Rosehill Secondary College

Rosehill Secondary College is located in Niddrie, Victoria, Australia. It was established as Niddrie Technical College, a single-building all-boys school, in 1959. The school has been co-educational since the early 1990s and now has a gender ratio of 50% male and female students. Current (2014) enrolment exceeds 1150.

The school motto is "success through learning".

Rosehill's facilities include: refurbished art rooms, visual communication and design and multimedia suite, a suite of fully equipped science rooms, a STEP learning centre which provides gifted students with the facilities to excel at higher level, a purpose built Year 12 Study Centre and a Year 11 Study Centre, comprehensive technology facilities (materials and non-materials), a state-of-the-art computer network and first class eLearning infrastructure, a gymnasium (ECA), a weights training room, basketball and tennis courts, large Library and a middle school classroom hub.

Rosehill Secondary College is situated on the border of Essendon West and Niddrie and sits on a large, attractive site elevated high above Steele Creek, with views over the Maribyrnong River Valley. Rosehill has a continuing agenda of refurbishment of facilities, with a focus on the creation of vibrant indoor and outdoor learning spaces. The outdoor areas consist of outdoor learning environments, passive recreational areas and updated sporting facilities.

The school is a single campus with students from Years 7 to 12. The enrolment in 2014 is 1140 with growth at all levels. Girls and boys are about equal in number. Rosehill SC has International Student accreditation. The College has a balance of experienced and younger staff with three Assistant Principals, each with a discrete area of responsibility. The College runs four, 75 minute periods per day and the school is divided into a Junior School (Years 7-9) and a Senior School (Years 10-12).

In 2014, the Junior School has 650 students and the Senior School 490. All students in Years 7-9 study Maths, Science and English and choose six elective subjects from Languages (Japanese or Italian), The Arts, Physical Education and Health, Humanities and Technology; also, Literacy and Numeracy Enhancement studies. All Year 10 students study English and Maths (differentiated groupings), and eight electives from the KLAs and VCE subjects; also, an interdisciplinary unit on health, drug education, driver education, and Pathways into VCE and beyond. Students in Years 11 and 12 select a VCE or VCAL pathway.

2014 is a Year of Review and a new Strategic Plan will be in place from the commencement of the 2015 school year. VCAL is offered within the Senior School, and the College is committed to offering careers and further education pathways to all its students. The College employs consultants and coaches in the areas of Literacy and Numeracy and has worked closely with a network of schools in the development of Science Curriculum as well as the more effective use of digital technologies as an instructional and learning tool. A Selective Talent Enrichment Program (S.T.E.P.) is offered from Years 7 to 10, and senior students may participate in The University of Melbourne Mathematics Extension Program.

Administration

• Principal: Peter Rouse
• Assistant Principals: Sandra Smart (Curriculum /ICT /Transition), Kerry McKay (Student Welfare/ S.T.E.P) and Arthur Soumalias (School Manager/ Enrolments/ International Students)

Notable alumni

• Shane Jacobson, Australian actor, director, writer and comedian who is most notable for starring in the Australian comedy film Kenny.^[1]
• Jake Bilardi, 18 year-old suicide bomber who pledged allegiance towards ISIL in 2015, before dying in an unsuccessful suicide bombing attack.^[2]

References