AddressBrookside College is located in Caroline Springs on the lands of the Wurundjeri People and the Kulin Nation. Although the College and the community it serves is relatively young, learning communities have taken place on this land for more than 30,000 years.
Founded as part of the multi-campus Caroline Springs College in 2000, Brookside College became a separate legal entity in 2012. Since its formation, the College has gained a strong reputation as a caring and community minded learning school built on a commitment to student-centred learning and inclusive education.
Today the College has an enrolment of 1150 students from Prep to Year 9 and a staff of 135. Ours is a culturally and ethnically diverse community with 55% our children coming from a language background other than English and 1% of our children coming from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background. As a College, we celebrate the richness that diversity brings to a community and ensure our educational programs give voice to the different experiences of our families.
Our Vision – the why
“Brookside College empowers every learner to fulfil their potential and positively shape the future.”
Mission – the what
“At Brookside College we design high quality learning experiences that build on learner strengths and needs to help them develop their talents, passion and purpose.”
Values
Rights, Respect, Resilience and Relationships
Our curriculum programs place Literacy, Numeracy and Empowerment at the core of our practice. Our curriculum structure is aligned with our Vision and Mission and has an unswerving focus on 21st Century Learning Skills underpinned by the Victorian Curriculum Capabilities and student agency.
Literacy is delivered through explicit direct instruction including a phonics program in the early years. Reading is a feature of every classroom, supported by classroom libraries. Numeracy is delivered through a balanced pedagogy that combines explicit direct instruction and problem-based learning. Learning in all other disciplines features explicit direct instruction, problem-based learning and project-based work. Student achievement is celebrated through Parent, Teacher and Student Conferences, Reporting, Awards and public exhibitions.
Our Digital Technology learning program brings real world learning to students and provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their creativity and problem solving skills. Students are further able to develop their talents and passions through our Performing Arts (Prep-2) and Music (Years 3-9) programs, whilst student health and resilience is developed through the Stephanie Alexander Garden Program (Years 3-4), the Food Technology Program (Years 5-9) and the Health Program (Prep-9). Our Year 9 ‘Futures’ and Electives Programs further aim to equip our students with many of the skills and competencies they need to shape the future.
Student leadership, voice and agency is central to our work. Students have multiple opportunities to make decisions about their own learning and the direction of the College more generally. Student Action Teams drive improvement in the areas of Community, Teaching and Learning, Environment and Student Engagement and Wellbeing.
The College is committed to developing happy, healthy and resilient children and we have invested significantly in a range of specialist programs underpinned by the Berry Street Education Model, Resilience and Respectful Relationships and School Wide Positive Behaviour Support practices. Our work with students is framed by the Response to Intervention model, where student needs are identified and specifically targeted. Additional supports provided by the college include a Hands on Learning Program that has been nationally recognised as a model of excellence, a dedicated Student Wellbeing space called “The Zone” and our Inclusive Education Centre, “The Hub”.
