Chidley Educational Centre, Owston Street, Mosman Park, 1989, by Baker, Barry, courtesy of Community History Images Collection, The Grove Library.
Details
The Chidley Educational Centre was established in 1976 by the Education Department of Western Australia in Mosman Park as a result of advocacy by the Isolated Country Parents' Association. It was a short-term (six month) residential program for children from country areas who needed specialist learning support. In 1979, there were up to forty children aged between 6 and 13 years at Chidley. Chidley closed in 1998 and the building is now part of the St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls.
In February 2013, a former Chidley student got in touch with Find & Connect to pass on memories which included: regular trips to the beaches, walks along the sand bar and around the river, playing in the tunnels at the Leighton Battery, going to motor cross and go-kart events, and skateboarding. The school gave a lot of encouragement of students to teach each other how to operate and setup equipment including computers and audio visual equipment. Students would receive a certificate to show they had 'qualified' in these and other competencies. With a career still based around skills acquired at Chidley, this former student believes the school played a useful role in young people's development.
Sources used to compile this entry: Chidley [Newsletter excerpt] [Document], Date: 2000; Richardson, Brian E, 'An Attempt to Provide an Appropriate Education for the Learning Disabled Child from Remote Rural Areas of Western Australia [Session W-73]', in Annual International Convention, The Council for Exceptional Children, ERIC Clearinghouse, Western Australia, 22-27 April 1979, pp. Session W-73.
Prepared by: Debra Rosser
Created: 16 January 2012, Last modified: 20 June 2014