Calamvale Community College

POD Classroom


Teacher work area in POD


Covered Area


Outdoor Steps for Stage


Sue Bremmer with our team

The next morning we piled into our maxi cab and took the 30 minute trip to Calamvale Community College where we were met by Geoff Latta (Geoff 1). He took us to meet Sue Bremmer, the principal, who remembered me from my last visit.

She gave a presentation on her school and the curriculum journey it has been on. It was opened in 2002 and is a Year 1-12 school. It was purpose-built for integrated teaching and learning. She is a passionate and visionary leader who is being a little worn down by meddling government agencies who have required them to move away from the New Basics model which I had seen two years previously. They were determined, though, to keep the best of that model.

Geoof then took us for a tour of the junior school where we saw the PODs in action. A POD is basically a circular building with a glass teacher space as the hub and the space around it being one large space that can be broken into four individual spaces with moveable walls.

After morning tea we were hosted by Sheryl, who is the principal of the senior school. I felt she spent too much time explaining the Queensland Qualification system and UE requirements. We had a quick tour with her but I would like to have seen more of their actual programme structures. We did, however, get a sample of their timetable which is largely 3 90 min periods per day with each subject getting 2 periods a week.

During and after lunch we were hosted by Geoff 2 who is the principal of the middle school. He gave a good outline of their structure and has provided us with a curriculum planning