Media release
For immediate release
Date: Wednesday 20 May 2021
WAโs 28th Clontarf Academy opens its doors at Ellenbrook Secondary College
The Ellenbrook Secondary College Clontarf Academy opened for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander boys last October 2020. The Academy started off with 43 boys and now have 64 boys enrolled, an increase of 33% enrolled in seven short months.
The Clontarf program is working very well within Ellenbrook Secondary College. Attendance has improved by 15% since last year, which means more boys are eligible to participate in engagement and incentives rewards.
The program requires the boys to have an attendance rate of above 80% before participating in extracurricular activities such as camps, football tours, and carnivals. It has high expectations from the boys, and teachers have communicated that there has been a significant shift in their behaviour.
This term, the Year 10 cohort who achieve 85% attendance will travel to Coral Bay and Carnarvon for a Clontarf Football Academy involving 20 other Clontarf Academies around Western Australia.
This Friday, 21 May, the Ellenbrook Secondary College Clontarf Academy is officially opening. Wayne Young, Director โ Ellenbrook Academy, said the program is moving in a very positive direction:
โIt is important to celebrate and acknowledge the ground we made in a short time. The opening is also an opportunity to thank our partners. Without their contribution, we simply cannot grow. Once we prove the Ellenbrook Clontarf Academy works, we can then look at opening in another location. Itโs an
exciting time.โ
Mr Young also acknowledged Jessica Shaw MLA, who he said was a significant driver to bring Clontarf to Ellenbrook.
โJessica has been incredible. She really pushed for us to come hereโ he said.
In 2021 Clontarf operates 131 Academies in 141 schools across WA, NT, VIC, NSW, SA and QLD. There are 30 academies in Western Australia, the second largest in the country, with NSW having 47 academies.
Clontarf Ellenbrook has its own Homeroom where the boys meet once a day for 15 minutes. Homeroom usually covers attendance, wellbeing, upcoming events, College values, subject selection
and College communications.
Clontarf Ellenbrook also has its own Academy room, which is the heartbeat of their program. It is an environment where the boys feel safe and valued and where positive relationships are formed and developed. Within the Academy room, staff get the opportunity to work with the boys to develop and practice the skills and abilities needed to participate meaningfully in society.
The Ellenbrook Clontarf Academy officially opens Friday 21 June 2021 to celebrate and acknowledge the achievements made since starting last October.
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