Tom Price Senior High

Tom Price Senior High School opened in 1971 with 700 students from Year 1 - Year 10 the school has undergone numerous changes in response to community needs. It became a Senior High School in 1995.

The school is located in the centre of Tom Price and has outstanding views of Mt Nameless. Well established gardens provide students and staff with a positive and pleasant learning environment in which to pursue a range of Curriculum Council Accredited courses. In 2004, the Department of Education and Training together with the Shire of Ashburton, constructed a shared community recreation facility. This provides the school with an air-conditioned, international-sized gymnasium and a performing arts space that can seat 250 people. It was opened by the Premier, Geoff Gallop in 2005.

Originally based on a traditional secondary school model, Tom Price Senior High School has moved quickly to embrace the principles of the Curriculum Framework and Middle Schooling. Staffing and timetabling is based on providing students with access to all eight Learning Areas in Years 8-10. Students enter a generalist course in Year 8 gaining experiences across all Learning Areas. In years 9/10, students are able to pursue their particular interests by choosing from a range of subjects in the learning areas of The Arts, Technology & Enterprise and Health and Physical Education.

Year 11 and 12 students are offered a full range of secondary courses in TEE, Non-TEE and Vocational Education & Training. Whilst most courses are provided through face-to-face teaching, a small number of Year 11 and 12 students select to study via SIDE (the School of Isolated and Distance Education). The INSTEP Program has two streams, Business and Hospitality and Metals and Engineering. Within the course, students complete nationally accredited units of competency and upon completion of their course receive Certificate I or II in the Vocational Education and Training sector of the Australian Qualifications Framework. In 2004, Tom Price Senior High School pioneered the Pilbara Pathways Program (PPP) and won the award in 2005 for having the best VET program in Western Australia. The school was runner-up in the National award.

In 2002, a major development was the opening of the Garringjardi Mirrinurr Mulga Ngurr Project. The project is in collaboration between Pilbara Iron, The Department of Education and Training and the Gumala Aboriginal Corporation. The centrepiece of the project is an enrichment centre that provides after school tuition for selected indigenous students. The aim of the project is to provide indigenous students with pathways into tertiary education, apprenticeships, traineeships or employment.

The school operates an effective Good Standing Policy across all year groups that provides students with clear expectations, assistance and rewards to assist them achieve their best at Tom Price Senior High School.