School reflects community

Press, 20 February 1980, Page 16

School reflects community

Although Malvern County covers such a large area, the Darfield High School brings together the whole district.

Children from all parts of the county attend the new Form 1-7 school, many of them travelling long distances by school bus to do so. Because of the isolation of farm life the school plays a much larger part in the community than is the case in urban areas. It is not only the children who are involved — whole families participate in the activities, both academic and social, which the school can Offer

To many back-country residents school is the only link with civilisation on a day-to-day basis. The return of their children every day provides news, information and stimulation, keeping parents up with the play in local affairs.

The Darfield • High School has maintained a particularly high ■ reputation over the last few years. Academically its record is above the national -. erage and both the quality and extent of the school’s curriculum

are the subject of admiration.

The principal of the school, (Mr W. R. Ryburn), attributes this standard partly to the geographical location and partly to the supportive l nature of the community. Because Darfield is only 40 minutes drive from Christchurch the school attracts a high standard of teacher.

The school itself is less than two years old, having been built almost from scratch after a fire destroyed most of the original buildings. The facilities offered in the new complex include metalwork, woodwork and homecraft specialist rooms as well as fully-equipped art and music rooms. Large, well - established grounds ca... for sports and recreation and a gymnasium has been approved for construction this year. The relatively small size of the school keeps it free from mans’ of the administrative bothers that plague larger establishments. There is less need for elaborate organisation, allowing an informality and a good-humoured approach to the process of education which is all too often lacking in today’s secondary schools.