Location Profile Context Upper Yarra Secondary College is located in Yarra Junction in the Yarra Valley, 65 kilometres from Melbourne. Our enrolment is steadily increasing and currently is 700. Many of our students travel extensive distances to attend school from outer rural communities. The College is well regarded for supporting its students with a safe, healthy and supportive environment that nurtures self-esteem, leadership qualities, talent, curiosity and optimism for the future, providing them with a base to become responsible members of the College and the broader community. Our students come from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds, with an SFO of 0.64. The College leadership profile includes 9 Leading Teachers (Curriculum, Junior, Middle and Senior-Sub-School). The College staff supports our students by working in Year Level teams led by a Team Leader. The teams are responsible for overseeing curriculum, pedagogy and wellbeing and student management for students within their Year Level. We have a strong wellbeing team and run a Youth Clinic one day per week, and work on a five day timetable consisting of five 1hr periods. We provide a range of curriculum choices including VCE, VET and VM that support pathways to a wide range of destinations including Universities, TAFE, apprenticeships and employment. Students develop close relationships with staff via daily contact in our Year Level teams approach. Student leadership is promoted within a range of opportunities within the College, SRC, College Captains, Peer Support, Duke of Ed and Sports Leadership programs. Innovation and Future Directions 1. The College completed their review in 2022 with future directions being linked to Literacy and Numeracy, community engagement and promotion of high expectations in all areas of the College. 2. A model of Inquiry Learning developed at Upper Yarra Secondary College is now well established in Years 7 and 8. FLIP (Future Learners Inquiry Program) has elements of an Open Plan learning environment, closer attachments of fewer teaching staff for more time with students, an integrated inquiry-based approach to curriculum delivery, and enhanced processes that focus on more personalised learning for students through engagement of activities that relate to a variety of learning styles. 3. Innovations in reading and writing programs including Independent Reading, Readers and Writers Workshops have been developed and are having an impact on teaching practice and student engagement and achievement. A Sharing Classrooms program has also had an impact on improving pedagogy. Teachers engage in Professional Learning Teams and, via the focus on research outcomes, employ strategies discussed into classroom practice, in an Action Research model. Selection Criteria
