Ulladulla High School


Ulladulla High School is a government-funded co-educational comprehensive secondary day school, located in the town of Ulladulla on the south-east coast of New South Wales, Australia.
Established in 1974, the school enrolled approximately 1,200 students in 2018, from Year 7 to Year 12, of whom seven percent identified as Indigenous Australians and seven percent were from a language background other than English. The school is operated by the NSW Department of Education; the principal is Denise Lofts.

History

Ulladulla High School was opened in 1974 and took over the role of the local high school that Milton Central School had previously filled. Since the opening of UHS, the school has undergone extensive construction and renovation, most notably starting in 2006. This construction saw the commencement of the building that is known as 'Q' block, which provides in excess of 20 classrooms, two large staff rooms accommodating all the staff present at UHS, and state of the art technology. Included in the classrooms are 4 new creative arts rooms, and 2 new music rooms, as well as 2 large art workshops and 1 large music workshop. Also located in the creative and performing arts section is a kiln room, a blue room, a darkroom, several art store rooms, a sound proof band room, a sound proof piano room, and several music store rooms.
The school's major refurbishment stage of the blocks G, K, M, F and E and the Library and Administration blocks has recently been completed and major landscaping work has been finalised. As of late 2011, the school has commenced its largest contraction project since 2006, with the commencement of the new Multi Purpose Hall which will seat in excess of 800 audience members internally, as well as several hundred more in the adjoining COLA.
The original D block was removed in the first half of 2010 and currently is being transformed into wheelchair access for adjacent blocks, and native gardens for students. The school has recently also undergone extensive landscaping, with the design and placement of several new native gardens.

Principals

Academic performance

The school's NAPLAN results are generally below the Australian average, but typically above the averages achieved by schools of a similar demographic.
2012 Year 9 NAPLAN results2012 Year 9 NAPLAN results2012 Year 9 NAPLAN results2012 Year 9 NAPLAN results2012 Year 9 NAPLAN results2012 Year 9 NAPLAN results
ReadingPersuasive
writing		SpellingGrammar and
punctuation		Numeracy
Ulladulla average569529576571573
Similar school average559533562557565
Australian average575554577573584

Controversies

In 2012, there were numerous complaints by members of the community about students loitering in the CBD during school hours, drinking, smoking, swearing and harassing shoppers. This later sparked controversy and has called for the encouragement and support of the local community to not serve students unless they are in possession of a valid leave pass. The initiative 'you need the student pass' was implemented as of 5 June 2012.
In 2011 Ulladulla High School faced criticism over its management of Special Religious Education. The then principal, Tracy Provest, was criticised by some parents for requiring non-religious students to attend scripture lessons to acquire 'non scripture' notes, and providing minimal supervision for those 'opting out'.
In 2009, Ulladulla High School was featured in the media for allowing the Christian-affiliated Organisation, Choices, Decisions, Outcomes to provide sex education classes to students.
In 2006, the Principal, Tracy Provest, allowed students to be breathalysed at school socials, despite this being against Departmental guidelines.

Notable alumni