Eltham College is an

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

non-denominational A non-denominational person or organization is one that does not follow (or is not restricted to) any particular or specific religious denomination. Overview The term has been used in the context of various faiths including Jainism, Baháʼí Fait ...

co-education Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...

al day school situated in

Research Research is "creativity, creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular att ...

, an outer suburb north east of

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. Founded in 1973, the school has a non-selective admissions policy and currently caters for approximately 1,200 students from

Kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...

to Year 12. Although no longer a part, having become an affiliate of the EISM (

Eastern Independent Schools of Melbourne The Eastern Independent Schools of Melbourne (EISM or EIS) are a group of twenty two independent secondary schools in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The schools compete against one another in sporting competitions. History The first instance o ...

), Eltham College is a founding member of the ACS (

Association of Co-educational Schools The Association of Coeducational Schools (ACS) was formed in 1997 and commenced midweek sporting competitions for Years 7 – 12 in 1998 with five founding member schools that are coeducational and shared similar philosophies and a commitment to ...

). The College is also affiliated with the Association of Independent Schools of Victoria (AISV). The school is also associated with EC Waves swimming club and training most training is held at the Eltham College pool.

History

* 1973: Desmond D. Davey appointed as first principal. Construction of the College begins with the Principal's residence and Preparatory School * 1974: Classes commence with an enrolment of 135 students. The College's facilities now consist of an Early Learning Centre (kindergarten), Junior Primary Building, craft workshop, and two aboveground swimming pools * 1975: Enrolments increase to a total of 399 students to Year 9. Administration and Junior Secondary buildings are constructed, along with a music suite * 1976: 590 students up to Year 10. First part of the Middle School constructed, along with another craft workshop, and the completion of the ECCA Centre sports stadium. Tennis and basketball courts are established, along with a hockey pitch and oval * 1977: 764 students to Year 11. Second part of the Middle School and Music Centre opened. * 1978: 893 students to Year 12. The Senior School is established, along with extensions to the Music Centre * 1979: 960 students. The second part of the Senior School is established, along with science laboratories * 1980: 1050 students. 43 acres of land opposite the College are purchased for later use * 1983: ''School Photo'', a book commemorating the College's first ten years is produced. The College is now a complex of 16 buildings, complemented by a cohort of 1050 and a staff of 85. The founding Principal, Desmond D. Davey, retires. The new D. D. Davey Library and Auditorium are named in his honour * 1984: Brian Webber is appointed Principal. The College's leadership program is established *1986: A number of Year 5 students under guidance from former Eltham College arts teacher

Jan Sardi Jan Vittorio Sardi (born 1953) is an Australian screenwriter. In 1997, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay), for '' Shine''. He wrote and directed the 2004 film '' Love's Brother''. He adapted the novel b ...

, performed his rendition of Snow White (S''now White and the Dreadful Dwarves'') for ABC's Kaboodle. * 1987: The College's Performance Centre is opened, along with the Preparatory School Library and the L. E. Clarke Visual Arts Building. Middle School science laboratories are established, along with another playing field. John Brennan replaces Brian Webber as Principal * 1992: Stage one of oval, and environmental reserve commences, built on the 43 acres of land purchased by the College in 1980 * 1993: The College celebrates its 20th Anniversary. Stage two of the oval and environmental reserve development is completed, thus providing students with new facilities. New uniforms are introduced * 1996: The Year 9 City Campus (located in Flinders Lane) officially opens. The College's quadrangle, known as the Forum, is officially opened, with a Halpern sculpture, to which students contributed, being unveiled * 1998: A new preparatory centre opens in the former Principal's residence (made available by the construction of a new residence the previous year). Further construction work on the Senior School commences, opening the following year * 1999: John Brennan retires as principal * 2000: David Warner is appointed as principal * 2001: The College's name is officially changed to ELTHAM College of Education * 2002: Construction begins on the College's hospitality facilities. The ''Knowledge Network'', a revolutionary intranet service, is unveiled, along with the ''History Centre'' for Years 3 and 4 * 2003: The College celebrates its 30th Anniversary, along with officially opening the new hospitality centre, now known as Swipers Gully * 2004: Construction commences on the Arthur W. Kirkright sports pavilion * 2005: The College now consists of 1171 students, along with 186 members of staff. Students of the College successfully raise $10,000 to build a library in

Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...

* 2006: The Arthur W. Kirkright sports pavilion officially opens * 2007: The College announces plans for the

Melbourne City School Melbourne City School was an independent, co-educational Prep to Year 9 school located in the Melbourne Central Business District on King Street. Melbourne City School was founded in 2010 as an initiative of Eltham College of Education, but clos ...

* 2013: The Year 9 City Campus moves to its current location on

Lonsdale Street Lonsdale Street is a main street and thoroughfare in the city centre of Melbourne, Australia. It runs roughly east–west and was laid out in 1837 as one of Melbourne's original boundaries within the Hoddle Grid. The street extends from Sp ...

. David Warner retires as Principal * 2014: The College celebrates its 40th Anniversary. Simon Le Plastrier is appointed as the fifth Principal of the College

Principals

Campuses

The College currently comprises two campuses: * Research Campus Kindergarten to Year 4 (Junior School), Years 5 to 8 (Middle School) and Years 10 to 12 (Senior School), day. * Year 9 Campus Year 9, day. The College’s main campus, located in

, focuses on Kindergarten to Year 12, with only a small portion of Year 9 completed there. The Research campus houses the College's sporting facilities, environmental reserve and restaurant, known as Swiper's Gully. The College's Year 9 campus is located in

Lonsdale Street, Melbourne Lonsdale Street is a main street and thoroughfare in the city centre of Melbourne, Australia. It runs roughly east–west and was laid out in 1837 as one of Melbourne's original boundaries within the Hoddle Grid. The street extends from Sp ...

, and caters solely for Year 9 students and their preparation for life in the city should their career path be based there. Students spend four of the five school days at the city campus, with the fifth day attended at the Research campus.

Swiper's Gully restaurant

Eltham College is known for being one of the few schools with its own

restaurant A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...

across the road, better known as "Swiper's Gully". This restaurant is predominantly student run, functioning during most days as a café, and most nights as a restaurant. Employees can either work in the kitchen, making the meals (back of house), or can serve the meals (front of house) as part of their VET in the VCE qualification for

hospitality Hospitality is the relationship between a guest and a host, wherein the host receives the guest with some amount of goodwill, including the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers. Louis de Jaucourt, Louis, chevalier de J ...

. The menu changes termly and features an entreé, main and dessert, with a variety of wines produced on site and produce also available.

Curriculum

Music

Music at ELTHAM College has become a rather large part of the curriculum. Classes based around music are organised in the

kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...

year. Throughout the junior years students are taught to play

recorder Recorder or The Recorder may refer to: Newspapers * ''Indianapolis Recorder'', a weekly newspaper * ''The Recorder'' (Massachusetts newspaper), a daily newspaper published in Greenfield, Massachusetts, US * ''The Recorder'' (Port Pirie), a news ...

s as well as song and dance. In the latter years of the junior program students are taught about

music technology Music technology is the study or the use of any device, mechanism, machine or tool by a musician or composer to make or perform music; to compose, notate, playback or record songs or pieces; or to analyze or edit music. History The earlies ...

. From years 7 and 8 students learn about instrument construction, the role of music in

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...

performance, an introduction to

song writing A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music gen ...

, the history of pop and

rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...

and computer music composition. In Year 9 music becomes a partial elective (students must choose two of music, art and ceramics) and from Year 10 onwards music becomes a complete elective. The VCE music course is based around being able to create a solo performance as part of the assessment. Music also offers two certificates separate to the VCE program which involve developing skills for the music industry. These programs, assessed by the school's music staff, allow senior students to organise and coordinate regular weekend performance nights that showcase the talents of both current and past alumni. Outside of classroom lessons, private instrumental classes are offered to students. These are run either before, during or after school hours. ELTHAM College also has a competition based around music. Each year students compete in their houses for the Pitcher Trophy. Each house must develop and perform a 15-20 minute performance incorporating Acting, Dance, Choir and Instrumental. Eltham invites external adjudicators to judge the performance of the acts. The event takes place annually at Hamer Hall in the Melbourne Arts Centre. There is a singing competition that takes place each year.

Sport and physical education

Inter-school sport

The physical education program is offered to all students from Prep to Year 12, with students being able to compete in inter-school competition from Year 3, with compulsory participation from Year 5 up to and including Year 10. Years 3 to 6 play many of the same sports as the secondary students, often with slight rule and equipment modifications to cater for their ages.Eltham College sport and physical education philosophies
/ref> Most of the sporting venues are on campus including

playing field Play is a range of intrinsically motivated activities done for recreational pleasure and enjoyment. Play is commonly associated with children and juvenile-level activities, but may be engaged in at any life stage, and among other higher-functio ...

tennis court A tennis court is the venue where the sport of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the centre. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles matches. A variety of surfaces can be u ...

basketball court In basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor, with baskets at each end. Indoor basketball courts are almost always made of polished wood, usually maple, with -high rims on each basket. Outdoor sur ...

s, A

hockey Hockey is a term used to denote a family of various types of both summer and winter team sports which originated on either an outdoor field, sheet of ice, or dry floor such as in a gymnasium. While these sports vary in specific rules, numbers o ...

pitch and a

Swimming Pool A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming or other leisure activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built ...

. In the primary years (Years 3 to 6) Eltham College is part of the Eltham District Primary School Sports Association (EDPSSA). St. Thomas Apostle, Eltham North Primary School, Eltham Primary School, Eltham East Primary School, Research Primary School and Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School are also in the district league. In the secondary years (Years 7 to 12) Eltham College was a founding member of the

but is now a member of the

EISM Premierships

Eltham College has won the following EISM premierships. Combined: * Swimming (2) - 1982, 1989 Boys: * Cricket (3) - 2014, 2015, 2016 * Cross Country - 1986 * Hockey (5) - 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 * Soccer - 2014 *Soccer ''five-a-side'' - 2019 * Volleyball - 2018 Girls: * Cross Country (4) - 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 * Volleyball (4) - 2014-2015

Houses

House sport

ELTHAM has a house sports competition involving all students, which comprises

athletics Athletics may refer to: Sports * Sport of athletics, a collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking ** Track and field, a sub-category of the above sport * Athletics (physical culture), competiti ...

swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...

cross country running Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open coun ...

and

tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...

. Squads are selected following these carnivals to represent the school in the district competition, which incorporates bi weekly training sessions leading up to the carnivals. Doncaster Little Athletics (athletics), Watermarc, Greensborough (swimming) and Cross Country and House tennis are on the school grounds.

School song

The school song, ''We're All Different People'', was written by Graeme Wall, the first Director of Music at the College.

School journal

''The Forum Magazine'' is the journal of ELTHAM College. It is published on an annual basis; with the first edition having been issued in 1974.

Alumni

Sport * Warwick Draper – K1 Kayak Slalom Olympian *

Jamie Whincup Jamie Whincup (born 6 February 1983) is an Australian professional racing driver competing in the Supercars Championship. He currently is team principal for Triple Eight Race Engineering. He has driven the No. 88 Holden Commodore (ZB), Holden Z ...

– V8 Supercar Champion Media, entertainment and the arts *

Alexandra Adornetto Alexandra Adornetto is an Australian actress and author who writes for children and young adults. Her works include The Strangest Adventures series, the Halo trilogy and The Ghost House Saga. Books Adornetto's completed books are ''The Shadow T ...

– Children's Author *

Montana Cox Montana Cox (born 2 September 1993) is an Australian model, best known for being the winner of cycle 7 of ''Australia's Next Top Model''. ''Australia's Next Top Model'' Cox was announced the winner of ''Australia's Next Top Model'', Cycle 7 ...

– Winner of

Australia's Next Top Model ''Australia's Next Top Model'' is an Australian reality television series which premiered on 11 January 2005 and concluded on 22 November 2016, and was based on Tyra Banks' ''America's Next Top Model''. It was broadcast on the Australian subscr ...

2011 *

Blair McDonough Blair McDonough (born 30 April 1981), is an Australian actor who is best known for playing the role of Stuart Parker in the Australian TV soap opera '' Neighbours''. He first shot to fame the age of 19 in 2001, when he finished runner-up in the ...

– Actor on

Neighbours ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera, which has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap '' Sons an ...

Crikey.com.au: Famous alumni on Latham's hit list
(accessed:23-05-2007) *

Em Rusciano Emelia Rachel Rusciano is an Australian comedian, writer, singer, radio, television presenter and podcaster. Early life Rusciano was born and raised in Greensborough, Victoria, and grew up in Diamond Creek and Warrandyte. She attended Forest ...

– Comedian, singer, and radio presenter

References

External links

Eltham College website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eltham College Of Education Private secondary schools in Melbourne Educational institutions established in 1972 Buildings and structures in the Shire of Nillumbik 1973 establishments in Australia