The advent of the new school year could not have come at a better time for Northshore Christian Grammar School (NCGS), with a new oval and an additional ‘access road’ opening recently.
NCGS opened in 2017 with 55 students, and it was expected that the little school in the new suburb of Alkimos would grow slowly over time.
However, the amazing work that has been done in the classroom and the local community by Principal Mr Stuart Chisholm and his staff has met the needs of the local population, who have flocked to the school in record numbers.
In 2023, Northshore gained national attention as WA’s fastest-growing independent school, and the need to expand facilities to accommodate new students and new staff became Mr Chisholm’s catchcry, with every conversation becoming an opportunity for the school leader to advocate for expansion of his playing areas.
“At one stage, I went down to the local takeaway restaurant here, and they said: ‘Can I take your order, sir? I said: I’d like a new oval for my students for their Athletics Carnival, please,” said Mr Chisholm this week.
“Unfortunately, I was unsuccessful with that request. I did come away with a burger and fries, though…”
“On another occasion, I was pleading for an oval space, and I was given a small bag of grass seeds to sow in the ground. It felt quite Biblical!”
“I had to exercise patience, which I am not really known for. But, I also knew that God would provide and we would learn and grow through all of this.”
The school year began this week with 883 students at Northshore. The oval is now in full bloom, and the Principal is smiling from ear to ear.
Mr Chisholm praised the patience of his staff, who have endured building-site conditions and cramped offices for the last 24 months:
“The staff have been incredible. Because of their ability to work in a small space, we have been blessed with a larger one. The oval enables us to expand the secondary students into their own play space, while the Primary students can fully enjoy a dedicated space. It will help with timetabling, sport will become more inviting at Northshore, and we will expand on our promise to create an oasis in the sandy desert in Alkimos.”
Besides the new oval space, the Stage 4 building project (with numerous general-use learning areas, administration space and a specialised Library) and upgraded communal facilities are all on the cards for 2026.
The school community had another reason to rejoice this week, with a new access road opening, freeing traffic congestion around the school grounds during peak drop-off and collection times.
Masterpiece Boulevard has been well and truly test-driven by the Northshore staff, with some quirky characters appearing for the celebration!
Check out the school’s hilarious reveal video below:
Track and field line marking is scheduled for the near future on the green grass (pictured below), but for now, the green, green grass of Northshore is a turf lover’s delight to behold, with Mr Chisholm and his team enjoying every opportunity to take photographs with drones and smartphones!
Architectural renders for Nothshore’s Stage 4 development are shown below.
