Photo: The Age

A new secondary school will be established as part of the Footscray Learning Precinct to provide better learning opportunities for students.  Minister for Education James Merlino today announced the new school will have two junior campuses and one senior campus.

A transition plan will begin next year. Under the plan:

• From 2020, Footscray City College will become a new senior campus for years 10-12
• From 2020, Gilmore College will be a co-educational junior campus for years 7-9
• A new secondary campus in Seddon will be a co-educational junior campus for years 7-9 with the opening date subject to future budget funding
• In 2019, Gilmore College will start changing its enrolments, with no Years 7 or 11 intake
• Current Footscray City College students will complete their school education at the current site.
• We will appoint a Transition Coordinator in 2018 to develop individual transition plans for students

Planning will align the curriculum and timetables, exploring common languages to be taught, and develop transition plans with individual students. The Transition Coordinator will be appointed to work across the precinct to ensure seamless student transitions and provide guidance to staff, students, parents and carers.

From 2020, the new secondary school model will be operational, with one principal for the new secondary school, and a principal for each campus. There will be one school council overseeing all secondary campuses. The shared learning framework is an agreed blueprint of how teaching and learning happens across a group of schools.

The Labor Government has committed $15 million to deliver the first stage of the precinct, which includes master planning and designs for the central, northern and southern hubs and construction works at Footscray City Primary School and Gilmore College.

For more information on the Footscray Learning Precinct visit: http://www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au/Pages/Schools/Footscray-Learning-Precinct.aspx.