Lalor North Secondary College was established on the current site in Childs Road Epping in 1978. It is located in the residential area of Epping bordering on Mill Park in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne.It is a single campus, Year 7-12 co-educational school. The structure of Middle Years Professional Learning Teams at Years 7, 8 and 9 and Senior School (10-12) recognizes that our students pass through distinct developmental and learning stages
The College has a multicultural student population of 600. Our students and their parents represent 44 different ethnic backgrounds and are drawn from over 23 feeder primary schools. We are an accredited provider for international students. Our current international students hail from Vietnam and India, they study at our College whilst living with family members in our local community. There are several secondary colleges in close proximity; Mill Park, Epping, Lalor and Peter Lalor as well as the Catholic secondary school, St Monica’s.The average class size is 22. The school has 55 teachers and 25 support staff. The staff profile includes 3 Principal class, 7 Leading Teachers, 30 Expert Teachers, 7 Accomplished Teachers and 8 Graduate teachers. Lalor North Secondary College has an SFO density of .67 and a LBOTE proportion of .42. We have a high EMA component and a high proportion of non English speakers at home. In response to the needs of its disadvantaged students LNSC offers comprehensive Literacy, Numeracy and English as a Secondary Language support programs.The 2006-2009 Strategic Plan focuses on improvements in literacy, numeracy, engagement, behaviour and pathways. A Key Improvement Strategy is developing a performance and development culture within the school with a focus on continuous improvement and achieving accreditation.The LNSC vision is “Inspire Believe Achieve” which promotes the principles of meeting challenges, working together and respecting others.
A challenging, comprehensive and flexible curriculum provides for the needs and individual differences of each student.Students in Years 7 8 and 9 study a curriculum of English, Mathematics, Science, History/Geography, LOTE, Art, Health, Physical Education Music, Craft, Technology and Sport.Year 10, 11 and Year 12 students choose individual programs from a wide range of traditional Year 10 subjects, VCE subjects, VET and VCAL. There is an extensive Careers and Work Experience Program, including individual counseling, an annual VCE Expo and Australian Business Week which assists students in making subject choices. LNSC is a member of the Whittlesea Youth Commitment supported financially with MIPs funding. This includes employment of a Transition Broker who advises students at risk of leaving school on career paths and actively assists students to find courses or employment opportunities outside Lalor North Secondary College. This commitment has seen a strong focus on enabling traditional VCE pathways to exist side by side with the LNSC VCAL Program, VET studies and School Based New Apprenticeships.An Integration Program delivered by dedicated and professional staff includes more than 30 students receiving integration funding. Smooth transition for many students, especially those with significant needs begins halfway through the student’s grade six year.A comprehensive Welfare and Discipline policy is in place supported by a series of PD sessions run by Dr Ramon Lewis of LaTrobe University and on going studies by his colleagues. Students are encouraged to participate in a broad range of activities such as the ADVANCE Program, Annual Art Exhibition, Australia wide subject competitions, Student Leadership, Sporting competitions, Chess Cub, Book Club, Study groups and Book Week.
The College buildings include permanent Administration Facilities, Art and Technology rooms, a Science and Home Economics wing, a Library, Gymnasium, Drama rooms, Computer labs and Canteen.
Outdoor sporting facilities include a newly upgraded oval, a multi purpose area for netball, basketball and tennis, basketball courts and cricket nets.
Over the past four years our College has been involved in a number of pedagogical whole school change programs which impact on performance and development in meaningful ways including:
High Performance Literacy with Professor John Munro Melbourne University (coaching/ mentoring/ whole school PD and improvement)Numeracy development with Ian Lowe
IDEAS with the University of Southern Queensland and Professor Frank Crowther (School Wide Pedagogy, personal pedagogy, authoritative pedagogy)
Ramon Lewis of La Trobe University- Strategies for welfare/discipline
professional conversations around no blame, positive management strategies
During this time the Department have introduced the Blueprint for Government Schools (13/11/2003) including: Continuous School Improvement, Knowledge Bank, Curriculum planning guidelines, the Effective Schools Model, VELS, New report Cards, PoLT, Performance & Development Culture, the School Accountability and Improvement Framework and the Blueprint for Education and Early Childhood Development (3/9/08).
As a learning community it is important to utilize the learning we have done as a school, incorporate the Department’s expectations and utilize both in our Performance and Development as professionals.
The whole school improvement drive has been supported by substantial financial and human resources from both school and Northern Metropolitan Region budgets.
Lalor North Secondary College has developed a comprehensive program for professional learning to improve teacher effectiveness and to build leadership capacity. The Performance and Development Process introduced in 2007 was designed to make the discussion, reflection and sharing of this growth in capacity and effective practice an embedded part of professional life at the College.
