Werribee Secondary College

Werribee Secondary College (abbreviated as WSC) is a government high school in Werribee, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The College is operated by the Victorian Department of Education.

Werribee Secondary College
Location
Duncans Road, Werribee, Melbourne, Victoria

Australia
Coordinates37°54′29″S 144°40′05″E
Information
TypeGovernment high school
MottoLive Worthily
Established1956 (1956)
OversightVictorian Department of Education
Council President
Damian Marinaro
PrincipalAmanda J. Mullins
Teaching staff110.1 FTE (2019)[1]
Years7–12
Enrolment1,544[1]
Campus typeSuburban
HousesHollows  

Dunlop  
Evatt  
Burnet  
Gilmore  
Chisholm  
Dynon  

Murdoch  
Colour(s)Navy and maroon    
AccreditationsInternational Baccalaureate
Select Entry Accelerated Learning
AffiliationsCouncil of International Schools
Websitewerribeesc.vic.edu.au

Established in 1956, the College enrolled, in 2019, approximately 1,500 students from Year 7 to Year 12, of whom less than one percent identified as Indigenous Australians and 65 percent were from a language background other than English.[1] Since 2000, Werribee Secondary College has experienced heavy demand for enrolments at Year 7 and at other levels. To manage this, a ceiling was placed on the total school enrolment.

The college established an International Students Program in 2000 and attracts international students. The college has relationships with schools in USA, Spain and Japan. The college was accredited with the Council of International Schools (CIS) in 2006. Since 2013 the College was the first Victorian Government school to offer students the choice of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme alongside the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or VCAL. Students will select the senior programme (VCE, VCAL or IB) which best suits their individual interests and learning styles.

History

In May 2004 the college was hit by a massive fire that destroyed the school's technology and textiles wing. It caused up to A$2 million damage, including the destruction of students' VCE assignments. Junior students had up to 12 days off school while portable classrooms were brought to the school site.[2]

In August 2006 Werribee Secondary College received accreditation from the Council of International Schools.

In 2011 Werribee Secondary College became the first state school in Victoria to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma program (it had previously only been available at fifteen private schools).[3]

In December 2009 it was reported that four teachers from the school were taking legal action for psychological damage resulting from bullying and harassment by colleagues.[4] Earlier in the same year, another staff member was awarded up to $140,000 in compensation as a result of his treatment by the school.[5] Another case against the school was before the Supreme Court in October 2013.[6]

In 2014, a case brought by Peter Doulis against the Department resulted in Doulis being awarded damages and costs in excess of $1.2 million.[7] It was also revealed by The Age in February 2015 that the Principal of the College received a public service medal for his services to public education despite the school being involved in another case whereby a female staff member received a "six figure damages payout for psychological injuries" which resulted from her treatment by the school.[8]

Education

SELP program

The college holds a SEAL (Select Entry Accelerated Learning) accreditation with the Academy of Accredited SEAL schools (TAASS), a for profit group which has taken over such accreditation since the department of education dropped SEAL schools programs in 2014.[9] The college is the only school in Wyndham to hold this program. The program starts in Year 7 and runs to 10. At year 7 and 8 there are 3 classes; 1 SELP IB class(not affiliated with the schools IB program as the school is only registered and accredited to provide the IB Diploma program[10]) and 2 SELP classes. Consecutive years currently only run with two classes at each year level. During Year 11 and Year 12 where there is only one class. Students in the SELP program must have at least 90% attendance. It is also required for SELP students to have an average of 70% in all of their core subjects.

Houses

The college has newly added eight houses. Houses are divided into home groups as an attempt by the college to encourage student bonding. The houses are named after people who have "Lived Worthily"... the College motto. The houses are:

House Colour Named after
Hollows Yellow Fred Hollows
Dunlop Aqua Edward "Weary" Dunlop
Evatt Black H. V. Evatt
Burnet Red Frank Macfarlane Burnet
Gilmore Green Mary Gilmore
Chisholm Blue Caroline Chisholm
Murdoch Orange Elisabeth Murdoch
Dynon Purple John Dynon

Alumni

See also

References
  1. "Werribee Secondary College, Werribee, VIC". My Schools. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  2. "Classes closed after Werribee school fire". ABC. ABC. 14 May 2004.
  3. Tarica, Elisabeth (19 September 2011). "Werribee leads, but how many will follow IB example?". The Age. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  4. "Teachers Sue Over Bullying". Sundary Herald Sun.
  5. "Bullied Teacher Wins Cash".
  6. "Teachers Claim Burnout at Streaming School". The Age. 29 October 2013.
  7. "Teacher Wins Increased Compensation Payout". ABC News. 16 September 2014.
  8. "Werribee Secondary College Pays Out Sixfigure Sum-to Second Teacher Over Workplace Mistreatment". The Age. 4 February 2015.
  9. "Gifted Program". TAASS. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  10. "Werribee Secondary College". IBO. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
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