Welcome

Welcome to Croydon Secondary College in 2010. We are Croydon, the Writing School.

While we offer many excellent programs, we are making a feature of our work in advancing students’ skills in writing. We do this for these reasons:

1. Writing in all its forms is very highly regarded in our society and students who are excellent writers open many doors for themselves.
2. Focusing on writing is a quick and smart way to improve overall results. • VCE examination performance depends on and is enhanced by excellent writing skills • Most assessment is of written work.
3. Focusing on writing produces visible results, and displaying these results builds self esteem and community pride.
4. Having a single focus promotes efficient use of resources. It allows everybody - teachers, students and parents - to get behind the goal of achieving an outstanding writing culture.
5. Focusing on writing allows us to build a better work ethic. We are asking more writing of our students. We expect more efficient use of class time and homework time. Greater time on task is a smart way to improve. Focusing on writing will create greater time on task.
6. Focusing on writing is an important way of developing students’ creativity and self expression. Excellent writing is an end in itself.

We began this journey in 2008 and we will continue it until we can demonstrate that our students achieve outstanding results.

The writing curriculum is one part of our focus on teaching and learning.

• We have programs at Years 7 through to Year 12 to support students of excellent academic ability.
• Our Music and Band programs are well known and highly regarded. Our Band Program is housed in the Band Room funded through the Federal Government’s Investing in Our Schools Program
• Our German program is large and growing and provides opportunities for overseas travel to our sister school in Germany.
• Our students in Year 9 undertake the City Experience program and the School Community Involvement Program.
• Our Netbook program, funded by the Federal Government, is now in place for students in Years 7 and 10. Each student has full responsibility for their individual Netbook and will use it at home and in class each day. In 2011, this program will expand to students in Years 7, 8, 10 and 11 and every student in the school in the following year.
• We also provide school-based laptop and desktop computers, now and into the future, which allow students in any class to access computers and the internet 1:1.
• We use the Studywiz Learning Management System so that parents, students and teachers can access assignments and other learning ‘objects’ at any time and anywhere as long as they have internet access.
• Our Statement of Teaching and Learning is so simple that the youngest student can read and understand it, and yet is so powerful because it is informed by the best educational research
• Our co-curricular programs include debating, at which we have a long history of outstanding success, the Rock Eisteddfod, the School Production, the Maroondah Grand Prix, the Human Powered Vehicle Competition and the Debutante Ball
• All our processes are aligned to ensure that our focus is only on teaching and learning, improving student outcmes and ensuring that students are safe and happy.

We are dedicated to promoting students’ sense of wellbeing, their confidence as learners and their sense of connectedness to the school.

• We take a very strong and proactive approach to combating bullying and harassment.
• We have a very positive wellbeing team, including the Student Welfare Coordinator, the Chaplain, and the Health Nurse.
• Students in Years 7 – 9 work in their own homerooms with many opportunities to display their work and build a strong sense of belonging.
• Our sub-school structure is focused firmly on promoting wellbeing, building a strong sense of belonging and building connections between students across the year levels.

We would like you to visit us in person. Phone us on 9725 8277 to make an appointment.