First look at second McKinnon Secondary College campus unveiled
When an in-demand high school with an excellent reputation has to knock back 100 year 7 students a year, news of a second campus fills desperate parents with joy. But here’s how a zoning shakeup is set to put a hold on celebrations as design plans are released.
VCE
Don't miss out on the headlines from VCE . Followed categories will be added to My News.
A first look at the much-anticipated second McKinnon Secondary College campus has been unveiled.
But a local real estate agent fears there would be little net gain for families eager to snare a hotly contested spot in the high-achieving bayside school.
Families squeezing into its zone and others on the fringes have been hoping the new campus will improve their chances of entry.
A decision on the new zone will not be made until 2021.
McKinnon Secondary is currently turning away more than 100 applicants at Year 7 each year.
STUDENTS ROCK UP DRUNK TO SWIM CARNIVAL
Even prospective enrolments have been told as of February 13 that they are “strongly advised to contact the college before securing a leased property or purchasing a property to discuss enrolment options”.
Places for Year 7 entry are announced around August for 2020 entry.
At most schools, home ownership or a long lease within the zones proving evidence of residence are a guarantee of entry.
McKinnon requires renters, who have entered the school this year and have a lease that is due to expire on June 1, to get a letter from the landlord stating that a new lease will be granted.
Like many carefully-zoned schools, McKinnon has found an increase in demand due to families renting or buying in the zone to get in and then subsequently leaving.
Further, new developments have seen demand for townhouses from families looking to secure a prized in zone address.
But McKinnon Real Estate owner/director Eric Cohen said there were concerns that the new school, which will be located in a corner of a former industrial estate, will not add any tangible places for people in the zone or close by.
The state government has secured a slice of land for a vertical school in the industrial estate, which is undergoing renewal and will be known as East Village.
VICTORIA’S ONLY SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND CLOSES
MUST-READ SECRETS OF PERFECT ATAR SCORERS
“The East Village plan is overly developed, and the additional numbers that the government is trying to add to the school, by the second campus, may be counteracted by the number of apartments that are being planned for the East Village,” Mr Cohen said.
The original McKinnon site on McKinnon Rd has a student population of around 2200 spread across Year 7 to 12.
The new campus, on South Drive, is expected to increase capacity by between 650 and 1100 students.
The $70 million Bentleigh East campus, which will accommodate years 8 and 9, will be near the former Murrumbeena High School, which closed in 1990s.
The impression from architect firm K2LD reveals how the school, to be built near a one-time cigarette factory site, will look.
Mr Cohen said his company put out a quarterly newsletter to more than 4000 people and the school zone was a consistent hot topic.
He said feedback from locals was that they were unhappy about plans to put year 8 and 9 students on the separate campus.
While Mr Cohen believed the new school would not grow the pie for families, there had been a correction in prices for existing homes within the current zone.
Mr Cohen said there had been a drop off in overseas Chinese buyers who had been a key buying group from 2013 to 2017.
“The overseas Chinese buyers are now out of the McKinnon school zone market, due to their inability to bring in money from overseas,” he said.
Mr Cohen said the prices had corrected from a July/August 2017 peak.
Local MP for Bentleigh Nick Staikos said the school was good news for families aspiring to send their children to the McKinnon school.
BEST HIGH SCHOOLS IN MELBOURNE’S EAST
MIGRANTS LURED AS BATTLE FOR SPOTS HEATS UP
“Many families decide to move to our local area in order to send their children to McKinnon Secondary College,” he said.
“Due to changing demographics as well as its popularity, McKinnon Secondary College is a very large school that is getting bigger. It currently has 2200 students and enrolled a record 420 year seven students this year.
“The availability of land at the Virginia Park site in East Bentleigh — a stone’s throw from the former Murrumbeena High closed by the Kennett Liberal Government — is a once in a lifetime opportunity for a second campus for McKinnon Secondary.”
Mr Staikos said the zone was still being finalised.
“School zones are reviewed regularly. The zone for the new campus will be available in 2021, in time for the opening in 2022,” he said.
While McKinnon is not a select entry school it is one of the top-performing government schools.
In last year’s VCE it was sixth behind four select entry schools and long established zoned school Balwyn High School with a median study score of 34.
Its principal Pitsa Binnion is regarded as one of the state’s most successful principals.
A Department of Education and Training spokesman said: “McKinnon Secondary College is a fantastic school and we’re excited to deliver a second campus to cater for the future needs in the area.”
“The Victorian Government is providing $70 million to build a modern state-of-the-art vertical school campus, located at the East Village development in Bentleigh East.”
“We know the demand for enrolments will only continue to grow and this second campus will help ease the demand when it opens in 2022.”
While some families were trying to second guess any zone changes, a number of real estate agents said they would not market properties on the basis of what might or might not happen.
Your guide to schools around Dandenong
As more people move to Dandenong and Endeavour Hills, the need for secondary schools in the area grows. Here’s a comprehensive guide of each school you can send your child to, including the VCE scores, subjects and public transport options.
Where to send your child to school in Sunbury
Sunbury was once a sleepy country town, but is today seen as an extension of Melbourne. There are several places to send your child to high school — here’s our comprehensive guide to VCE scores and public transport options.