Victoria’s third public vertical school opens as almost a million students head back to class
Melbourne now has a trio of sky-high public schools, with a new vertical college in Prahran spanning four floors including a rooftop garden.
VCE
Don't miss out on the headlines from VCE . Followed categories will be added to My News.
Victoria now has a trio of sky-high public schools with a new vertical college opening in Prahran yesterday.
About 100 year 7 students shuffled into Prahran High School for their first day of 2019.
The new four-storey college is the state’s third public vertical school, following Richmond High and South Melbourne Primary.
MIRACLE SCHOOL START FOR MELBOURNE TWINS
BACK TO SCHOOL: HOW TO MENTALLY PREPARE YOUR KIDS
HOW TRIPLE TROUBLE PREPS ARE MUM’S SECRET WEAPON
Squeezed on the former Swinburne University campus in Windsor, the school has a library and performing arts area on the ground floor, science, visual arts and food technology areas, a gym on levels one to three and a rooftop garden on level four.
Principal Nathan Chisholm said students’ “eyes are sparkling” at their new school.
“Part of our commitment is to show what modern schooling in Melbourne can be,” he said.
“There is very little space you could expect to see, like the old days, a teacher out the front speaking to kids for a long time.
“There is a place for direct instruction but we are looking for kids to be collaborative and working in groups.
“There isn’t a grade six, now year seven, child in Melbourne who will have a better and more personalised start to their secondary schooling than the kids at Prahran High School.”
Victoria’s third vertical school opens its doors!🚪So exciting to see the first #Prahran High School students flock through the gates. ðŸƒâ€â™€ï¸
— Victorian School Building Authority (@VicSchoolBuild) January 29, 2019
Enjoy your first day everyone! 😃 More https://t.co/uibdwwFmln #VICBacktoSchool2019 pic.twitter.com/oACDhCn6ic
The school, which caters for families in Prahran, Windsor, Toorak and Ripponlea, will gradually grow from 100 to 650 students as it adds a year level each year.
Its students will visit neighbouring Melbourne Polytechnic and the National Institute of Circus Arts, as well as surrounding parks and ovals for sport and PE.
“It’s a real inner-city response to needing an oval,” Mr Chisholm said.
Prahran is one of nine new schools opening this term as part of the government’s promise to build 100 new schools during the next eight years.
It comes as the state prepares to add an extra 90,000 students to the public school system by 2022.
Victorian Education Minister James Merlino said inner-city schools were difficult to deliver.
“It is difficult to cater for growth in the inner city — finding appropriate land, the cost of remediation, the cost of construction,” Mr Merlino said.
“For the inner city, this is part of the future.
“By going up, you don’t detract from the teaching, learning and play experience.”
While Mr Merlino said he did not play favourites when it came to schools, he did admit to having a favourite teacher — his wife.
“My wife is definitely my favourite teacher,” he said.
“She’s back at school today teaching maths, science, psychology.
“I get home and I get a lot of advice about what more we need to do for our education system.”
MORE HERALD SUN EDUCATION NEWS:
THE REAL COST OF A PRIVATE SCHOOL EDUCATION
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.