Woodleigh School student expelled and other pupils suspended after taking drugs on school camp

A male pupil has been expelled and a group of students have been suspended from Langwarrin’s private Woodleigh School after they were caught taking drugs and drinking alcohol at a school camp.

A Woodleigh School student was expelled and other pupils suspended after they were caught taking drugs, drinking and vaping.

A male pupil has been expelled and a group of students have been suspended from a co-educational private school in Langwarrin South after they were caught taking drugs and drinking alcohol at a school camp.

The Herald Sun can reveal underage year 11 students from Woodleigh School in Langwarrin, who attended a school camp at the Miami Hotel in Melbourne’s CBD in March, were caught smoking cannabis, drinking and vaping.

The smoking caused the building’s smoke alarms to be triggered in the middle of the night.

The students involved were immediately evicted by hotel management on the first night of the camp, with one boy expelled and others involved suspended.

The camp is part of the school’s week Homestead program, where students can ballot for a range of curriculum-based activities, including learning about Melbourne arts.

A source with knowledge of the incident said bad behaviour by a group of students can ruin school camps for all students.

“These camps are important external school experiences and it’s disheartening that a group of students doing the wrong thing can ruin the experience for everyone,” the source said.

Woodleigh School principal David Baker said the school was committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all of its students.

“To ensure this, we have clear and detailed behavioural guidelines and policies to protect students from harm. These policies and behaviour guidelines apply to staff and students,” Mr Baker said.

A male pupil has been expelled and a group of students have been suspended.

“Our parents and students are aware that they may be asked to leave Woodleigh School if their behaviour is unacceptable – particularly if they engage in actions that harm or put fellow students at risk.

“Expulsion is a last resort that’s applied only in cases of serious misconduct.”

Woodleigh School students aren’t the first to get into trouble off the school campus.

It comes after underage students at St Patrick’s College in Ballarat were disciplined for going to the pub on an overseas school trip and then posting about it on social media last month.

Despite a widely publicised ban on drinking, students got on the beers while on a trip playing football and visiting war graves in Ireland, France and the United Kingdom.

In 2022, police were called in to investigate events that took place at a school camp at The King David School. It’s understood the investigation relates to an incident involving a year nine student on the camp that develops resilience and outdoor life skills.

In 2020, a Year 11 student from Catholic boys’ school Mazenod College in Mulgrave was “senselessly beaten” by a group of teenagers while at a school camp.

A video of the attack showed a group of up to four students attacking the youngster, punching him to the ground and kicking him in a frenzied attack.

Principal Tony Coghlan released a statement following the incident that said three students were “no longer enrolled at the college” and a fourth had been suspended over the attack.

The Miami Hotel was contacted for comment.