Facilities and environment
Elizabeth Blackburn Sciences is an outstanding state of the art purpose built facility that has been conceptualised to create formal and informal learning spaces. It has a 5 star Green Star Rating. The facility includes two superb lecture theatrettes for 100 to 200 students, practical and flexible laboratories that can be used with groups of varying sizes, multiple break out spaces that allow for tutorials, small group work and independent learning opportunities, a teaching lounge and a senior student space.
Green 5 Star Rating
Green Star Rating is a comprehensive, national, voluntary environmental rating system that evaluates the environmental design and construction of buildings and communities. Green Star was developed to:
- Set a standard of measurement for built environment sustainability
- Promote integrated, holistic design;
- Recognise environmental leadership;
- Identify and improve life-cycle impacts; and
- Raise awareness of the benefits of sustainable design, construction and urban planning.
Geothermal Heating and Cooling
Geothermal Heating and Cooling are the most environmentally friendly way to heat and cool. Using the earth’s constant temperature we can tap into the clean, free, renewable energy source. It requires running an intricate system of pipes 50 metres below the earth’s surface where we can access and transport the earth’s stable core temperature of 15 degrees Celsius up into our learning spaces. As a result, we use minimal conventional heating and cooling sources to create a comfortable temperature inside our facility. Our carbon footprint is greatly reduced and as a result the system does not require any chemicals, to ensure we stay cool in the summer months and warm in the winter.
Science Laboratory has been designed to cater for:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
The laboratory is open and flexible in design that supports the complex needs of the senior sciences and clean systems technologies. Our laboratory provides the opportunity for students to safely use specialist equipment and materials that enable experimentation and production in a range of study areas.
Theatrettes
They are terraced spaces that support explicit teaching and learning activities consistent with a university style for groups of up to 200 students. The atmosphere, lighting and audio visual infrastructure is first class ensuring we have superb acoustic functionality of the space.
Multipurpose Spaces
The innovative use of space allows us to convert small to large learning spaces. Therefore, students have the scope and support to be self-directed independent learners. The adaptability of space enables conversions from conference or seminar style delivery, external experts, community members, and students into tutorial style instruction to small group and individual learning support. This enhances our opportunities to:
- Work together on inquiry tasks that integrate specialist themes
- Provide explicit teaching and learning instruction
- Work with students independently and privately to provide learning support, counselling and track and manage career pathway plans.
Rich IT
environment
The building itself provides a rich digital learning environment with a fully-enabled wireless environment that extends throughout the school. This technology enhances our ability to provide the highest quality cutting edge 21st century technologies.
Our digital environment facilitates the ongoing partnerships with our learning community through the use of audio, digital and video links to tertiary learning centres, business and community organisations, community colleges and institutions of higher learning. This interactive and virtual learning opportunity can be accessed by students, teachers and the community in order to enhance the potential for creation of a networked learning community.
The University High School operates on an open network, and therefore students are required to bring their own personal devices to school and effortlessly use them on our network.