The Country High School Hostels Authority is committed to the achievement of high standards and being recognised throughout Australia as being at the forefront in the care and development of students boarding away from home.
Our boarding service includes accommodation, meals, student care and development, educational and recreational resources and programs, and parent and school liaison.
Federal and State allowances and subsidies provide significant savings off the cost of boarding for eligible families.
The Authority has residential colleges in eight regional centres – Albany, Broome, Esperance, Geraldton, Merredin, Moora, Narrogin and Northam. Predominantly our students come from isolated areas within the State where they have no access to a secondary school. However, enrolment is open to all secondary age students from Australia and overseas on a full fee basis. The eight residential colleges can accommodate up to 900 students, most in single room accommodation.
The Authority also has a boarding facility in the metropolitan area. City Beach Residential College was established to support non-metropolitan students being offered places in gifted and talented education programs in the metropolitan area.
The Western Australian State Government continues to support improvements to college boarding facilities and the Authority has an ongoing building and improvement plan to ensure all residential colleges continue to provide the optimum environment for our students.
If you are interested in working at a residential college, please download the employment brochure here.
The Country High School Hostels Authority operates under the Country High School Hostels Authority Act 1960. The responsible Minister is the Minister for Education, the Honourable Dr Elizabeth Constable, MLA.
The Authority consists of seven members, who are appointed by the Minister on the basis of their association with the conduct of residential colleges, their suitability to represent parents of children accommodated in residential colleges or their general capacity for community service.
Current Members of the Authority are:
The Authority’s Acting Chief Executive Officer is Ms Sharyn O’Neill, Director General of Education.
A central Directorate is located in Perth. The Director of the Authority is Mr Jim Hopkins.
Each residential college has its own local board of management consisting of parents, members of the local community and the partner school principals. Each Board operates under a Constitution that sets out the powers and functions delegated to it by the Authority.
The college board of management –
The college manager of each residential college leads a professional team of supervisors who are responsible for the individual care and supervision of each student. Ancillary staff ensure a clean and hygienic living environment, and catering staff ensure a healthy, balanced diet. Gardens and grounds of each college are also kept to a high standard. Most residential colleges have a swimming pool and sporting facilities onsite or close by.
Parents can be confident that students are well supervised and cared for by staff who have chosen to work in boarding and work hard to ensure that all students have a positive boarding experience. The college staff are quick to deal with any anti-social behaviour so that students can live and learn in a supportive social environment. They organise a variety of recreation activities and excursions and also assist students involved with sports teams and other recreation interests.
By and large students find their time in boarding to be very enjoyable and many students make lifelong friends. The regular quiet study period helps students revise their lessons and complete any school assignments without distraction. Tutors from our partner schools and an ‘on-line’ tutoring service are available to help students with their schoolwork.
Our residential colleges are purpose-built to a high standard and provide a safe, secure living environment for all students. The male and female students have separate living quarters and bathrooms, but share the dining room and most of the recreation areas. All residential colleges are equipped with good study facilities. They have computers for research and printers so that students can complete their school assignments to a high standard of presentation.
The State Government continues to invest significant funds in upgrading our boarding facilities and also provides ongoing funding to ensure that the buildings are well maintained.
Both the State and Federal Governments provide boarding allowances and the State Government also subsidises the cost of the boarding service. Although our facilities, service and care are equal to the best on offer throughout Australia, the Western Australian State Government ensures that the actual cost to students in receipt of boarding allowances is very affordable.
The State Government seeks to ‘enhance the quality of life and wellbeing of all people throughout Western Australia’. Together with our partner schools we work hard to play our part in the achievement of this goal.
Download our current Annual Report.