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Form of workWestern Port Secondary College is a dynamic learning community located in a beautiful rural setting on the Mornington Peninsula. It is a smaller sized secondary school with approximately 700 students. The College has recently undergone a $11.6M major refurbishment which has included a new Senior Hub, Yr 7 Hub and dedicated Wellbeing wing.
The College ethos is based upon the commitment of staff, students and parents working cooperatively to provide the best possible curriculum in a safe and welcoming environment. The College¿s Core Values are Community, Achievement, Respect, Engagement (CARE), which are embedded into programs and practices within the College community. Our College places a great emphasis on pastoral care and a very positive approach to student wellbeing. We believe the best environment for students to learn is one that is safe, inclusive, respectful, caring and purposeful, and one where personalised and individual learning programs can be achieved. Each and every student is known and has a place in our school.
The current strategic plan focusses on our core business of Teaching and Learning and Accountability. We have initiated a 21st Century Education approach which ensures our students complete their schooling and leave equipped with the skills and knowledge to be successful in their futures and careers. We have implemented a number of changes so all students are accurately mapped on the Victorian Continuum in all learning areas, and then explicitly taught at the level they are at in order to progress along the continuum. This growth is then measured, recorded and reported on. We have developed similar measures for our senior VCE and VM programs. We have shifted from solely relying on Teacher Judgments for assessment and instead using a range of tools to more accurately and independently measure and map students learning growth and academic outcomes. Teachers continue to work hard developing differentiated curriculum and associated assessment.
The College was selected as a Department of Education STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Catalyst school and our specially trained staff are delivering a core STEM program including digital technologies, coding and robotics to Year 7 and 8 students, elective program to year 9 and 10 and a cluster initiative project with students in Grade 5 and 6 from feeder primary schools.
The College is a partner school with the Mitchell Institute on the `Entrepreneurial Learning in Schools¿ project. The College is recognised for its excellence in pathway provision and is an Alumni member of Beacon, supporting young people in exposure to further education, training and employment.
The College is a Monash University SAM school and provides a program promoting and facilitating tertiary pathways. The VCAL and VET completion rates are now at or close to the state average, with these improving each year over the last 4 years and our retention at school is close to the state mean.
The College has implemented the Southern Youth Commitment policy and is involved in the Youth Partnerships Frankston Mornington Peninsula demonstration site. Through this involvement with the `Wrap Around Care¿ model, the school has been involved in implementing a number of projects and policies across the College that support vulnerable youth and keep young people retained and engaged in educational pathways. The College is working to reinstate its 5 Star Sustainability Accreditation, receiving numerous environmental awards over the last few years. This supports the work of the student led Environmental Action Group.
The school maintains a strong music and performing arts program and regularly holds concerts and productions.
