Wendy of Oz finds the secrets of our success

Wendy Caramarco with Oldham Sixth Form College principal Nick Brown

AUSSIE school principal Wendy Caramarco said G’day when she swopped sunny Oz for rainy Oldham.

The head of Wallan Secondary School, Victoria, visited Oldham Sixth Form College to find out more about its outstanding work.

Wallan is planning to expand to cater for 16 to 19 year olds and Ms Caramarco also wanted to see how establishments such as the college work with industry and higher education.

The link was established because two of the college’s former science teachers, Chris and Andy Ellis, emigrated to Australia in 2007 and work at Wallan. They told their new principal what a fantastic place it is and encouraged her to visit.

Wallan is a rural area an hour from Melbourne which is undergoing massive development.

The school is predicted to have more than 900 students enrolled each year over the next five years, and Ms Caramarco said: “‘It’s been an absolute privilege to come this far from my Australian school to visit an educational institution where the passion and commitment of the staff and students is evident everywhere.

“High quality learning is obviously what Oldham Sixth Form College is all about.”

Ms Caramarco is in Britain as part of a party which is also visiting schools and colleges in Wales and Wolverhampton.