pong tables and Gym equipment (weights, boxing bags and home gym equipment) are also located in each of the boarding facilities. In addition to this, boarders have supervised use of sporting facilities, the swimming pool, the computer labs and the College library after school and on the weekend. Nutrition is important at BTC and boarders are served six well-balanced meals daily in the communal T R McKenzie Dining Hall, which caters for all tastes and speciality diets. Our 24-hour, self-contained Health Centre provides on-site care for the school community. The well equipped centre is staffed by qualified health professionals who ensure the best possible care is given to our students.
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BTC Junior offers a quality education and a seamless transition in to the BTC Secondary School for Day students in Years Prep - 7 and Residential students in Years 5 - 7. Led by the Junior School Co-ordinator, BTC Junior prides itself on smaller class sizes allowing for individualised attention. The academic programme empathises literacy and numeracy as the fundamentals of academic achievement and lifelong learning and BTC Junior has modern computer facilities for integrating information technology in the students’ learning program. All BTC Junior students participate in Music, Drama, Art, PE and Library lessons taken by specialist teachers and upper primary students also engage in Japanese lessons. BTC has a dedicated Learning Support teacher and a structured programme in place to assist students with their special learning requirements. BTC Junior also boasts full-time teacher assistants and an after-school care program.
Non-Composite Specialised Prep Class:
Prep is a full-time year of schooling for young children that replaces pre-school. Prep at BTC provides opportunities in open, spacious learning environments that support learning for young children through real life situations, play, focussed learning and teaching events, routines and transitions and investigations. At BTC Prep we have dedicated and experienced teachers and full-time teacher assistants who are committed to, and have a passion for, Early Childhood education. We make the transition into schooling fun and exciting in an environment where a love of life and learning underpins everything and children learn to be caring, courteous and considerate. We provide age-appropriate resources and facilities and offer students the opportunity to interact with older siblings and students, providing a supportive, family environment for young children.
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Celebrating 90 Years of Excellence in Education in 2009:
BTC is hosting a number of events throughout to 2009 to celebrate their 90th Anniversary. Events include:
Grandparents Day - Friday 15th May
90th Anniversary Gala Ball and Auction - Saturday 16th May
Winton Mini-Anniversary Dinner - Saturday 6th June
Atherton Mini-Anniversary Dinner - Monday 6th July
Reunion Weekend - 7th, 8th and 9th August (Including the P&F Garden Party and the unveiling of the Wall of Achievement)
Back to 1919 - School for a Day - Monday 12th October |
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