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ANNUAL REPORT
2014
1010 Mickleham Road, Greenvale Vic 3059 www.aitkencollege.edu.au
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Contents
Overview 3
College Vision, Mission and Aims Statement 3
Governance 4
Staff 5
Staff Workforce Composition, Attendance and Retention 11
Staff Professional Learning 11
Teaching and Learning 12
NAPLAN Results 12
VCE Report and Post-Secondary Destinations 15
VCAL Report 17
VET Report 18
Careers Education 19
Learning Centre 20
Student Composition, Attendance and Retention 21
Student Wellbeing and Satisfaction 21
School Reports 22
eLearning 28
Performing Arts 29
Visual Arts 29
Sport 31
Languages 31
Parents 32
Parent Satisfaction 33
Alumni 33
Sustainability and Environment 34
Faith Development 36
Finance 38
Capital Works and Property Management 39
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Overview Aitken College is a co-educational, independent Uniting Church school catering for students of all faiths and
religious denominations in the northwest region of Melbourne.
Nelson Mandela said: "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world".
The families of the school are most supportive and enthusiastic and take pride in and ownership of the school.
Our staff are talented and enthusiastic educators believing that life-long learning is important not just for
students but for them as well. Our students and families come from diverse backgrounds looking for an
excellent education in the context of developing great community citizens with a well-established set of values.
The school is well resourced and our staff continue to offer rich learning opportunities. The academic focus
demonstrates evidence of good teaching and engagement developing creativity, greater personal responsibility
and preparing students for the digital age.
Students are encouraged to develop a love of learning and we make every effort to ensure that they possess
the skills, resources and motivation which will lead to a lifetime of learning. The College endeavours to
embrace a broad curriculum that is academically rigorous, which fosters personal, moral and spiritual
awareness and understanding and develops a breadth of life skills, as well as balancing essential knowledge
with a choice of pathways in the final years of schooling, including VCE, VCAL and VET studies.
We particularly encourage students to develop a sense of service to others, especially to those less fortunate
in the community. For this reason they are encouraged to develop community relationships where individuals
will interact in such a way that it will lead to a deeper understanding of human needs and a desire to actively
engage in meeting those needs.
All students are encouraged to examine the faith and teaching of the Christian Church in the light of their own
belief system, and those of others, in order that they develop spiritual understanding of themselves and others.
In particular they are encouraged to develop a set of values and code of ethics which is Christian based so that
they will make valued contributions in the community in which they live.
The Vision, Mission and Aims statements of the College underpin the School’s philosophy and core principles.
Vision
The vision for Aitken College is to develop and support a learning community of students, staff and their
families in a faith partnership with the Uniting Church in Australia.
Mission
Building on a foundation of Christian values, the mission of Aitken College is to enable students to become
informed and compassionate members of the wider community by inspiring academic achievement and
creativity, nurturing self-worth, encouraging environmental responsibility and committing to service with and for
others.
The College is in the process of completing its strategic plan for 2015-2028 with a focus on: Teaching and
Learning, Staff Development, Community Well Being, Facilities and Resources and Board Governance. The
National School Improvement Tool was used in the development of this plan with a focus on:
Having an explicit improvement agenda
Using data
A culture that promotes learning, including behaviour management and high expectations
Targeting school resources to student needs
Expert teachers
Systematic curriculum planning across the school
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Differentiating teaching to the needs of individual students
Effective teaching methods
Involving parents and the community.
Aitken College will aim to:
Make the Christian faith relevant through an understanding of its major teachings and by encouraging
a personal faith journey.
Inspire and challenge students to realise their intellectual potential and equip them for life-long
learning.
Promote and develop creativity and self-expression.
Enable each student to realise their self-worth in a safe, healthy and happy environment that responds
to personal and community needs.
Encourage individuals and the community to take responsibility for the environment and to act
accordingly.
Instil in students a sense of service and concern for the needs of others.
Governance Aitken College Board
Chair: Rev Clem Dickinson Deputy Chair: Ms Heather Ackland Treasurer: Ms Heather Ackland Principal: Mrs Josie Crisara Members: Mrs Helen Adams Mr Steve Craven Mr Robert Evans Mr Doug Mahoney Mr Gus MacAulay Mr Chris Ward Mr Doug Whan In attendance: Finance Manager: Mr Petar Gajic Board Minute Secretary: Mrs Pauline Weaver
The Aitken College Board determines the policies by which the College will operate. It identifies strategic
needs and puts in place the framework to achieve the most desirable outcomes. Six Board Meetings and the
Annual General Meeting were held during 2014.
Regular reviews ensure that issues of risk are well managed, financial accountabilities are met and legal
obligations are fulfilled.
Various responsibilities are delegated to committees (Faith Committee, Finance and Risk Management,
Planning Committee, Nominations Committee and Executive Committee) who undertake detailed examination
of their particular area and report back to the Board. Progress reports enable the Board to be informed of each
important phase. All Committee recommendations are brought to the Board for ratification and implementation.
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AITKEN COLLEGE STAFF 2014
Teaching Staff
Adams (Mrs) Anne BA, AMusA, GradDipEd, GradDipMusTh
Adams (Mr) Simon BA,GradDipEd, GradDipIR/HRMngt
Agnew (Mr) Tim BA (Hons), GradDipEd(Sec), MEdStud
Aiyappan (Mr) Vincent BA, GradDipT, PostGradCertSecT
Arthur (Mr) Mike BA, DipDesign, DipEd
Barnes (Mrs) Sandy BA, PrimTeachCert
Batch (Ms) Kerri BEd, MEd
Beale (Rev) Jeanne BA, BTheol, AssDipComDev(SocSc)
Bernes (Mr) Luciano BEd, PostGradStudWel
Boon (Mrs) Jayne BA(Hons), PGCE
Brewer (Mr) Stephen BEd
Brown (Miss) Julie BAppSci, GradDipEd
Camilleri (Mrs) Linda BEd
Capraro (Ms) Laura BEd, GradDipInfoMan
Carta (Ms) Graziella BSc, GradDipEd(Sec)
Catoggio (Mr) Daniel BBus, GradDipPrimT
Collins (Miss) Shantelle B PhysHealthEd
Conn (Mr) Gary CertTechT, DipT(Tech)
Cooper (Mr) Michael BEd, DipT
Craven (Mrs) Lynne HigherDipT(Sec), PostGradDipEdStud
Craven (Mr) Steve BSc, DipEd, MEd
Crisara (Mrs) Josie BSc, GradCertMaths, GradDipEd, MSL, CertIVWorkplaceAssess
Danger (Mr) Lance BSc, GradDipMin, GradDipArts(Couns), GradDipEd
Dennis (Miss) Sarah BAgSc, PostGradDipEd(Sec)
Di Martino (Mrs) Mary Ann DipTeach, BEd
Di Paola (Mrs) Michaela BEd
Dowling (Mrs) Emma BEd(Hons), BT(EarlyChildhoodEd)
Draper (Mrs) Vanessa BEd, Cert IV Train&Assess
Edmonds (Mrs) Rhonda BBus, BA, ThDip, GradDipEd, MA(Hist)
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Eleftheriou (Mr) Tassie BSci, PGDipTeach
Fieldew (Ms) Judy BEd, BNurs
Flood (Ms) Jacqueline BA, BEd, DipSmaCom
Flynn (Mrs) Caron BEd
Foreman (Miss) Juanita BMus, GradDipTeach&Learn (Terms 3 & 4)
Forward (Mr) Kim BSc(Hons), GradDipEd, MEdStud
Gilbert (Mrs) Nicole BA, BTeach(Prim)
Grech (Mr) Mark BEd(Sec), DipBuildDesign&Tech
Gunarathna (Mr) Asanka BSc, MTeach (Terms 3 & 4)
Hamilton (Mr) Nigel BA(Hons), GradDipEd, GradDipCareers, MEd
Harman (Mr) Alan BEd, CertFinPlan, DipFinPlan, HigherDipT
Harsan (Mrs) Mona BAgSc, DipEd
Hart (Mrs) Katie BAppSc, GradDipEd
Hawkins (Ms) Monet BMusPerf, GradDipEd
Heasly (Miss) Jane DipT
Herron (Ms) Cristy BSc(ExssPhys), GradDipEd, MA(OutEnviEd), CertIVTrain&Assess
Hester (Ms) Julie BEd(SecArt/Craft)
Hewes (Ms) Alicia BSc(Hons), GradDipEd, MEd
Hilar (Mr) Kopong BAg, BA, GradDipSecEd
Howells (Ms) Sarah BA (Hons), Grad Dip T, MTeach
Hudson (Dr) Adele BSc(Hons), GradDipEd, PhD(ChemEng)
Hutchinson (Mrs) Christine LLB, GradDipLegPrac, GradDipEd(AppLearn), AMusA(Piano),
CertIVTrain&Assess
Jarvis-Dymond (Mrs) Belinda BA, GradDipEd
Keegan (Mr) Nigel BEd
Kerr (Mrs) Mardy BEd(Lib)
Koodravsev (Mr) Linden BA (MedArts&Prod), GradDipSecEd
Koukoullides (Ms) Christalla BA, DipEd
Koullas (Miss) Maria BTeach, BA
Lal (Mr) Titus BSc, PGCE, STTC
Lawless (Mr) Ben BA(Hons), MA, PGDipTeach, CertArts(Soc), MTeach
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Licciardi (Mrs) Maria BA, DipEd (Term 2)
Lilley (Mrs) Jenny BA, DipEd, CertIIIBus
Lindsay (Mrs) Stephanie BA, DipEd
Lok (Mr) Ryan BA, GradDipEd (Terms 1 & 2)
Lutton (Miss) Megan BBiomedSc, BSc(Hons), MTeach
Mackrell (Mr) Jason BAppSc(PE), CertIVTrain&Assess
Mahoney (Mrs) Kellie BEd
Mazzarotta (Ms) Carmen BA, DipIntDes, GradCertRE, GradDipEd, PGradStudWelfare
McGregor (Mr) Cameron BAppSc, BTeach, MSc
McKay (Mr) Joel BSc(Ed), MA
McKay (Mrs) Michelle BEd
McNamara (Mrs) Natalie BAppSc(PE)
McNeill (Dr) Helen BSc(Hons), PhD (Terms 3 and 4)
McPhie (Mr) Ross BEd(ArtandDesign)
Meszaros (Ms) Annamaria BEd, PostGradDegreeLib
Mocko (Mrs) Jacinta BA, PostGradDipTeach(Sec), MTeach (on parental leave Term 4)
Mollica (Mrs) Wendy BASocialSciences, GradDipEd, PostGradCompEd
Monos (Mrs) Chris BA, DipEd
Motti (Mrs) Josephine BA, DipEd, MCrim
Moulder (Mr) Peter BSc(Hons), GradDipEd, GradCertEdLead
Murphy (Mr) David BSc, DipEd, GradDipEdLead
Nash (Ms) Dianne BA, PGradTeach(Sec) Term 3
Neophytou (Ms) Kerrie DipEd, BEd, GradCertEarlyChildhdTeach, PostGradEdStud(SpecialEd),
MEd
Oreo (Mr) Gordon BEd, CertIVTrain&Asses
Paniagua (Mrs) Rita BA, GradDipEd
Patchell (Mr) Michael BA(Hons), PGCE
Penny (Mr) Ashley BA(Ed), BEd, ReadRecCert
Perri (Mr) Vince BEd, GradDipEdAd, GradCertRE
Pocervina (Mrs) Christine BEd, CertIVTrain&Assess
Politini (Mr) Anthony BA(Hons), BTeach(Hons)
Prendergast (Ms) Sandra BCom, BA, GradDipAcc, DipEd, CertIVTrain&Assess
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Prentice (Mr) Ben BEd
Radley (Mrs) Natasha BTeach, BA (on parental leave)
Rees (Mr) Ron BEd, DipT, GradDipComp
Reid (Mr) Chris BSci, GradDipSec (Term 4)
Rogers (Mr) Steve BA, GradDipEd, BEd
Ryan (Ms) Ainslie BBus, BTeach
Sadler (Mrs) Sherry BEd(Sc)
Scuderi (Mrs) Francis BA, DipEd
Searle (Mr) Aaron BMus, GradDipEd, MMusEd, LMusA
Seivers (Ms) Brigitte BAppSc, GradDipEd
Shaw (Mr) Alistair GradDipEd,BAppSc, BComp
Sinclair (Mr) Peter BA, DipEd
Slee (Mr) Michael BSc, DipEd
Smith (Mr) John BA, DipEd, DipT, MA(Hons)
Snowden (Ms) Sally BSc, DipEd, GradDipMathsSc, MEd, CertHums
Spaleta (Ms) Juliana BTeach,BSci (on parental leave)
Spyrou (Mrs) Georgina DipT
Stafford (Mrs) Jasmina BA, DipEd, PostGradDipArch, MA(Arch), GradCertLang(Indo)
Tabone (Mrs) Joyce BBus, GradDipSecEd, GradDipLang
Taylor (Mr) Dean BAnim&VetBiosc
Taylor (Mr) Peter BScEd
Thomson (Ms) Beth BA, GradDipEd, GradCertBus(AppBus), Cert IVTrain&Assess, MEd (Orgleadership)
Thorneycroft (Mrs) Andrea BEd, DipEd(Prim), MEd(SpecialEdNeeds)
Thorneycroft (Miss) Georgia BAppSc(Disability), GradDipEd
Tsalapataris (Mrs) Elsa BAppSc(Maths), DipEd, GradCertMa
Van Beek (Mr) Tony BSc(Ed)
Vlahopoulos (Mrs) Elpis BA, GradDipEd
Ward (Mr) Chris BSc, GradDipAppSc, GradDipEd, GradDipMentalHlth
Weaver (Mrs) Sheridyn BEd (on parental leave)
Zanko (Ms) Vera BEd (to June 2014)
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NON TEACHING STAFF
Borg (Mrs) Clare BA(Hons), DipCareersEd&Couns, GradCertCareersCouns, MSocSci
Browning (Mrs) Raelene
Buhagiar (Mrs) Helen
Caceres (Ms) Silvia BA, DipLib&InfoServices
Callard (Mrs) Angela
Cohn (Miss) Diana
Ferlan (Mrs) Mary
Forward (Mrs) Jillian BSc, GradDipTheol
Gajic (Mr) Petar BCom, CA
Gibbs (Ms) Rae BEd, GradDipCareers, MSocialSci, GradCertEd&Train, GradCertCareersEd
Harvey (Mrs) Bin DipNurs, BEmNurs, BThNurs, GradDipAcuteCareNurs
Hudson (Mr) Glenn DipArts(Product Design)
Hunter (Mrs) Mary-Ann CertIIIEdSupport (Terms 1 & 4)
Johnson (Ms) Jillian BHSc, CertSchHealth, GradDipCouns
Lancaster (Mrs) Raida CertIIIEdSupport, EdIntSupportCert
Loukas (Mrs) Vicky CertIIIEdSupport, CourseinEd IntSupport
Mackenzie (Mrs) Lyn AssDipSS (Terms 2 & 3)
Manariti (Miss) Cathy
Matthews (Mrs) Sue
Mazzone (Mrs) Sarina CertIIIChildServ, CertEdIntAide, TeachAide
Meletis (Mr) Nick
Meletis (Mrs) Renaye BTeach
Miranda (Ms) Fabiola BEd
Pavlou (Mrs) Anna BBus
Pedersen (Mr) Daniel Cert IVAudioEng
Pennington (Ms) Cora AssDipLib
Perilli (Mrs) Jacinta
Perryman (Miss) Sherry CertIVTeach&Assess, CertIIIFurnMaking, GradDipTechEd
Shepherd (Mr) Tim
Sims (Mrs) Gail FirstAidCertLevel 3, CertIVTrain&Assess, CertEd(IntAid)
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Stoikos (Ms) Irene CertLiteraryEnhanceSkills (Terms 2 & 3)
Thill (Mrs) Jillian
Thorneycroft (Mr) Tom CertIIIArtsAdmin, DipLiveProd
Tinker (Mr) Darren DipCon&LandMan, DipSus
Tountsios (Mr) Perry
Tyler (Mr) Matthew
Weaver (Mrs) Pauline
Whittaker (Mrs) Anne BSc
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Staff Workforce Composition, Attendance and Retention The Staff Workforce Composition is 42.6% male and 57.4% female teaching staff and 25.3% male and 74.7%
female non-teaching staff. There are no indigenous staff members. Staff attendance and retention is high.
Staff Composition (From August Census 2014) Teaching Staff FTE
Females 56.7 57.4% Males 42 42.6%
98.7 100.0%
Non Teaching Staff FTE Females 20.4 74.7%
Males 6.9 25.3%
27.3 100.0%
Teaching Staff Retention % 95.9%
Teaching Staff Attendance % 95.0%
Teaching Staff Attendance (FTE)
2011 2012 2013 2014
96.1% 95.2% 94.6% 95%
Teaching Staff Retention
2011 2012 2013 2014
94% 96% 92% 95.9%
Teacher satisfaction In 2014 a staff satisfaction survey was completed using the Independent Schools Victoria LEAD survey which
is benchmarked against other independent schools. A high level of satisfaction from staff displayed a positive
view of school life at Aitken College. The staff survey, in general, highlighted many positives including:
School ethos and values
Student behaviour
Resources and offerings
Technology including linking electronic information available to parents
Professional Learning.
Some areas of improvement include linking electronic information available to parents.
Staff Professional Learning During 2014, 327 external Professional Development activities were attended by 106 of the College’s staff
members. A significant number of additional activities were provided at the school by guest speakers and
College staff members on topics of particular expertise. A total of $87,568 was spent on external Professional
Development activities, at an average of $826 for each person who participated during the year. In addition,
significant and substantial Professional Development was facilitated through the Professional Learning Team
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program and the Peer Coaching program, which was financed via staffing budgets. Many on-site Professional
Learning activities were provided at no cost, through staff meetings and Professional Learning Days, for all
staff.
A sample of professional learning topics undertaken by staff includes:
First Aid (Level 2 Certificate, CPR, Anaphylaxis and Asthma management)
Subject-specific curriculum content updates
VCE Study Design changes & VCAA requirements
Professional Learning Teams and associated research projects
Educational Support for students with learning difficulties
Classroom management
iPad applications for classroom use
Effective Professional Learning is a core component of the quality of education offered by a school. At Aitken
College all staff members are encouraged and empowered to undertake professional learning activities which
take into account each individual’s particular skills, job requirements and areas of interest. Sharing of new
skills and information is encouraged on a range of levels: at faculty and department meetings, through year
level teams and Professional Learning Teams, and at College meetings.
Teaching and Learning In 2014 six Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) were established, with a total of 44 participants. Each team
met fortnightly for one or two semesters to focus on a particular aspect of teaching practice. Topics included
“Using iPads for Creative Teaching”, “Student Research Skills”, “Flipped Classrooms”, “Brain-Savvy Schooling”
and two subject-based groups which focused on classroom differentiation and iPad integration: Year 9 English
and Year 8 Geography. Each team read academic articles on recent educational research findings, reflected
on Aitken and individual teacher classroom practice, gathered data about their teaching to indicate which areas
could benefit from further improvement, developed and carried out an action research plan, and shared
research findings with the College teaching staff. Discussions in team meetings were animated and robust.
Many participants reported at the conclusion of the PLT cycle that they had made significant changes to their
teaching styles as a result of their involvement in a PLT and could demonstrate through the data gathered that
the changes had let directly to the improved learning of students.
The continued expansion of the use of iPads as a teaching resource across the College again required that a
major PD focus for the year was ICT skill development, especially on Apple devices. PD ranging from
beginner to quite advanced topics on specific apps, and more general sessions on how to achieve a particular
teaching aim with the aid of the iPads was offered by external providers and our own staff.
2014 also saw the establishment of the Peer Coaching program, which grew out of the Classroom Observation
Program from 2013. Every teacher worked with a Peer Coach of their choice, who met with them to discuss
their teaching practice and their aims for particular lessons. Each teacher was then observed teaching two
classes by their Peer Coach, followed by a discussion during which the teacher and his or her coach consider
the teacher’s strengths and areas for further development. The program was quite affirming, in that many,
many examples of exemplary practice were viewed and many conversations led to greater confidence and skill
amongst our teachers. A side benefit of this program was that students witnessed teachers learning and
sharing ideas, living out the importance of life-long learning.
NAPLAN Results Below are comparison graphs showing Aitken College NAPLAN mean scores for 2012, 2013 and 2014 and the
Victorian mean for 2014. Some points to consider in relation to these graphs:
School student cohort results are expected to vary slightly from year to year due to differences in
student composition - because the number of student results included is relatively small, only a handful
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of particularly “stronger” or “weaker” students in a year level can have a significant impact on the mean
results, particularly in Years 3 and 5 where fewer than 60 students have been tested;
The NAPLAN test questions change from year to year so comparisons between scores from year to
year can be useful in identifying general trends only;
Because test questions change from year to year, the state mean also varies slightly from year to year.
Consequently, in the graphs provided, the 2014 state mean is only significant when compared to the
2014 school mean;
Although national mean results have not been provided, it is important to note that Victorian mean
scores were higher than the national mean on every test category and year level;
The results shown are only a small part of the total NAPLAN data picture – there are many other
useful facets to the data. For instance, the 2014 results indicate that students in the bottom 10% of the
school cohort are performing considerably better than students in the bottom 10% of the state in every
area in Years 5, 7 and 9;
Perhaps most importantly, NAPLAN data is only one form of information about student achievement
levels. Teacher observations, class and school-based assessments and other forms of standardised
testing are equally valuable in identifying student learning needs and rates of progress.
There has been a proliferation of NAPLAN preparation material made available since the publication of
individual school NAPLAN results on the MySchool website. International experience over many
decades shows that schools who “teach to the test” on high-stakes tests may increase their test scores
on standardised tests such as NAPLAN, but that these increases are often made at the expense of a
broad and rigorous curriculum. In particular, it has been demonstrated that when the format of a test
changes, schools who have “taught to the test” often experience a significant decrease in test scores,
demonstrating that the education of students has been too focused on questions of the type used in
the standardised tests. Aitken College is committed to the delivery of a rigorous, broad and engaging
curriculum, and is hence resisting the move towards having students spend weeks on completing
“practice NAPLAN tests” in order to inflate test scores.
Year 3:
360370380390400410420430440450
Year 3 2012 mean
Year 3 2013 mean
Year 3 2014 mean
Year 3 State mean 2014
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Year 5:
Year 7:
Year 9:
450460470480490500510520530
Year 5 2012 mean
Year 5 2013 mean
Year 5 2014 mean
Year 5 State mean 2014
490500510520530540550560570
Year 7 2012 mean
Year 7 2013 mean
Year 7 2014 mean
Year 7 State mean 2014
530540550560570580590600610
Year 9 2012 mean
Year 9 2013 mean
Year 9 2014 mean
Year 9 State mean 2014
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VCE Report
The following is a summary of 2014 VCE results and ATAR scores.
2014 2013 2012
% of ATAR > 95 1.6 5.1 3.2
% of ATAR > 90 7.1 14 13
% of ATAR >80 23 23 32
% of ATAR >70 42 42 44
% of ATAR >60 60 62 58
% of ATAR <60 40 38 42
Particular points of interest were:
Adrian Costantino is College DUX with an ATAR of 99.3.
The mean ATAR of 64.4 represents a slight increase on last year, after two years of trending downward. The median ATAR of 66.3 is higher than the median in 2013.
For the first time in several years, there was an ATAR > 99.
The proportion of ATARs over 80 remained constant, after a significant fall in 2013, but remains below trend. The proportion of ATARs over 70 also remained constant after a drop from 2012 to 2013.
The benchmark proportion of students with ATARs over 60 decreased slightly. This proportion is roughly equal to the long term average, but is less than predicted by the long-term upward trend.
The proportion of ATARs greater than 50 has increase to 79%, which is up from 76% in 2013 and 78% in 2012 and represents an overall upward trend.
Girls outperformed boys in both mean and median ATAR scores; the difference in median scores was quite significant
There were 8 boys and 2 girls in the top 10 ATAR results
2014 2013 2012
% of ATAR > 95 1.6 5.1 3.2
% of ATAR > 90 7.1 14 13
% of ATAR >80 23 23 32
% of ATAR >70 42 42 44
% of ATAR >60 60 62 58
% of ATAR <60 40 38 42
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2014 2013 2012
Average ATAR 64.4 63.6 66.4
Average female ATAR 65.3 63.9 66.0
Average male ATAR 63.7 63.4 66.8
2014 YEAR 12 STUDENTS WITH A TERTIARY OFFER - INSTITUTIONS
Institution
Number of Students
ACADEMY OF INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT 1
ACU 1
DEAKIN UNI 3
LA TROBE UNI 31
MONASH UNI 3
RMIT UNI 29
RMIT TAFE 13
SAE 2
SWINBURNE UNI 13
SWINBURNE TAFE 3
UNI MELBOURNE 7
VICTORIA UNI 14
VICTORIA UNI TAFE 2
TOTAL 122
Field of Study Number of Students
Agriculture & Animal Science 3
Architecture, Building & Planning 7
Arts, Social Sciences & Law 23
Business & Commerce 21
Screen and Media, Production 6
Design 2
Education 4
Engineering 18
Health 21
IT 5
Sciences 12
Total 122
Double Degrees / Dual Diplomas (included in above totals) 12
127 STUDENTS WERE IN THE YEAR 12 CLASS OF 2014 (126 VCE, 1 VCAL)
4 VCE STUDENTS DID NOT INPUT VTAC PREFERENCES
122 VCE STUDENTS AND 1 VCAL STUDENT APPLIED TO VTAC
121 VCE STUDENTS AND I VCAL STUDENT RECEIVED A VTAC OFFER; 122 OFFERS IN TOTAL
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Destinations of 2014 Year 12 Students No of
Students
Employed 1
Apprenticeship 1
Pre-apprenticeship 1
Defence Force 1
Private Provider 3
TAFE 19
University 101
Total 127
VCAL Report
The annual enrolment and number of VCAL certificates issued to Year 11 and 12 students is shown below:
Year 2012 2013 2014
Total certificates issued 18 11 9
Total number of students enrolled 21 12 9
No. of students who left during the year to pursue other
pathways (back to VCE, work, apprenticeships) 3 1 0
VCAL - the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning – a head start into a career. VCAL suits students who are
clear about their career direction and would like to go to TAFE, complete an apprenticeship, get a job after
finishing school or complete a TAFE certificate before a university course. It is not only flexible and varied, it
also includes two VET courses, Structured Workplace Learning experiences and caters for the interests of
individual students.
During 2014, there were numerous highlights. These include community and voluntary work, participating in
the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme which includes the camping program, weekly fitness activities and
extensive project work. The assessment tasks are project based and rely on student initiative and interest. All
students completed tasks which cover Literacy and Numeracy Skills, Work Related Skills (WRS), Personal
Development Skills (PDS) and Industry Specific Skills.
Extensive Numeracy projects that students worked on included: students designing and building six pinball
machines for the College musical The Who’s Tommy and constructing a go-kart. Students developed their
skills in Literacy which included researching, analysing and debating social issues in the study of short stories,
current news items and films. In WRS students studied units, such as Occupational Health and Safety and
essential job interview skills to help prepare them for employment.
The Personal Development Skills (PDS) focus included community engagement, social and cultural awareness
and understanding, civic responsibility and active citizenship. The students organised and hosted an afternoon
tea for the Pascoe Vale Gardens Retirement Village. The residents were invited to attend the Dress Rehearsal
for the College musical and enjoyed the lavish afternoon tea after the show. Feedback from the Retirement
Village included a letter full of praise for how much the residents enjoyed the performance and how well the
afternoon was organised.
VCAL students also organised a number of community based fundraising projects to support charities such as
‘Yooralla’ and ‘Beyond Blue’. They organised the ‘VCAL/VCE Early Commencement Program’ celebration at
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the conclusion of the two week program for all the Year 12 teachers involved. The students also assisted with
setting up, packing up and waiting on the tables for the Year 10 Music Recital which was held at the
Speigeltent, Docklands. The Year 11 students organised the VCAL Information Evening for interested students
and parents and the Year 12 students organised the ‘Race Around Melbourne’ challenge for the Year 11 VCAL
students. VCAL excursions included a visit to the Grand Prix Community Engagement Program, ‘The
Australian Teenage Expo’ at the Melbourne Showgrounds and the Rotary Youth Driving Awareness program.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award incorporates a significant part of the VCAL program. To achieve the Award,
students undertake activities in four sections: Adventurous Journey (camps); Physical Recreation; Skill
(learning something new) and Community Service (voluntary work). This year, six students received their Duke
of Edinburgh Bronze Award.
Students enjoyed a week long camp at the Cape Otway Lighthouse Station at Apollo Bay, travelling by public
transport. Students completed challenging activities which included surfing, long exploration walks, beach
activities, an Aboriginal Cultural Site Tour, spear throwing, damper cooking, creating a camp fire, Light Station
visits, night walks and raft building. Students also had to organise the campsite, which included setting up the
tents, packing up and cooking on trangia stoves. Some of the voluntary service the VCAL students participated
in included helping with the PE, Environment and Primary Science Garden and Art programs at the College.
As part of the PDS ‘Nutrition Unit’ the students have developed their skills of practical cooking. Students have
been learning about healthy lifestyles, with a focus on healthy eating. They have been responsible for
sourcing recipes, organising their own chosen culinary dish that caters for the class, organising a list of
ingredients, preparing and demonstrating the meal including following safe food handling procedures. The
students also evaluate their meal, in terms of adhering to healthy eating guidelines and general satisfaction
with the meal and production process.
VCAL students completed the weekly Physical Recreation component in normal class time by a qualified
fitness trainer. The VCAL students’ goal has been to keep fit by completing specialised fitness programs
which included weight training, boxing, circuit training, basketball and indoor hockey. The students were
challenged and motivated into seeing fitness as a necessary tool for everyday life.
One Year 12 student and four Year 11 students also won the Hume Whittlesea VET/VCAL/SBAT Award for
Excellence and Encouragement and were recognised for outstanding achievements and dedication in VCAL.
Students who enrolled in the VCAL program for 2014 all obtained a VCAL certificate. All Year 11 students
have decided to remain at the College to complete another VCAL certificate and the two Year 12 students are
pursuing a full time TAFE course or have begun working.
VET Report The number of students who studied a Vocational Education and Training (VET) course as part of their study
programme in 2014 totalled nearly 230. This continued the upward trend in numbers, albeit just under 10%, of
the past few years. This plateau was to be expected since the introduction of new courses took place largely
in 2012 and have been bedded down within the College over the past two years. As the College evolves and
new opportunities arise, courses will be updated, replaced and added to cater for the latest and most useful
programmes available to our students.
The Music Faculty saw 26 VCE students complete either a Certificate III in Music or a Certificate III in
Technical Production. Certificate I in Creative Industries was successfully completed by 17 Year 9 students
and 25 Year 10 students received their Certificate II in Music last year. Within the Science Faculty,
approximately 50 Year 10 students completed their Certificate I in Conservation and Land Management while
studying within the school’s elective program.
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Two Year 12 students and one Year 11 student completed Certificates II and III in Hospitality in 2014. It is
highly likely that more students will be keen to add this to their ‘career pathway’ when one considers the
opportunities the new Environment Centre and the Food Technology centremay present over the next couple
of years.
VCE VET Sport and Recreation attracted just over 40 students undertaking their Certificate II and III in Sport
and Recreation across the VCE. It proves still to be a very popular course amongst students.
The courses for Certificate II and III in VET Business had 45 students participating and this brought the
number of students undertaking internal VET courses to approximately 120.
In 2014, VCAL and Year Eleven VCE VET Business students continued to directly experience the ‘real world’
of work through Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) placements. SWL placements enable students to gain
valuable experience in real working environments, where they can apply the practical skills they have learnt in
their VET courses. The benefit of SWL placements for students is immeasurable; experiences that they can
take forward into their future studies and life outside of school.
An extra 12 VCE and VCAL students completed VET courses at external TAFE institutions and another 14
VCE students were eligible for Block Credit recognition through VET certificates completed as part of their
part-time job outside of school. 14 students studied a VET subject; this created a 6th subject which is an
excellent safeguard to attaining maximum ATAR score.
Careers Education The Careers Office is located in B21 and has an open door policy.
Careers staff tend to meet the students when they commence in Brookhill. In Term 2 Year 10 students
undertake a Careers unit in Lifeskills. This unit takes students through the career decision making process
and instructs them about undertaking effective research so that they are able to make wise career decisions.
As part of this unit students complete the Career Voyage program. This software package asks the students
a series of questions about jobs they may enjoy, their interests, values and abilities. A report is generated for
each student which provides a list of job suggestions based on the answers provided when completing the
program. Students are provided with a package of useful career resources to enable them to conduct further
research about the jobs which appeal to them. This assists them to decide whether they would like to follow
the VCE or the VCAL pathway and begins their process of career exploration leading up to subject selection
for the VCE or a decision about which TAFE pathway they would like to follow for VCAL.
As part of this unit of work Year 10 students listen to a Careers Speakers Panel. A group of articulate and
entertaining past students return to Aitken to speak to the Year 10 students in Term 3. The speakers are
selected to showcase diverse pathways which may be followed upon leaving Aitken. The speakers described
how they arrived in their current course or job and about their hopes for the future. Our past students are able
to offer the Year 10s some excellent advice about subject selection, following your dream and undertaking
career research, as well as being wonderful role models and ambassadors for the College.
Hopefully the Careers unit in Lifeskills kickstarts the careers thinking and researching undertaken by the
students and provides them with the skills, tools and knowledge to efficiently and effectively explore options for
the future, beginning what is a lifelong process of career exploration, discovery and review.
Year 11 students take part in an excursion to a university campus in Term 4. The aim is to choose a tertiary
campus which is dual sector; ie. both university and TAFE, which will appeal to a wide range of student
interests so there are lots of opportunities for many different course and career possibilities. In 2014 students
went to the RMIT (City) and the University of Melbourne (Parkville) campuses. A location near public transport
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is chosen so that students can travel to the campus independently. This is to start the students thinking about
what shape their destination post Year 12 might take and where it might be. We want all our students to have
the opportunity to explore a tertiary campus – they are big places and each institution has a different feel and a
different vibe. We talk to the students about the enormous benefits of actually getting on to a campus to see
what it is like and how it is really the only way to decide if an institution and a particular course is a good fit.
The excursion takes place during the early commencement of VCE, to coincide with students getting ready for
Year 12 and so they can think about life beyond Aitken.
All Year 12 students attend the TIS event at La Trobe University in May. This event is organized by all
Victorian Universities and TAFEs working together to provide students with vital information about choosing
courses, VTAC application procedures, selection, prerequisites and extra requirements and the Year 12
timeline through until offers are made in January. After the formal presentation by a panel of speakers,
students have the opportunity to visit individual information booths and speak to representatives from each
university and TAFE as well as gather printed information. This event is seen as a springboard to the very
important Term 3 where the Year 12s make some significant and very big decisions about their tertiary course
preferences for the following year.
We strongly encourage students in Years 10, 11 and 12 to attend tertiary Open Days in Term 3. Universities
and TAFEs showcase their course options at Open Days and students are able to learn more about the study
options available to them when they leave school, the variety of institutions at which they are able to study and
the vastly different learning and lifestyle of a tertiary student. All Brookhill students were provided with a
calendar of Open Days and some hints on how to make the most out of their visits to the various campuses.
Students are kept up to date with career related activities and events through the Daily Bulletin and the Career
Newsletters posted every fortnight on the College website during term. The newsletters keep parents and
students informed about new courses, tertiary news, scholarships available, details about Information Sessions
and Workshops being run and other items about careers in general.
Learning Centre Learning Centre programs are accessed by students from Prep to Year 12. The Learning Support team
provides learning support and extension to meet the needs of individual students.
The programs offered allow all students within the College to have equal access to the curriculum. The support
provided targets academic success, and through this promotes self-esteem, a positive self-belief and
confidence and independence.
Extension programs are designed to develop problem solving strategies and extend students’ mathematical
ability and logical thought processes.
Learning Support teachers and Integration aides work with students experiencing learning difficulties.
Students are identified by teacher referral, testing or academic performance. To ensure students receive the
support they need, each student's progress is monitored regularly, in consultation with teachers and Heads of
Schools. Learning support includes; in-class assistance, small group withdrawal and individual specialised
lessons. Support is also provided to the teachers and parents to assist them with management of students with
specific learning needs and adjusting and modifying curriculum to enable all students the best opportunity of
success.
The commitment is to provide students with ongoing and monitored support to access the curriculum in an
inclusive environment.
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Student Composition, Attendance and Retention The total student enrolment at Census date was 1271. 49.9% of our student cohort are females and 50.1%
are males. 0.31% of the student cohort are indigenous students and 43% of students have a language
background other than English.
Parents are required to contact the College if a student is to be absent from school. If notification regarding
student absence has not been received the parents are contacted by phone.
In 2014 our overall attendance was similar to 2013 levels and has remained consistent over the preceding five
years. The importance of regular school attendance and the positive impact this has on learning is stressed
with parents on a yearly basis, with the issue of impact of holidays during term time being a main focus.
Student Attendance 2014
Year Level Male Female
1 94.6% 94.9%
2 95.2% 94.2%
3 95.7% 95.0%
4 96.3% 94.7%
5 93.4% 93.5%
6 94.6% 95.9%
7 93.6% 94.8%
8 94.4% 94.4%
9 92.6% 90.4%
10 87.6% 86.5%
Student attendance was high. For male students the average was 93.8%; for female students the average
was 93.4%.
In August, 2011 the total number of students in Year 9 was 146. At the end of 2014 the total number of Year 9
students was 128. The total number from the Year 9 cohort of students remaining was 117. A further 11
students commenced between 2012 and 2014. The retention rate for Year 9 into Year 12 cohort was 80%.
Student Wellbeing and Student Satisfaction
The Student Services team seeks to address the many needs presented by our large student, and
indeed wider parent community. The four trained counsellors see an ever-changing list of students who
struggle with a wide range of life issues. The support work which the counselling team undertakes is
vital in relieving pressure on class teachers and enables some members of the Aitken community to be
assisted in difficult times. For students this often means the difference between coping and thriving, or
being lost in a large community which by necessity presses on with its goals despite those members
who struggle for a range of reasons. Counselling is also offered for staff and families. The work the
counselling team undertakes is by nature generally unseen and not widely discussed.
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The Chaplaincy and Student Services team run programmes from time to time which address issues
such as Anger Management, Parenting, Listening skills, Bullying, Mental Health, Body Image and Living
with Teenagers.
Students generally feel good about themselves and know the school provides a safe and supportive
learning environment in which positive behaviours are encouraged and effort is recognised. All Year 12
students meet with the Principal for a morning tea where their studies and future opportunities are
discussed.
The Chaplaincy team is regularly called upon to meet the immediate needs of the Aitken community in
regard to suffering and loss through counselling, home visits and practical support. The Seasons Grief
and Loss program is run annually, often twice per year, and provides for a number of students and their
families who have suffered significant loss.
A Well Being week for all students and staff is run in the first week of Term 4. Many programs are
offered to the community which provide for wellbeing needs. Staff members are encouraged to volunteer
their time to offer creative events which focus on student needs for attending to mental health issues.
Such things as Creative Writing, Dance, Relaxation and Mediation as well as Massage for staff (to
mention only a very few) combine to create practical ways of addressing wellbeing issues within the
College.
SCHOOL LIFE Aitken College is divided into five “Schools” each with a Head of School. The Schools are named Fairview,
Cumberland, Dunhelen, Glenarthur and Brookhill.
Fairview (Preparatory School - Prep to Year 2) Our focus in Fairview is centered on the whole child. They are the "PEARL" of our College.
Productive
Excited
Active
Resiliency
Love
What does it mean to be a "PEARL"? A pearl is a natural gem of beauty; they are individual and withstand
time. Our children are such gems within our community and family. Their contribution and characteristics hold
an individual beauty which is everlasting. We endeavour to engender in the children the understanding of their
precious role within our community and how they impact our lives.
We require our children to be productive individuals, who persevere and maintain a focus to ensure they are
active participants. Their contribution is worthy and meaningful in the context of maintaining their attention on
what is required for them to meet objectives and goals. The children’s understanding of their Learning
Intentions is crucial, as their awareness of their learning process is heightened and achieved. The National
Curriculum has influenced change to certain aspects of the curriculum delivery and content. The teachers have
focused on content, assessment and meaningful reporting; with a strong focus on engaging learning
experiences to be practical and meaningful.
The children are interested and engaged in the learning environment. They are also excited with the
interactive learning context. They are active contributors to the stimuli presented to them; however, more
importantly they know how to interact with others and their learning environment. This engagement is crucial
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as it allows them to respond to their learning environment, more importantly developing and reinforcing life
skills, which deliver ownership and membership.
The fast moving world holds many facets of change which evolve around technology and the ability to make
analogies which impact how we learn and respond to each other. A crucial component of effective membership
within a community is independence and resiliency. We focus on developing this area in all aspect of
education, celebrating our successes; respecting, acknowledging and working with our challenges.
Fairview is an exciting learning environment which also focuses on a component which excites the children –
the children love their schooling; they are exposed to a learning culture of respect, faith, hope and peace. The
religious and pastoral care program in the school cultivates the children’s individual focus on how they are part
of a large community. The College family communities are crucial in this aspect as we become an extension of
their lives. The children’s learning journey becomes a family focus.
The children are a celebration of our College and their active engagement exhibits the "PEARL", of our
College.
Peer Support
The Year 6 Buddies and Peer Support Leaders are an educational program committed to improving the quality
of life for young school students through positive peer group interaction and influence. They also focus on
developing resiliency, independence and empowering young people to develop relationships which encourage
friendship, respect, kindness and accept differences.
The program has key components which support the Prep students; these include:
• Supporting the adjustment to a new school
• Developing responsibility and self-confidence
• Utilising strategies and skills on how to relate positively to others
• Contributing to a spirit of community
• Understanding the importance of values and morals, which relate to their daily lives
The Peer Support program is designed to provide support between groups of Prep students and trained Year 6
leaders. The empowerment of young people in this way encourages them to grow in confidence and
responsibility. This year we trained 24 leaders who were involved in a two term program (once a fortnight) and
focused on a structured Life Skills program. This supported the Buddy program, where each Prep child was
allocated a Year 6 buddy. This relationship is special and significant for the Prep children; it develops into a
very special friendship which is treasured through their future school years.
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Cumberland (Junior School – Years 3-5)
In 2014 the Junior School students were encouraged to reflect on practice, embrace change and try to excel in
all that they achieved. I believe all students have grown in these areas. An example of this was in Term 3
during the Cumberland School concert Get Happy. As audience members we could see the expression, detail
and determination on the young faces. Students had clearly reflected on rehearsals and shaped and
developed their performances. It was their show and they performed it perfectly. I would like to thank the
2014 Performing Arts Captains, Alessia and Lewis, for compering Get Happy!
Major curriculum inclusions for this year included a swimming program in Year 4 and a gymnastics program in
Years 3 and 5. Students in Years 3 and 4 thoroughly enjoyed the introduction of the Stephanie Alexander
Kitchen Garden program. This enabled students to enjoy opportunities of growing, harvesting produce, and
participating in small groups to take the responsibility in preparing and cooking food. The program has had a
positive impact on student learning and developing their awareness and understanding of the importance of
healthy food choices. The students were encouraged to extend their taste buds, try new foods and learn about
different cultures.
The Year 4 students enjoyed a 2 night stay at Camp Weekaway. The weather was perfect and this certainly
added to the wonderful outdoor experience.
Aitken College provides many opportunities for student leadership. Many of our students were involved in this
process, and were selected as student leaders.
Maths Week was again a major event and great emphasis was placed on class-based activities this year. As a
learning community, the Cumberland students came together in the CPA and watched a ‘live’ competition of
Snakes and Ladders, for each year level, as this was projected onto the large data screen. This was a great
success and thoroughly enjoyed by all. The World of Maths travelling show joined us again and students
worked in multi-aged groups and attended various rotational activities.
Three authors visited the College and provided an excellent platform for the launch of Book Week. Students
used many aspects of these incursions to support the development and creation of their own Picture Story
Book. This activity was concluded in Term 3 and students were encouraged to dress-up as a main character
from their book for the day. During this time students were placed in multi-aged groups of about 10 where they
shared their character and brief introduction of their story.
We are committed to provide the best education possible, within our control, to our students. Staff have strived
to tailor programs to the needs and interests of students and enable their learning to reach newer heights. We
are very excited about the pastoral care changes for 2015. I believe this change with the Year 6 students
becoming the final year of our Junior School is a sound and well thought out education adjustment. This
should enable and provide students with a wider range of extra responsibilities with regards to pastoral care,
leadership and personal growth.
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Dunhelen (Middle School - Years 6-7) This year saw the Dunhelen students involved in many activities. We started off the year with the Year 7 camp
to Phillip Island Adventure Resort. Amongst activities such as high-ropes, raft-making, archery, team rescue,
giant swing the students also had the opportunity to have a dip in the pool and to get to know other Year 7
students. The camp is designed to ease these students into secondary school and help them meet and make
new friends. As with most camps we also hope that it fosters independence and team building.
The Year 6 students underwent training in order to be Peer Support leaders and they enjoyed their time
leading a group of Prep children. In addition to the Peer Support program each Year 6 student was assigned a
‘buddy’ from the Prep classes and they very enthusiastically spent time supporting and helping the young
children.
The Year 7 students also participated in a Peer Support Program. The students were assigned to various Year
11 students and together they completed activities and discussion sessions. This program allowed for many of
the Year 7 students to form a friendship with an older student of the college.
Many students nominated themselves for positions of leadership early in the year. Students from both Year 6
and Year 7 were eligible to be nominated for School Captains or House Captains. Class Captains were
elected for each Home Room from Year 7, 8 and 9. For the first time, 2014 also saw Dunhelen elect a
Performing Arts Captain and a Community Service Captain. All captains fulfilled their roles with great pride and
were eager to escort prospective parents around the college on Open Day/Evening and help out with activities
and events in Dunhelen.
The “Classiest Classroom competition” continued and students worked hard towards keeping their
environment neat and beautifully presented. The homerooms were vying for the weekly certificate and the
trophy full of sweets, it was very competitive!
House spirit was demonstrated through participation in events such as the House swimming and House
athletics carnivals. There were also a few House Trivia competitions which added something fresh to the mix.
All House events culminated with the presentation of the House Shield to the winning house at the final
assembly, this was Millar House for 2014.
All Dunhelen students listened to a presentation given by Susan McLean on cyber safety. Many of them left
this presentation with a new and greater understanding of how wonderful the digital world is and how better to
protect oneself when using the technology.
Two socials were held and money raised was donated to the Leukaemia Foundation and the Royal Melbourne
Neuroscience Foundation. The Dunhelen students were also involved in organising a charity event for the
RSPCA and the Country Fire Authority as well as organising a ‘blanket drive’ for the homeless in Melbourne.
The students participated in the 40 Hour Famine and the Aitken College Giving Tree.
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The Year 6 students visited the Immigration museum to learn more about the lives of immigrants. Here they
saw many wonderful relics that brought their learning to life. Surf Life Saving Australia visited the Year 6
students and they were given basic resuscitation techniques and safety tips, particularly for when they are at
the beach or pool.
Year 7 attended excursions to the Melbourne Zoo and Scienceworks. Both excursions allowed the students to
see first-hand many things they had been learning about in their classes.
Year 6 students took part in the interschool sports and some teams were successful in winning the finals. For
the first time Dunhelen was involved in the School Sports Victoria program and the students competed in a
variety of sports; in some cases, even making it to regional level.
Dunhelen interviewed more than 180 potential Year 7 students for 2015. The students were then invited to an
Orientation Day in November, where they enjoyed a barbeque lunch and had the opportunity to meet teachers
and other Year 7 students.
Glenarthur (Lower Secondary School – Years 8-9) 2014 has undoubtedly been a very busy and productive year for the students and staff in Glenarthur. One
constant that has been apparent throughout the course of the year’s many and varied events, has been the
enthusiasm and good humour of the students. They have approached school life in a positive manner and they
are to be commended for their ability to get along with one another and for working hard to reach their
potential. They are also capable of having fun, when opportunities exist for this to occur.
Year 8 and 9 are pivotal years in the life of any students, as they continue the important transition from Primary
or Middle Schooling to the Senior School. Inevitably the amount of work they are expected to complete both in
and out of class increases, they learn about the significance of School Assessed Coursework (SACs) and,
often, considerable development and growth occurs in their level of understanding of concepts and in the skills
they will use for the remainder of their schooling journey.
As a school community, the Glenarthur students mix exceptionally well. One of the nice aspects of my role has
been to observe as I have walked around the Glenarthur classrooms or looked out of my office window, groups
of Year 8 and 9 students mixing socially. They are very comfortable doing this and while students will also
spend time mixing with friends in their own year level, the mixing between year levels is indicative of a culture
and degree of feeling comfortable that has typified student interactions this year.
Reflecting upon the events of the year is very satisfying. In addition to participating in the Swimming, Athletics
and Cross Country carnivals, the Glenarthur Sports days, College sporting teams, Performing Arts events,
Debating, Chess and Public Speaking, Glenarthur students have also benefited from a number of guest
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presentations. Both Year 8 and 9 benefited from the Oxygen Factory visit during Term 1, while the Year 9s
also learned more about developing their leadership skills through the yLead team, who visited us again during
Term 2. The Commonwealth Bank Start Smart financial literacy program was offered to all Year 9s across the
course of the year and they also had a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the city of Melbourne during
the Glenarthur City Experience in the first week of September. The latter was very successful, with the
behaviour of the students and the individual Home Room presentations, early in Term 4 being two of the
highlights of this immersion-based learning experience.
The development of Student Leadership skills is very important both in terms of what it can contribute to the
College but also in terms of how it can benefit a student beyond school. This has been a focus throughout the
year and so to all of the students who have held leadership roles this year or who provided leadership without
holding an official title, a big ‘thank you’. Your efforts and support for your peers, Glenarthur and the College
as a whole are appreciated.
Brookhill (Senior School -Years 10-12).
The year began with the second Year 12 Student Learning Conference at Moonee Valley. This highly
professional event was an excellent bonding experience for the Year 12 students and staff. Keynote speaker,
Mark Dobson, spoke about achieving the correct state of mind to achieve excellence in any field of endeavour.
Elevate Education followed up this message with two seminars on how to prepare properly to maximise
academic achievement. The information presented in these seminars followed on from the Study Skills
sessions conducted at school over the last two years. The academic preparation at the Conference set the
tone for a year of hard work and academic achievement in Brookhill.
Research by University of Melbourne academic, Professor John Hattie, has shown that effective study skills
make a significant contribution to student academic achievement; all Brookhill students now experience a full
program of Study Skills education across the three years of Senior School. I encourage parents to talk to their
children about these sessions and work with students in implementing some of the techniques taught. The end
of each Semester saw all Brookhill students sitting for exams. While formal exams can be stressful for
students, it is important that every student gets plenty of practice preparing for and sitting formal exams. VCE
Study Scores are heavily dependent on exam results; to maximise these results, students must become adept
at the skill of exam revision.
The end of Term 3 was a highlight for Year 10 students with the Driver Education Program. All Year 10
students participated in theory and practical driver education sessions, conducted by DECA driving school.
This program was piloted by DECA and Aitken College in 2011 and is now offered by DECA to schools state-
wide. This year’s practical component was conducted at the METEC driver training facility in Kilsyth, which
offered students access to the best driver training facility in Melbourne.
The last Saturday in August was the occasion for the annual Year 11 Presentation Ball, once again, held at the
Celebrity Room at Moonee Valley Racecourse. The event was a great success, with approximately 850
patrons in attendance. The dance presentations were professional and elegant, thanks to the excellent work of
dance instructor Mr Sebastian Riscica and his daughter, former Aitken College student, Elizabeth. The night
ran very smoothly, which is testament to the hard work of the Head of House team and maturity of the Year 11
students.
Congratulations are also due to the 2014 Senior College Captains. Development of leadership skills is
encouraged in all Senior School students, whether they hold formal leadership roles or not. Significant
leadership also came through the activities of the College’s Interact Club, whose members often worked
alongside the Captains’ team and other students on projects which benefited local and international
communities. Student leaders made significant contributions to College life through activities such as:
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The Captains’ BBQ, which raised money for student amenities.
Charity work in aid of underprivileged schools in Cambodia.
Blood donation, 40 Hour Famine and other Community Service work.
The Performing Arts Captains’ Concert, music performances at assemblies and end of year
performances.
The 2014 academic year concluded with Year 10 and 11 students undertaking the two week VCE Early
Commencement Program. During this period, Year 10 students undertook two weeks of VCE Unit 1 classes
and Year 11 students had a two week head start on their VCE Unit 3 studies. As part of their introduction to
VCE Unit 3, 2014 Year 11 students undertook the highly successful future finder excursion to RMIT University
and The University of Melbourne, which helped them frame their post-school goals.
e-Learning 2014 has been another busy year at Aitken with all teaching staff and all students in Years 6-10 having their
own iPad. There has also been a complete infrastructure rebuild to facilitate the growing number of iPads on
the network and provide speedy Wi-Fi and enable media rich content to be shared throughout the College.
This year has also seen a major refresh of desktop computers, Apple TVs in classroom and new software to
ensure that Aitken students always have the most current facilities and resources available to them.
2014 has also been the year of the Robot! Robots numbers have increased this year and many students have
been exposed to robotics using both NXT and EV3 robots. Students (and their teachers) have had amazing
fun designing, building and programming robots to perform a variety of tasks, using their iPads to record their
progress.
Forty girls from Year 7-10 attended the ‘Go Girl IT’ Conference at Deakin University. We were part of an
amazing day with inspiring female speakers from all areas of the IT world. One student from Year 9 won a
coveted prize at the event to take her class to Deloitte’s in the city to experience their IT environment and have
morning tea at one of the most prestigious companies in the world. We decided to combine this event with the
Careers department and make a full day out by going to RMIT to complete our IT careers education.
The world of IT is constantly changing. At the ‘Go Girl’ event we were inspired to attend YITcon! – Youth
Festival of IT Conference, which is held biannually in Melbourne. The conference exposed Aitken students to
robotics, Google Glass and a whole host of other new and emerging technologies. World-class speakers and
industry experts presented on leading edge technological change and how to prosper in the digital future.
Students from the Aitken Genius Bar were also fortunate to be able to visit the Apple Store at Highpoint to gain
valuable insights into technical support for iPads and bring this knowledge back to the College. This was the
first Technical Workshop offered by Apple Australia to students in schools and came because of the high
number of iPads in use by students and staff at Aitken.
2014 has seen the use of technology expand throughout the College, transforming teaching and learning.
Students and staff are now expert users of eLocker for sharing information and collaborating. Apple TV in the
classroom has brought true mobility to the classroom allowing teachers to share their screens with their
classes without being restricted by cables and power. The use of ClickView Digital Video has expanded
providing media rich materials for all subject areas. ‘My Aitken’, the new College intranet has allowed
information to be shared amongst the College as well as an access portal to digital resources.
The latter part of 2014 saw planning for the new Australian Curriculum that is to be implemented from the
beginning of 2015. We have been planning exciting programming and computational thinking challenges for
Years 6-7 and many new and exciting activities.
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One of the major environmental benefits we have noticed this year is the reduction in the amount of paper
used. We have saved many trees in the process and contributed to the environmental ethos of the College.
Performing Arts This year’s Performing Arts Captains’ Concert was performed in memory of a past student who was a regular
performer at this event. In excess of $500 was donated to The Royal Melbourne Hospital Neuroscience
Foundation. We also took the opportunity to recognise the 28 students who served as Performing Arts
Captains since 2002 by unveiling an honour board which now hangs in the CPA foyer.
This year’s VCE Theatre Studies play was a retelling of Lewis Carroll’s classic, Alice In Wonderland. The
largest audience for a VCE Play with 275 people appreciating the work undertaken by the class.
The Middle School Play, Skate by Deborah Oswald, featured a cast of almost 30 students from Years 8 and 9
and was seen by 220 people across its two performances.
The Winter Music Soiree featured performances from some of our music ensembles, senior Music classes and
some original compositions. The Year 7/8 Band and Year 3 Strings concerts rounded out the first semester.
The College Musical, The Who’s Tommy stretched some boundaries. With mature themes and a different
theatrical style to what is normally presented, there were challenges for the staff and students involved as well
as the audience. This challenging rock-opera received high praise from outside of the College and played to an
audience of just over 1000 people.
Under the enthusiastic direction of the Primary Performing Arts Co-ordinator and class teachers, 360 Primary
Students participated in the Cumberland (Get Happy) and Fairview (On Top Of The World) Concerts. Four
highly entertaining performances were presented to almost 2000 appreciative audience members.
Term 3 concluded with the VCE Theatre Studies Performance Night where students presented their
monologues under the pressure of a formal performance in preparation for their performance examination.
Students from Year 11 also presented an excerpt from The Importance of Being Earnest.
Shakespeare’s most loved play Romeo and Juliet was re-imagined ‘steampunk’ style for this year’s College
Play. Almost 300 people enjoyed the work of the 30 students on stage and numerous students working as part
of the technical crew.
Work undertaken in Media, Primary Performing Arts, Music and Drama was highlighted during the annual Arts
Week, in conjunction with the Art Show. The Twilight Music Concert was presented on the outdoor stage on
the front lawn of the College. 420 students from Prep to Year 6 were part of the Music Count Us In event- an
initiative involving students from schools all over Australia who learn, rehearse, then perform the same song,
on the same day, at the same time. The final event for 2014 was the Director’s Choice Gala Concert which
allowed us to restage and celebrate some of the wonderful performances uncovered throughout the year. It
was attended by 200 people.
Further Band and Strings Concerts were held along with a Primary Performing Arts Showcase Day. Performing
Arts staff and students were heavily involved in Presentation Night and Carol Services.
Thank you to Friends of the Arts. Students have benefited from their work through the provision of
scholarships, canteen services and catering work.
Visual Arts The annual Visual Art and Design Exhibition was held over four
days in late October/November. It coincided with the Twilight Open
Evening at the College. With two late opening nights it was
wonderful to see so many people attend the exhibition. Novel
artworks this year included the Year 8 jewellery, ceramic planter
pots with cacti and Year 11 Wearable Art. Personal interpretations
of the world around us were evident in the portrait shots by the Year 10
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Photography students and the more in depth depictions of concepts seen in the senior artwork ranging from
‘phobias and body image’ to ‘the beauty of nature’. The energy and creativity of artworks by the Primary
children was amazing and the Art program at Aitken College aims to build upon technical skills each year and
to teach children to explore the way various media can produce affects and reflect mood or feelings. The
diversity of the artwork on display in the exhibition and throughout the year is always impressive and
culminates in the Art and Design Exhibition; a sample of the best was shown in the College magazine.
Staff completed a review of the Visual Arts Curriculum from Prep to Year 10 in 2014 with the view to
incorporate the shape of the Australian Curriculum. In particular including ICT, links to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islanders and Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia and sustainability. Continual review of the
content in the Visual Arts will occur through next year, but emphasis on the links to Asia will be reduced as
staff have found it difficult to teach the technical and practical content properly in the Elective courses at Year 8
to 10.
During the year students attended a number of excursions for inspiration in their own artworks and to develop
a deeper understanding of human expression through art. This year’s blockbuster exhibition at the NGV was
the Italian Masterpieces exhibition. This was a fabulous opportunity for our students to view artworks by
famous artists such as Caravaggio, Raphael and Titian. The Year 10, 11 and 12 students attended lectures
about tricks and tips used by the masters to create the amazing photo like detail and the dramatic tone and
lighting in their paintings. Following a viewing of the exhibition students attended a drawing workshop at the
gallery. In August Year 12 students studying Studio Arts attended an Art Industry Contexts lecture and forum
where gallery staff involved with this exhibition spoke and students were able to ask them questions. Year 12
students toured some commercial galleries in Fitzroy to learn about the roles and differences of commercial
galleries and artist run spaces. Year 9 Art students attended the NGV to view the collection that was free to the
public, and were thrilled to see some of the new contemporary artworks on display. To produce moody and
atmospheric photos, the Year 10 Photography students travelled to Monsalvat and Werribee Park and a stage
photo shoot in the CPA to produce stage character studies. Year 6 Art students held a Pop Up Exhibition of
their oil pastel drawings of clowns for some primary children and staff in the Upper Plaza. This event was
highly successful and orchestrated by Mrs Camilleri. Four Year 11 Visual Communication and Design
students, Brooke Semini, Natasha De Alwis, Sabrina Nasser and Cameron Santomartino, were part of a small
group of students in Victoria who were awarded with the Planning Institute of Australia award for their design of
a train station. These students are in the running for the national award to be announced in 2015.
The Fairview Art Club continued to be a great opportunity for young art lovers to develop their skills and to
produce artworks that are not for assessment purposes. This activity is for an hour after school each week.
Throughout the year students of all ages were able to work in the art rooms and use the computers (usually to
complete projects using Adobe CS6). Throughout the year staff gave their time readily to assist students with
their artwork and the rooms were places for students to talk, relax and catch up on work. Senior art students
were offered an after school class one night each week.
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Multi-media artist Ms Karen Butler was Artist in Residence in 2014. The project involved students
photographing the school environment to then draw and paint semi abstract images of these compositions
onto recycled wooden panels. This project involved over two hundred Year 7 and 8 students over a period of
four months. The project was incorporated into the Art Curriculum for assessment and met the link with
sustainability, culture and global issues. Students were taught to produce straight edged painted forms using
making tape and cutting knives and working in a reductive process. Originally the finished artworks were to be
a short term installation; Karen intended the students to be involved in placing their completed paintings in
groups around the college grounds and to document this in film. Unfortunately the cold wet weather did not
allow this to happen and instead they were installed temporality under the veranda of the Art Wing. After the
excitement of seeing the brightly coloured panels in situ, the College approved the installation of the panels as
a permanent artwork onto the exterior walls of the art wing. Students loved the challenge of this task which
looked quite simple but in fact required patience, many hours of work and a methodical approach.
Sport Aitken College students have had a very successful year in sport in 2014. The College became a member of
School Sports Victoria in the secondary sector which introduced the students to some exciting and stronger
competition.
A total of 55 teams competed in the division gala days against schools from the Hume area at Years 7-12.
Fifteen teams progressed to Northern metropolitan region and 2 teams as well as one individual to the state
finals. Our individual participant was Jessica Anderson from Year 12 who won the State u/20 girls Triple-Jump.
The Aitken College Swim team dominated in many competitions with some reaching state level. Aitken College
won the Woodlands District Division. A continued support of the morning swim program provided these
students with continuous training and the ability to improve on their strengths.
Our Junior Interschool Sports program continued their dominance in Friday morning sports with many teams
resulting in division winners.
Our annual AFL senior Football challenge against Melbourne High School and Mac.Robertsons Girls’ High
School provided our senior students the opportunity to compete at a higher level. Students showed great
enthusiasm and dedication. Once again the Aitken College Boys’ Football team brought home the trophy with
a convincing win over Melbourne High School.
We celebrated our inaugural Sports Awards Assembly which culminated an entire year of sporting endeavours
from our students.
With the new introduction of School Sports Victoria in the Secondary level, the school has expanded many
more opportunities for students.
Languages Faculty 2014 was an eventful year for the Languages faculty. During the year the students participated in a variety of
events which added context to their language learning. Once again, Year 7 students went to the Parkville Zoo
to learn about South-East Asian animals and use their language to complete a number of simple tasks. This
year students made full use of their iPads while at the zoo, including the completion of an iBook task with
imbedded listening activities. We participated in the Olimpiade Sekolah, an annual Indonesian language
competition which involves Year 9 students of the participating schools. In 2014 the event was held in Geelong
and the Aitken College team placed second overall.
During the year teachers began planning Aitken College’s sixth trip to South East Asia and our third to
Indonesia. In July 2015 the 22 participants will be visiting the capital city, Jakarta, travelling overland through
central Java, stopping at Bandung and Jogjakarta. Later they will travel to the cultural centre of Bali, Ubud.
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These destinations are regarded as important cultural centres in Indonesia and will offer many opportunities for
the students to immerse themselves in the local culture and practise their Bahasa Indonesia skills. We are
also excited about an expanded Year 10 Indonesian program with 40 of our 2014 Year 9 students choosing
Indonesian as one of their electives for Year 10. This will be the largest cohort of Year 10 language students
since the College’s establishment and indicative of the increasingly positive interest in language amongst our
students.
This year the Primary Languages Program continued with students in Year 3 learning Italian and French, Year
4s, Romanian and Greek, Year 5s, Vietnamese and French, and the Year 6s, German. The enthusiasm of the
students undertaking their subjects is a testament to their teachers’ hard work and dedication.
The Language teachers at Aitken are extremely enthusiastic about the use of learning technologies in the
classroom and are constantly looking for new ways to incorporate iPads into their teaching and learning.
During the year one of our faculty members was invited to run a professional development session about the
use of iPads in the classroom, at the Victorian Indonesian Language Teachers Conference. Another faculty
member successfully designed and published an Indonesian word recognition and memory app for iPad use.
We are continually developing the Languages curriculum and pedagogy in order to increase students’
enjoyment of the subject, and, hopefully, their interest in continuing with the study of the language beyond the
compulsory years.
PARENTS
Parents and Friends Association The Parents and Friends Association is an active group of supportive parents who are excited to be a vital part
of a growing and distinctive school community where individuals and families are valued and supported.
The group has great energy and vision and works closely with the school to determine the projects best
supported by our fund raising. Parents and Friends run regular events with money raised going back into
facilities for students. Previous activities have included;
That’s Mine – label fundraiser
Community Business Directory
Preloved Uniform Sales
Tree Drive
Trivia Night
Hot Cross Bun Drive
Fathers Day Breakfast
Mothers Day High Tea
Tea Towel fundraiser These activities have been extremely successful and have allowed the Association to provide the school with a
half-court basketball facility.
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Friends of the Arts The Friends of the Arts assist us with Performing Arts events at the College. The time commitment offered by
many people, whether it is simply running students to performances and rehearsals, working in the canteen,
building sets, making costumes or fundraising, is what really keeps the department alive. They have assisted
this year with the external events and again provided opportunities for students through Friends of the Arts
Scholarships. Recipients are able to utilise funds to assist them in taking short courses, further deepening their
knowledge of their chosen field.
Parent Satisfaction Parents continue to have opportunity to provide feedback to the College through information evenings, Parent
Teacher interviews, Parent Morning Teas and via email or interview. Much feedback is positive and continues
to focus on areas such as sense of community, academic achievement, extra-curricular opportunities,
dedication of staff and a willingness to promote the College to family and friends. Parents are encouraged to
discuss concerns with senior management staff.
Anecdotal information was collected through parent meetings that highlight the quality programs both academic, pastoral and extra-curricular. The school environment is considered a safe and supportive one with home school relationships being a positive.
The College Registrar receives enquiries from prospective parents. All enquiries are logged and a College
information pack is sent. The College holds an Open Day (March) and an Open Evening (October) with tours
led by student leaders. The feedback from these tours is always positive, with prospective families getting an
understanding of the school and its programs from the students.
The College teaching staff are engaged in interviewing all prospective families and feedback received provides
information on community perceptions and what parents are seeking when looking for a school. Elements
include an academic profile providing a range of pathways for students, co-education, a values based
education (incorporating faith elements), a safe environment, a range of activities to engage students and an
affordable independent education.
The engagement by parents in College events is high, demonstrating a commitment to the College. Parents
are welcome to raise concerns with Senior Management and time is made to hear and provide feedback on
concerns.
Communication to parents is through the fortnightly newsletter, the community portal and App4 diary. Parents
are able to log into the portal to find information on their child’s attendance, classwork and contact
teachers. Prospective families are kept in touch through a biannual newsletter.
Families exiting the College are provided with the opportunity to provide feedback through Senior
Management. Reasons given include family matters, financial hardship, movement from the area, scholarship
offers to selective schools and in some cases dissatisfaction with elements of programs not meeting their
child’s needs or aligning with College values.
Alumni Early in 2014 a one year reunion was held for the Class of 2012. Reunions were also held for the Class of
2009 (5 year reunion) and a 10 year reunion for the Class of 2004. These functions provided former students
with an opportunity to tour the school, see the many changes and also to share their memories of and stories
post Aitken.
The one year reunion (Class of 2012) was held in the foyer of the CPA and attended by a good number of ex-
students. An observation is that the first year reunion tends to be less well patronised than celebrations
marking the five and ten year milestones. This is perhaps because the students are largely still in touch with
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each other through social media and/or perhaps they feel that they have not achieved significantly since their
transition from Aitken as the majority will have only just completed the first year of a tertiary programme.
Support for the five and ten year reunions continues to grow. The five year reunion for the Class of 2009 saw
in excess of forty former students attend and was an outstanding success. Similarly the reunion for the Class
of 2004 marking a departure from the College ten years prior was also a success. This event was held at the
Skyways Hotel in Gladstone Park. Immediately prior to the start of that function, alumni were given the
opportunity to meet at the College and tour the new facilities.
Former students, together with former and current staff, certainly appreciate the opportunity to gather in a
social setting and renew friendships. Careers staff certainly appreciate the opportunity to tap into the alumni
network for purposes of securing guest speakers, updating industry knowledge and networking of a more
general nature. A number of alumni have kindly agreed to share their stories and something of their affection
for Aitken in the ‘Beyond Aitken’ section of the College website which is accessed from the Alumni link. These
serve to illustrate the breadth of curriculum offerings, affirming culture of the College and the diversity of
student outcomes in a most positive manner.
Interact The Aitken College Interact Club is a student run organisation which is sponsored by the Tullamarine Rotary
Club. It provides a fantastic opportunity for students who want to be part of a group that is actively involved in
the wider community and strives to make a positive impact and difference. As part of the Interact Club students
carry out hands on activities, conduct international projects, develop leadership and teamwork skills and have
fun working with their peers.
Throughout 2014 Interact was busy organising fundraisers and events to
enable students, teachers and the wider Aitken community to get involved
with community service. Two fundraising events were held, (one for the
primary and one for the secondary school) in support of the CFA after the
Mickleham bushfires. These barbeques were highly successful and Interact
Club presented a cheque for $2,000 to the Greenvale Fire Brigade, who were
extremely thankful to the school’s combined support and effort.
As part of our international work, the Interact Club called on school families to donate books for a textbook
drive for schools in Kenya; Boston School in Matopeni and a new school in Buterre. The students (many of
whom are orphans) at these schools have extremely limited resources and were eagerly awaiting their new
books. The Interact Club collected over 50 boxes which were sent in August. The club also worked with the
Brodie House in Brookhill to raise funds for the establishment and ongoing support of a school in Bosalla
Cambodia, which opened in November 2014. Funds were raised to support a family to send their child to
school for a year, as well as antibiotics, a bore pump, and exercise books for students. In addition, the club
also fundraised for Guide Dogs Victoria and donated $800 from a bake sale. Other activities included a crazy
hair day and a Halo tournament for primary and Brookhill students respectively.
This community service work was extremely rewarding with the knowledge that a difference has been made to
the lives of many.
Sustainability and Environment Amazing things continue to take place at Aitken College regarding sustainability and the environment. New
initiatives implemented in 2014 have changed the shape of environmental programs. Firstly, student
Environment Monitors were appointed and established for homeroom classes in Years 1 to 9. These monitors
worked hard to educate and inform their classmates about new recycling programs, as well as ways to save
energy in the classroom, earning themselves their Environment Badges.
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Year 5 and 6 Environment Monitors were asked to participate in a special program called Coastal
Ambassadors, Kids Teaching Kids. Students implemented an action plan against wasteful behaviour at Aitken
College. They focused on recycling, litter and energy usage in the classroom. When it came time for them to
present the results of their action plan to other schools across Victoria, they really shined! Teachers and
students across the state congratulated our students on an excellent job, not only for helping reduce wasteful
behaviours at Aitken College, but also for sharing their innovative ideas and strategies with students from other
schools.
Environmental Week in late August went off with a bang, as usual. The weather was amazing and the activities
were a hit. Students from all year levels participated in a variety of games and programs, aimed at reminding
students how easy it is to enjoy the environment in our own back-yard (so to speak). The week finished up with
the 2014 Aitken Environment Conference! Local schools were invited to visit Aitken College and participate in
a variety of preference-based workshops, like building rubbish sculptures, native animal handling, and
sustainable farming techniques. We believe that hands-on experiences are the best way to relate to our natural
environment…and the students loved it!
Aitken’s first Environmental Programs Alpine trip took place in September. Brookhill students had an amazing
experience exploring the alpine environment of Mount Hotham, on and off the slopes. Not only did they enjoy
their first downhill experiences of skiing or snowboarding, but they also took advantage of the amazing
scenery, capturing time-lapse video footage of the sunset and sunrise over the snow-covered Victoria Alps.
Students compiled the endless amounts of Go-Pro footage and still frame shots that were captured during our
trip. It was truly a unique and special experience for students and accompanying staff alike.
Within the Environmental Programs curriculum, a new Year 10 elective was launched in Semester 2, 2014,
called Outdoor Environmental Science. It takes an experiential approach to developing relationships in natural
environments, underpinned by scientific theory of the formation of outdoor settings such as rock and river
environments. The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program also got underway for Year 3 and Year 4
classes. This was such a success that we expect the program to grow in the future and become a permanent
aspect of the Primary Curriculum.
Our efforts across the year are certainly recognised by the College community and beyond. This year, Aitken
College won the regional Victorian Schools Garden award which the students accepted with pride. In addition,
Ms Sarah Dennis was named a finalist for the Resource Smart Teacher of the Year Award. We are very proud
of her efforts as well as all of the other amazing students and staff members who go above and beyond to
enhance Environmental Programs at Aitken College.
Agriculture The production of food thrived at Aitken College during 2014. With student involvement in Agriculture classes,
The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program (SAKGP) and Friends of the Farm, fresh, beautiful and
tasty vegetables burst out of Aitken College.
The student market has displayed an abundant and colourful range of vegetables that have been grown at the
school farm and gardens. These tasty vegetables also displayed the students’ hard work and pride in the
vegetables and herbs they grow from seed, all the way to something we can eat. The school farm hot house
has been overflowing with propagated seedlings, including all the vegetables used at the school and some
native grasses that have recently been planted in the swale. This propagation was managed by the agriculture
students and SAKGP students, who plant seeds weekly to ensure a steady stream of vegetables.
All Agriculture classes were busy maintaining the market garden, harvesting and holding markets. They have
also cared for Bacon and Eggs (the pigs) and Trudy and Sally (the goats), keeping them fed and healthy. The
students enjoyed visiting a number of working farms including “Gala”, a broad acre cropping and sheep farm;
and “McIvor Farm”, a free range pig farm. A number of students were also involved in the Environment Week
Food Fair, where students could try kangaroo sausages, meat from free range farms, bike ’n’ blend smoothies
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and heirloom vegetables. This year saw the introduction of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program
into Years 3 and 4. This program has been a huge hit with the students and parents involved. Students have
been responsible for growing the herbs and vegetables they use to cook with each week. The students have
planted seedlings, propagated, improved soil, managed pests and harvested delicious produce. Friends of the
Farm has been active this year; caring for the animals, building no-dig garden beds; running workshops during
the environment conference and clearing areas of the historic bluestone cattle yards.
This year saw a number of new and helpful structures being built around the farm including compost bays, a
portable pig house, fences, garden beds, fox proof chicken yard and much more.
Faith Community and Development All Aitken students attend a weekly age-appropriate half hour Christian Chapel service presented by
the College Chaplain or the Director of Chaplaincy. Faith issues and Christian values are
recommended to the community via state of the art audio-visual presentations, guest speakers or
others trained in this field. Faith Development is linked to the wider Religious Education and Life Skills
programmes and students are encouraged to look beyond themselves to the needs of others, and the
claims of God as revealed through Christian revelation.
The Religion and Values Education program complements the weekly Chapel presentations. This
program runs from Prep to Year 10 and as a VCE subject in Years 11 and 12. The program is age
appropriate. Whilst a main focus is on teaching the core precepts of the Christian faith, students are
introduced to other Faiths and World views. Comparisons are encouraged so that students are able to
make sensible decisions based on a sound understanding of issues in connection with Religious
experience and Faith.
The Reach Out Community (ROC) run by the Chaplaincy team meets on two Wednesday evenings a
term for a children’s program and one Sunday each month for informal Christian worship. ROC is
always trying new ideas to encourage and build up those who come to explore issues of faith. The
Monthly Kid’s ROC evenings are very popular with younger students and their parents, often seeing
over 100 attending. ROC supports a range of activities within the College community. The Greenvale
Community Choir commenced in late 2011 and has grown steadily in popularity, making important
links to the wider community. ROC also hosts student evenings such as Aitken has Talent and Aitken
Can Dance, modelled on modern popular reality shows. These allow some students to explore their
gifts and be affirmed in the process. ROC runs an annual Grief and Loss service which addresses
specific needs within the community. Links with local community groups and Uniting church
congregations is always been strengthened where possible [See Faith Community below]
Aitken College employs a youth chaplain who works two days per week counselling, running the
weekly lunchtime KickStart youth group for Year 7-9 students, and other initiatives from time to time.
This appointment is funded by the Federal Government Chaplaincy and Student Welfare initiative. The
KickStart group allows for Faith Development in an environment where student choose to attend and
explore a deeper understanding of the Christian Faith.
Faith Community
The definition of a Faith Community includes the idea of a group of people with a commitment to a faith (in the
case of Aitken College, the Christian Faith), who seek to support each other, share their faith, and develop
links between the faith and others within the community.
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ROC forms a central part of this idea at Aitken College. Now in its 12th year it continues to remain
faithful to the concept given above. Participation is invited from members of the Aitken Community and
those affiliated with the Uniting Church in the wider community.
Links with local Uniting Churches have grown over the years and this allows the annual Baptism and
Confirmation services to be offered, opening up opportunities within the student body for this important
faith commitment.
Over the past year a foundation has been laid to establish a regular worshipping community on-site at
Aitken College which will be recognised by the Uniting Church of Australia as a Faith Community in its
own right. Local interest has been growing and this initiative will open up many possibilities for pastoral
care and Christian ministry within the school and wider local community.
Staff, students and parents are encouraged to participate in Chapel services and the annual Easter
and Christmas Carol services which are important events within the College year in terms of religious
observances. It is not uncommon to have over 40 parents and young children joining in with the junior
Chapel services each week.
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Finance Aitken College is a not-for-profit organisation and has in place strong business practices to ensure that
finances are managed in an effective and compliant manner. Any end-of-year surpluses are applied to facility
development and improvements to the offering of educational services. The charts indicate sources of income
and expenditure for the 2014 calendar year.
2014 Annual Report
INCOME
$ % Tuition Fees
7,120,225 37.3%
Federal Government Funding 9,420,984 49.4% State Government Funding 1,601,774 8.4% Other Income 935,267 4.9% Other Capital income 15,000 0.1% Total Income
19,078,250 100.0%
EXPENDITURE $ % Employment Costs 11,567,798 61.9%
Education & General 4,648,510 24.9% Financing
8,330 0.0%
Buildings & Grounds 766,056 4.1% Depreciation
1,687,270 9.0%
Total Expenses 18,677,964 100.0%
The major source of income for the College was Federal and State Government funding (58%) and tuition fees (37%). The major expenditure item is employment costs (62%). Education and General costs are mainly faculty and administration expenses (25%)
37.3%
49.4%
8.4%4.9%
Tuition Fees
Federal GovtFunding
State GovtFunding
Other Income
61.9%24.9%
0.0%
4.1%9.0%
2014 ExpenditureEmploymentCostsEducation &GeneralFinancing
Buildings &GroundsDepreciation
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Capital Works Projects and Property Management Report
Capital Works It has certainly been another busy year in which we have again seen many changes and improvements to the
College infrastructure. The main entrance road in front of the windmills was upgraded with the addition of new
speed humps and line marking. The changes will provide staff and visitors with safe egress to and from their
vehicles.
The College has continued on its path of reducing its impact on the environment by replacing more of the old
air conditioning units throughout the science and senior school areas. This replacement program is nearing its
completion with possibly one more year of planned removal ahead in classroom areas and with only a dozen
or so units remaining in small office areas.
The College is now investing in commingle waste programs which will over the next two to three years see
commingle bins in place internally and externally across the College. We have begun this program by placing
commingle and landfill bins in all classrooms across the Fairview, Cumberland, Dunhelen and Glenarthur
schools.
Another successful project undertaken was the construction of a basketball half court. This court was
constructed for the use of the senior school students and only made possible by the College Parents and
Friends Association who raised the necessary funds. The project was extremely successful and the College
thanks the P&F for the continued support.
Other College funded capital projects undertaken included;
Recarpeting all the science classrooms
Installation of Acoustic panels to S1, S2 and S3
Installation of new pin wall lining to the Cumberland classrooms and whiteboards to various
classrooms
Installation of external security lighting
Installation of external steel balustrading
Guard rails around main switchboard and LPG tanks
Clearing of the western end of the College grounds
Extension to CPA store room.
Maintenance Works The Property Department has in place a cyclical maintenance program which includes the inspection of all
essential services such as fire safety equipment, air-conditioning, emergency lighting, exit lighting, paths of
travel and exit doors. Other areas that are considered an important part of cyclical maintenance include the
testing and tagging of all electrical appliances, thermal scanning of all switchboards, testing of fume
cupboards, chemical waste disposal and annual inspections of trees by qualified arborists.
Our maintenance program also extends to the preventative maintenance of buildings and College grounds
which include regular inspections of external timber work, decking, water tanks, playgrounds, irrigation
systems and other minor internal items.
A Uniting Church School
