Westbourne Grammar School
Encyclopedia
Westbourne Grammar School is an independent
and non-denominational Christian
co-educational day school
in Truganina
, in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria
, Australia
.
Westbourne has two campuses. The larger campus, opened in 1978, is located on Sayers Road in Truganina and offers classes for students at all levels, kindergarten to VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education
). A smaller campus is situated in nearby Williamstown
and provides education for students up to and including Year 3. There is also a childcare centre at the Truganina campus.
The total enrolment is approximately 1500 students, with 880 at secondary level (Years 7 to 12). Most students reside in the western suburbs of Melbourne, in suburbs such as Werribee, Hoppers Crossing, Truganina, Cairnlea, Laverton, Melton, Keilor, Keilor East, Keilor Downs, Deer Park, Kings Park, Taylors Lakes, Caroline Springs, Brimbank Gardens, Burnside, Taylors Hill, Sydenham, Watervale, Melton, Rockbank, Newport, Geelong, Williamstown, Yarraville, Sunshine, St Albans, Ardeer, Albion, Maribyrnong, Ardeer, Altona and Footscray. The school is also popular internationally and attracts several international students each year; it has a specially designed facilities dedicated for these international students and a comprehensive ESL (English as a Second Language) program. There are also in excess of 150 teachers, support staff and office workers. The current principal of Westbourne Grammar School is Meg Hansen. She has held the position since July 2010 and is only the third principal of the Truganina campus after John Pascoe who opened the school in 1974. Hansen took over from Geoffrey Ryan, who served as principal of the Truganina campus from 1990 to his retirement in June 2010.
The school has a co-curricular program that includes activities at lunchtime such as chess, maths, debating, public speaking, singing, toast-masters, choirs, yoga, outdoor education and various sports (running, walking, skipping, swimming, table tennis, soccer, basketball, baseball, volleyball, aerobics, tennis, football, cricket, rock climbing, touch rugby, etc.).
impacts most of school life. Classes in Year 7 and Year 8 are taken in house groups and, in the later years, form a group of two within houses. The students within each house group from Year 8 are encouraged to have their lockers together in house-based pods. Inter-house competitions before and after school includes activities such as public speaking, badminton, netball and chess. Three major carnival events (swimming, athletics and cross country running) form the main part of this competition. A trophy is awarded to the house with the most points based on their performance throughout the year in these major carnival events as well as other minor events such as chess, debating and the "Brain Challenge".
The senior school houses are:
The Westbourne Grammar School Junior School houses are for Years 3 to 6. The inter-house sports that the junior school include three major carnival events (swimming, athletics and cross country running) form the main part of this competition. A trophy is awarded to the house with the most points over the course of the year.
The junior school houses are:
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
and non-denominational Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
co-educational day school
Day school
A day school—as opposed to a boarding school—is an institution where children are given educational instruction during the day and after which children/teens return to their homes...
in Truganina
Truganina, Victoria
Truganina is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 21 km west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Wyndham and Shire of Melton....
, in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Westbourne has two campuses. The larger campus, opened in 1978, is located on Sayers Road in Truganina and offers classes for students at all levels, kindergarten to VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education
Victorian Certificate of Education
The Victorian Certificate of Education or VCE is the credential awarded to secondary school students who successfully complete high school level studies in the state of Victoria, Australia. Study for the VCE is usually completed over two years, but it can be spread over a longer period in some cases...
). A smaller campus is situated in nearby Williamstown
Williamstown, Victoria
Williamstown is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay. At the 2006 Census, Williamstown had a population of 12,733....
and provides education for students up to and including Year 3. There is also a childcare centre at the Truganina campus.
The total enrolment is approximately 1500 students, with 880 at secondary level (Years 7 to 12). Most students reside in the western suburbs of Melbourne, in suburbs such as Werribee, Hoppers Crossing, Truganina, Cairnlea, Laverton, Melton, Keilor, Keilor East, Keilor Downs, Deer Park, Kings Park, Taylors Lakes, Caroline Springs, Brimbank Gardens, Burnside, Taylors Hill, Sydenham, Watervale, Melton, Rockbank, Newport, Geelong, Williamstown, Yarraville, Sunshine, St Albans, Ardeer, Albion, Maribyrnong, Ardeer, Altona and Footscray. The school is also popular internationally and attracts several international students each year; it has a specially designed facilities dedicated for these international students and a comprehensive ESL (English as a Second Language) program. There are also in excess of 150 teachers, support staff and office workers. The current principal of Westbourne Grammar School is Meg Hansen. She has held the position since July 2010 and is only the third principal of the Truganina campus after John Pascoe who opened the school in 1974. Hansen took over from Geoffrey Ryan, who served as principal of the Truganina campus from 1990 to his retirement in June 2010.
The school has a co-curricular program that includes activities at lunchtime such as chess, maths, debating, public speaking, singing, toast-masters, choirs, yoga, outdoor education and various sports (running, walking, skipping, swimming, table tennis, soccer, basketball, baseball, volleyball, aerobics, tennis, football, cricket, rock climbing, touch rugby, etc.).
House system
The house systemHouse system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
impacts most of school life. Classes in Year 7 and Year 8 are taken in house groups and, in the later years, form a group of two within houses. The students within each house group from Year 8 are encouraged to have their lockers together in house-based pods. Inter-house competitions before and after school includes activities such as public speaking, badminton, netball and chess. Three major carnival events (swimming, athletics and cross country running) form the main part of this competition. A trophy is awarded to the house with the most points based on their performance throughout the year in these major carnival events as well as other minor events such as chess, debating and the "Brain Challenge".
The senior school houses are:
- Flinders House (In inter-house competition "The Flinders Falcons" also known as "The Flinders Falcons")Blue
- Hudson House (In inter-house competition - "The Hudson Hydras", or more recently "The Hudson Dragons") Green
- Molland House (In inter-house competition - "The Molland Minotaurs", or more recently "The Molland Bulls") Red
- Pascoe House (In inter-house competition - "The Pascoe Pythons") Yellow
- Strathmore House (In inter-house competition - "The Strathmore Sharks")
- Derrimut House (due to be opened in 2012) Orange
The Westbourne Grammar School Junior School houses are for Years 3 to 6. The inter-house sports that the junior school include three major carnival events (swimming, athletics and cross country running) form the main part of this competition. A trophy is awarded to the house with the most points over the course of the year.
The junior school houses are:
- Steedman House (In inter-house competition - "White")
- Miller House (In inter-house competition - "Green")
- Price House (In inter-house competition - "Red")
- Gerity House (In inter-house competition - "Blue")
See also
- List of schools in Victoria
- List of high schools in Victoria
- Victorian Certificate of EducationVictorian Certificate of EducationThe Victorian Certificate of Education or VCE is the credential awarded to secondary school students who successfully complete high school level studies in the state of Victoria, Australia. Study for the VCE is usually completed over two years, but it can be spread over a longer period in some cases...