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Wanneroo Senior High School came into being on the 7th February, 1977, opening its doors to 180 Year 8 students from the contributory schools of Yanchep, Wanneroo and St Anthony’s under the inaugural Principal Mr Glynn Watkins O. A. (dec.).

The Deputy Principals were Mrs Betty Cockman and Mr George Teasdale. As with all the early teachers, the thirteen staff in this first year were specially selected to reinforce the ethos of innovative teaching and learning strategies and pastoral care. On the rural urban fringe, Wanneroo was the northernmost school in the metropolitan area and at times had students travelling in from outlying areas including the fishing communities of Quinns Rock, Burns Beach as well as Yanchep and surrounding farming areas. With rapid growth the school expanded to over thirteen hundred students in the mid 1980’s. Wanneroo SHS was an innovative lighthouse school from the start. Mr Watkins was given the brief to create W.A.’s first flexible area school and he had toured Canada and the USA to study educational methods prior to opening the school.

“Caring and Excellence” were the twin approaches to the education of the students. The day started with a half hour Teacher Advisory Group meeting. An integral part of pastoral care, TAG teachers and groups were to remain with students throughout their years at high school and engaged in a series of activities both in and out of school to promote cohesiveness and team building. Each TAG group belonged to a house. The houses were named by students and teachers using the letters “WANERO” for WANNEROO; Watkins, after the first Principal and the others after an aboriginal leader and early settlers in the Wanneroo District. Watkins (Wattle yellow), Ariti (Azure/Aqua blue), Noogongoo (Navy blue), Elliott (Emerald green), Rogers (Red), Okely (Orange).