In the latest episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, Rachel and Sarah talk to Phillip Heath, Head of Barker College, about how to choose a school for your child and why Barker made the transition to fully co-educational in 2022.
Choosing a school for your child is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make as a parent. There are many factors to consider… practical considerations like how close it is to where you live, public transport options, cost, where friends might be going, and before & after school care. There are also school factors to consider – the size of the school, facilities, religious affiliation, teaching philosophy, academic results, their approach to behaviour management, support for children with additional needs. You’ll also be wanting to consider how different schools might suit children’s personalities, strengths, needs and interests.
Another thing to think about is whether you choose a co-educational or a single sex school. For some, this can be one of the most important factors.
‘The choice of school is an incredibly important one. And it’s reasonable for people to be very careful and considered about that. The best preliminary comment is to say that to know your child, and what suits your child and their interests, skills and to know your family and your own cultural circumstances.’ – Phillip Heath, Head of Barker College
In this issue of The Parenting Couch podcast (brought to you by North Shore Mums), we spoke to Phillip Heath, Head of Barker College, about how to choose a school for your child and why Barker made the transition to fully co-educational in 2022.
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH PHILLIP HEATH
Hear a snippet from the interview
Mr Phillip Heath shares his thoughts on how to choose a school for your child.
‘We shouldn’t all be the same. I say frequently to visiting families that about 80% of what schools do is exactly the same… from school to school to school. We have a centralised curriculum, we have year based academic program, we all have our science classes, we all sit the HSC. The question for parents, and that, that I think is very empowering as to work out well, what’s the 20% that fits my family, my interests, my child, and my aspirations? If we’re all the same, we’d be robbed of that 20%, which is, I think, a richness in the Australian education system that perhaps does not exist as richly elsewhere.’ – Phillip Heath, Head of Barker College.
Listen to the interview with Phillip Heath, Head of Barker College
Listen to the episode of The Parenting Couch interview with Phillip Heath your favourite podcast platform.
At the beginning of the interview, Phillip describes the significance of the artwork that sits behind him in our interview with him… which was created by a student at Barker College.
Indigenous Rosewood, created by a former Barker student
About Phillip Heath, Head of Barker College
Phillip Heath, Head of Barker College
Phillip Heath achieved a First Class Honours degree in Reformation History and taught at Trinity Grammar School Sydney and King’s School Ely (UK), before becoming Deputy Head of The William Clarke College in Kellyville, and then Headmaster of St Andrew’s Cathedral School, Sydney, where he formed the Gawura Campus for Indigenous inner city children. Author of “Trinity, the Daring of Your Name”, and numerous journal articles, Mr Heath became fifth Principal of Radford College ACT in 2009 and the school received the Order of Australia Association (ACT) Award for Community Service twice under his leadership. He was made a Fellow of the ACT Branch ACEL in 2011 and in 2018 was awarded as a Member in the general division of the Order of Australia for his service to education and his commitment to creating greater opportunities for Indigenous students.
He was appointed as the Head of Barker College in 2014. In 2016 it was announced that the School would transition to be fully coeducational by 2022 with female students commencing in Years Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten in 2018, Year 3 in 2019 and Year 7 in 2020. In 2016 he formed the Darkinjung Barker Campus for Indigenous children on the Central Coast of New South Wales and in 2020 the Ngarralingayil Barker Campus for Indigenous children in the Hunter Region of New South Wales. In 2021, following the signing of an MOU with the Yothu Yindi Foundation, Dhupuma Barker commenced as a school for Indigenous children On Country in North East Arnhem Land.
Phillip has served on the NSW Board of Studies representing the Independent Sector (2000-2009) and is also a past National Chair of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (2013-2015). He is currently working on an unpublished manuscript titled “One Life at a Time”, exploring his journey and work to create greater educational opportunities for Australia’s First Nations people.
LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW WITH PHILLIP HEATH
Barker College is now co-educational from Kindy to Year 12
