Department of Education - Victoria

McKinnon Secondary College is a Year 7 to 12 co-educational school with a student population of over 2500. The College was founded in 1954 in the south-eastern Melbourne suburb of McKinnon. The main campus on McKinnon Road caters to Years 7, 10, 11 and 12. In 2022, a second campus was opened at the nearby Virginia Park site off East Boundary Road dedicated to Years 8 and 9. 

McKinnon Secondary College is an accredited school with the Council of International Schools and strives to prepare its students to thrive in a world which values interpersonal skills as much as academic excellence. McKinnon does not believe in a `one size fits all education and offers a positive, caring and safe learning environment in which all students can achieve success through its comprehensive and differentiated curriculum, and an extensive extra-curricular program.

McKinnon Secondary College lives by its motto `Wisdom and Service' by actively promoting a culture that celebrates the achievement of excellence, that values and respects individual diversity and that encourages participation by all members of the community. Students at McKinnon are very conscious of the opportunities being offered to them and take pride in themselves and the College. Student voice is valued at the College as is student welfare. Mindfulness is factored into the daily routine with positive benefits. Student achievements are formally recognised and celebrated in College publications, at whole school assemblies, on the school's website and at the annual Presentation Assembly.

The College's positive culture, high expectations and rigorous teaching and learning program have consistently translated into excellent VCE results.  These factors have maximised tertiary educational opportunities with over 95% of our students going on to study at university.  In addition, VCAL provides an applied learning pathway for students. Aside from a reputation for academic excellence, McKinnon also has well-regarded art, music and sporting programs, as well as an impressive array of extra-curricular offerings. Our students regularly participate in community events and festivals, and represent the school at regional, state and national level. The richness of the College program allows students to flourish as they pursue their particular interests and goals.

McKinnon Secondary College values the unique contributions graduate teachers bring to the learning experience, whilst recognising the period of adjustment these teachers face when entering this dynamic profession. In recognition of this, McKinnon employs two Learning Specialist Coaches, dedicated to supporting the needs of graduate teachers.

These Learning Specialist Coaches support graduate teachers through scheduled coaching sessions, classroom observations and assistance through the VIT registration process. This provides a safe space for these educators to learn from, and receive targeted feedback from experienced specialist teachers, accelerating their development toward dynamic, effective and confident teaching professionals.

McKinnon has established itself as an IT leader in the education space, being recognised as Australia's first Google Reference School. IT has become central to the school's learning programs and administration. With the opening of the new campus the school is further investing in STEAM-focused technologies.

The College has always relied on the commitment of its parent body through which the school council has provided support for teaching programs and facilities. With the addition of the new East Campus and the construction of the impressive new gymnasium at the McKinnon Rd Campus, the College has high-quality sporting facilities, a Lecture Theatre, and attractive ground spaces for students to socialise and be active.

The McKinnon school community is determined to meet the challenges of the modern world with a continuing commitment to our core values.

 

SC1    Demonstrated knowledge of the relevant curriculum, including the capacity to incorporate the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills. Demonstrated capacity to respond to student learning needs.

SC2    Demonstrated capacity to implement high impact teaching strategies, guided by how students learn, and evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth. 

SC3    Demonstrated capacity to monitor and assess student learning. Demonstrated capacity to use data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.

SC4    Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated capacity to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the broader school community to support student learning, wellbeing and engagement.    

SC5    Demonstrated behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated capacity to reflect upon practice and engage in professional learning to continually improve the quality of teaching.