SCHOOLING

Christmas Island District High School (CIDHS) is fully integrated within the Western Australian Education Department and caters for all children from Kindergarten to year 12. The main campus is located on Murray Rd in Drumsite and there is a free bus service to and from school each day. Kindergarten is run from an alternative school location – Tom Patterson in Settlement - and has its own bus service. All CIDHS curriculum, policies and guidelines are in line with those operating in WA schools. The school is well-resourced and engages quality staff through a merit selection process. Class sizes are usually small compared to mainland standards. The school computer network is Apple Macintosh based. Internet access is available, though not at mainland speeds due to the limited bandwidth of the island. This means that teachers at CIDHS cannot access the DETWA portal. Other School information is contained in the CIDHS School Information Booklet that you will receive.

If you have children who will be attending the school, they can be enrolled when you arrive. Speak to the school officers in the front office at school. School uniforms can be ordered through the Island Newsagency, though you may wish to purchase some items in Perth before you arrive. The Island Newsagency can be contacted on (08) 9164 8187 to obtain order forms or place orders over the phone. There are also school booklists/stationery lists which can be obtained from the CIDHS front office on (08) 9164 8546.

Other educational facilities on the island include Indian Ocean Group Training, which offers post compulsory educational opportunities including traineeships, VET courses and a range of community and adult education courses. There are private music schools offering tuition in a range of instruments, a Saturday morning Chinese language school and an Islamic school that operates each afternoon from 3pm – 5pm.

PRE-SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN

There is a registered day-care centre on the island that is well equipped and staffed. Christmas Island Daycare Centre Inc operates from 7am to 5pm Monday to Friday but is closed over the Christmas School Holidays. Enrolments can be made by contacting the centre coordinator during centre hours on (08)9164 7453.

The Christmas Island Playgroup runs one morning a week for non-school age children and their parents/carers. Information about Playgroup can be obtained by contacting the Secretary Steph Sambell on (08) 9164 8004.

The Recreation Centre runs a crèche for children from 8 weeks old to 6 years old on Monday, Wed and Fri mornings from 9am – 12pm. The cost is minimal at $3.50/session for centre non- members, but you need to be on-site while your child is in the crèche. You might want to do an exercise class, use the gym or just have a coffee.