- Published:
- Monday 10 July 2023
Students starting the brand-new term at Sydney Road Community School are enjoying better facilities to learn in – now at its new long-term location in Brunswick – thanks to the Andrew Labor Government.
Minister for Education Natalie Hutchins today officially opened the school’s brand new home, securing its strong connection to the local area for years to come – and also welcomed Victoria’s 1 million state school students to Term Three.
A review into how Victoria’s alternative education schools are working across the state also begins today – helping us understand different models of education across the state and how they support students’ needs.
The review will look at successful approaches at settings like Sydney Road Community School’s Learning Spaces campuses in Brunswick and Coburg.
It will also work with some of the more than 100 plus alternative schools in Victoria to explore their different settings – including the government and non-government sectors and non-school senior secondary and foundation secondary offerings provided by TAFEs.
Sydney Road Community School has led the way in providing a flexible approach to education, enabling supports the learning and wellbeing of every individual student. Its new and improved site is just 300 metres from the school’s previous home .
The school received $3.42 million in the Victorian Budget 2020/21 to modify the new site to suit its approach to teaching and learning. This funding was in addition to $380,000 previously allocated to the school to plan and design the project.
The work included transforming the main church hall at the site into a library and shared space, installing a three-storey modular building and creating a central outdoor learning and play space. In the past nine years, the Labor Government has invested $14.9 billion in building new schools and delivering more than 1,940 school upgrades.
Delivery of 100 new schools by 2026 is ahead of schedule, with 75 new schools opening between 2019 and 2024 –ensuring every student can access a great local school and a quality education no matter where they live.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Natalie Hutchins
“Alternative education settings play an important role in our inclusive education system. This review is about understanding how to best support students who need flexible support to be successful at school.”
“We are building the Education State to ensure every Victorian student has access to a quality education close to home, regardless of their background or where they live.”
“The new site provides important long-term stability for the Sydney Road Community School and we were delighted to work closely with students, families and staff to deliver better facilities.”