Super school bid

By Shaun Inguanzo
A SUPER school of 2400 students with campuses in Keysborough and Springvale would replace four existing secondary colleges by 2010 under plans submitted to the State Government this month.
Chandler Secondary College in Keysborough, Coomoora and Heatherhill secondary colleges in Springvale South, and Springvale Secondary College are planning to merge into two Year seven-to-12 campuses.
One campus is proposed for the Chandler site and the other for the Heatherhill site. The move would allow the super-school access to more teaching staff who can then offer a broader range of Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) subjects and Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses.
John Haines, the Department of Education’s southern metropolitan regional director’s nominee, told Star that a lack of new students to local schools was the driving factor behind the project.
“The schools are smaller than they used to be because younger families are moving to growth corridors,” he said.
“The (lower student numbers) then restrict the schools in what programs they can offer.”
The two campuses will each hold 1200 students, allowing for growth from the current 1700 students attending the four colleges.
Mr Haines said the reference group, made up of principals and school councils, had this month submitted an outline of the project to the Department of Education.
He said the State Government would then respond, and if it approved the outline, would grant funds for a masterplan to be drawn-up in 2007.
Works are expected to start in late 2008 and continue across 2009, with students first moving into the two new campuses in 2010.
Chandler Secondary College principal Sandra Robinson said the increase in VET options would directly benefit the students.
“It’s a fact that we currently don’t have the (number of) students at the top end of the schools to offer a broader number of programs,” she said.
The school will operate identical curriculums on the two campuses, and Mr Haines said each campus would be broken down into junior and senior schools.
Neither Mr Haines nor Ms Robinson would reveal estimated costs, but a similar project to combine Dandenong, Doveton and Cleeland secondary colleges will cost about $35 million, and was granted $2 million earlier this year for its masterplan.
Mr Haines said the process was not focused on amalgamation or cost cutting.
“It is about creating one school in the Springvale area that will deliver programs to meet future needs, and create pathways that lead to future employment for students,” he said.