Western Heights College

Western Heights College is a "unique" secondary school in Hamlyn Heights, Geelong, Australia. Also known as Western Heights Community College,[2][3] it is situated in Vines Road with its adjoining campus being the Vines Road Community Centre.[4][5] The college is spread across three buildings, with Year 7 and 8 in the red building, Year 9 and 10 in the grey building and Year 11 and 12 in the yellow building. As of 2016, the school has 605 students, with only 204 being girls and 401 boys. The school currently has a lower than average Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) score of 950.

Western Heights College
Location
Hamlyn Heights
,
Victoria
,
3215

Australia
Coordinates38°07′32″S 144°20′03″E
Information
TypeSecondary, co-ed, state, fee-paying community centre.[1]
Founded1984 as Vines Road Community Centre
StatusOpen
PrincipalFiona Taylor
Teaching staff54
Employees73
Grades7-12
Enrolment605 (2016)
CampusesWestern Heights, Vines Road
HousesMinerva (yellow), Quamby (red), Vines (green), Barton (blue)
Websitewww.whc.vic.edu.au

History

The Vines Road Community Centre was established in 1984.[6] For some time, Western Heights College had two campuses: the Junior Years Campus (formerly Minerva campus) for years 7, 8 and 9, and the Senior Years Campus (formerly Quamby Campus) for years 10, 11 and 12, located in the suburbs of Herne Hill and Hamlyn Heights respectively. By 1985, the college had been created from the merger of two existing secondary schools: Geelong West Technical School, in Minerva Road, and Bell Park High School, in Quamby Avenue.[7]

In 2010, the City of Greater Geelong (COGG) appointed landscape architects Capacity Consulting to "develop a Master Plan for Hamlyn Park Recreation Reserve which incorporated new facilities at the Vines Road Education Redevelpment Project - incorporating Western Heights College". The new facilities included sports grounds and netball courts with Stage 2 including a basketball stadium.[8]

In 2011, the school began relocating to a single location on Vines Road, formerly the site of the Department of Human Services Barwon South Western Regional Office and, before that, the Geelong Teachers' College. The Barton campus closed at the end of the 2008, and the completion of stage one allowed Years 7 to 9 to start school at the new site at the beginning of July 2011.[9]

Community College

The college has pioneered "learning communities" of 100-120 students and there are no traditional arrangements of classrooms with 25 students and one teacher. These communities can operate independently. Shared community facilities feature in the school and are open to the public. These facilities include: Community Library, Vines Road Community Centre itself, Seniors Club, Sporting facilities and a central Civic Plaza. These facilities are owned and co-managed by the City of Greater Geelong in conjunction with the college's management.[10][11][12][13] Various courses and programs are offered to students and the community on a fee-paying basis.[14]

Western Heights College/Vines Road Community Centre experienced severe flooding in 2016.[15]

References
  1. "Western Heights College Vine Road Community Centre". Western Heights College. 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2016. VRCC set the prices, engage the volunteers and/or staff the programs
  2. "Western Heights College". Learning Environments Australasia ABN 26 108 413 074. 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2019. This makes Western Heights College unique....Shared Community facilities are in the school and are open to the public. They include: Community Library, Vines Road Community Centre, Seniors Club, Sporting facilities and a central Civic Plaza.
  3. "33 Vines Road HAMLYN HEIGHTS VIC". Hayeswinkle. Retrieved 2 April 2020. It is ideally located within walking distance of the new Western Heights Community Hub, College and shops.
  4. "Western Heights College Vine Road Community Centre". Western Heights College. 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2016. VRCC set the prices, engage the volunteers and/or staff the programs
  5. "WESTERN HEIGHTS COLLEGE". School Choice. Retrieved 2 April 2020. ...with a community focus on the Vines Road Campus, supports learning in the 21st century.
  6. "Western Heights College Vine Road Community Centre". Western Heights College. 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2016. The Vines Road Community Centre Inc was established in 1984 by the then Shire of Corio and commenced operation in February 1985, in one of the old Geelong Teachers College buildings, which previously occupied the site
  7. Gregory's 1982-83 Melbourne Street Directory
  8. "HAMLYN PARK RECREATION RESERVE MASTER PLAN Part 1 September 2010". 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2020. The City of Greater Geelong (COGG) appointed Capacity Consulting to develop a Master Plan for Hamlyn Park Recreation Reserve...The Hamlyn Park Recreation Reserve Master Plan has taken into consideration the changes that are occurring in the area through the development of the Vines Road Redevelopment Project - incorporating Western Heights College that is currently being constructed. The new facilities that have been incorporated in the Vines Road Education Redevelopment Project include a new sports ground and two netball courts. Stage 2 of the project will also include a basketball stadium. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. "Regeneration Projects - Regional Initiatives and Programs". Department of Education and Early Childhood Development: Barwon South Western Region. www.education.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  10. "Western Heights College". Learning Environments Australasia ABN 26 108 413 074. 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2019. This makes Western Heights College unique....LEARNING COMMUNITIES OF 100-120 STUDENTS..There are no classrooms with 25 students and one teacher....These communities can operate independently and each learning community has their own...Shared Community facilities are in the school and are open to the public. They include: Community Library, Vines Road Community Centre, Seniors Club, Sporting facilities and a central Civic Plaza.
  11. "Vine Road Stage 2". Western Heights College. 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  12. Fowles, S. (21 June 2016). "Geelong council: Flash flood costs city council more than a million dollars". Geelong Advertiser. The Vines Road Community Centre is in the same complex as Western Heights Secondary College Library, which also sustained a large amount of damage.
  13. "Geelong Regional Liibraries - Western Heights College Library". Geelong Regional Libraries. 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  14. "Western Heights College Vine Road Community Centre". Western Heights College. 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2016. VRCC set the prices, engage the volunteers and/or staff the programs
  15. Fowles, S. (21 June 2016). "Geelong council: Flash flood costs city council more than a million dollars". Geelong Advertiser. The Vines Road Community Centre is in the same complex as Western Heights Secondary College Library, which also sustained a large amount of damage.


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