Footscray High School

Those visiting and studying at Kinnear can look forward to a refreshed exterior of the central learning hub. The new student entry will welcome and connect from the canteen to a rejuvenated civic square and garden beds for the school community to enjoy, collaborate and reflect. It will be a space suited to address an assembly and a place for community to celebrate.

There will be a focus on improving accessibility and safety for all learners. We will replace existing uneven brick paving with an accessible sealed pathway and provide external lighting across main pathways.

Kinnear Campus Principal Vicki Tentzoglidis says “We are very excited to be part of the Footscray Learning Precinct upgrade to the Kinnear Campus and look forward to continuing to provide a world-class education for our local community. The design of the Kinnear Campus will reflect a young adult learning state–of–the–art centre that creates pathways for all our students.”

We are improving the internal conditions of the main learning hub so that Kinnear students have the facilities they need to learn and feel prepared for the next step in their education journey.

The layout of each floor will be renovated so there is an improved natural flow between subject specialist rooms and allow for more spaces for student collaboration.

Facility improvements will include:

• a redeveloped staff lounge and administration area
• an expanded and modernised kitchen and canteen area
• a revitalised library
• reconfigured level 1 classrooms into more flexible learning spaces
• upgraded amenities across the campus.

Through these facilities, Kinnear will equip students with the habits and curiosity they need in further education.

Year 10 student Elisabeth says “I am excited about the new building works happening at the senior campus. I greatly look forward to finishing my secondary education in a state–of–the–art new building with facilities that will provide my year level, and many to come, with valuable and amazing opportunities.”

Removal of the existing relocatable buildings enables the campus layout to be more open than ever before. Students and the community will have access to enhanced outdoor spaces that encourages an active lifestyle – a key priority of Kinnear.

New outdoor spaces will flow from the learning hub – allowing for a smooth transition from indoor to outdoor learning.

We have worked with School Counsellor, Uncle Keith, to allow space for Indigenous planting as part of the campus’ sustainability program. This work is in addition to creating spaces for yarning circles to embed Indigenous culture further into the campus – a priority for the Footscray Learning Precinct.

The library’s vision is to nurture an ongoing love of reading in the community, to support the teaching and learning of the school curriculum, to celebrate diversity and creativity, and to promote social justice. The campus library will provide a vast range of digital and print resources, hosting events and activities and offering professional support. Staff will cultivate a sense of curiosity in students and encourage them to be critical and creative thinkers.

The library website and catalogue will be available 24/7 from anywhere with an internet connection. They will host a variety of digital resources to support teaching, learning and recreational reading, as well as study and research tips and referencing advice.

• Online resources and databases
• Fiction books
• Non-fiction and reference books
• Film and video
• Multimedia
• Clubs and activities
• Newspapers and magazines

Pilgrim Campus will have an innovative STEAM curriculum (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) in which students tackle real-world, local problems alongside teachers and community members.

Realising this vision involves utilising the expertise of STEAM education leaders in Australia and around the world, as well as empowering Footscray High teachers to innovate locally. It will foster strong connections between students and their community, by working together on ‘problems that matter’ in our local area.

The Pilgrim Campus STEAM program will collaborate closely with STEAM initiatives throughout the Footscray Learning Precinct.

The school’s administration facilities will be centrally located at the front of the campus, making access easy for parents and students.

Today’s students are likely to have four or five different careers in their working lives. So, to thrive in the 21st century, our young people need more than today’s knowledge. They need to think critically, creatively and laterally; be comfortable working in teams; and be inspired to continue learning beyond school and university.

Pilgrim Campus will provide dynamic and flexible spaces that support students to learn in a variety of ways. These spaces can be rearranged to create distinct learning areas for different activities such as class instruction or discussion, working in smaller groups or independently, and collaboration on practical projects.

Flexible spaces also allow teachers to occasionally combine their classes, creating additional opportunities for students and teachers to learn from each other.

Pilgrim Campus will combine hard play spaces (e.g. multisport courts) with grassed play areas. The indoor multipurpose gym located at Footscray City Primary School will be shared with Pilgrim Campus. Students may also use community recreation facilities in partnership with Melbourne Cricket Club and Victoria University. Yarraville Gardens has an oval, a cricket pitch and tennis courts, and is a 10 minute walk from the Pilgrim Campus. Victoria University provides some of the best sport and recreation facilities in the country, including a recently upgraded swimming pool.