McKinnon Secondary College

McKinnon Secondary College is a public secondary school located in the Melbourne suburb of McKinnon. The school was ranked 62nd in Victoria in terms of VCE median study score in 2012.^[1][2] McKinnon is known for its large music faculty.^[3]

Entry

Press reports have indicated that parents will relocate their residence to within a popular State school's "birth zone" to attempt entry for their children, with the potential effect of increasing the value of real estate within that zone.^[4][5] In order to cope with the rising student numbers at McKinnon, the college has had to shrink the "school zone", allowing fewer students to enter the school.^[6]

Facilities

• Gymnasium and weights room
• Sound auditorium with five music studios
• seven computer laboratories
• Year 12 Centre with private study area
• 250 seat lecture theatre, named the Alan Lawrence Lecture Theatre after a long-serving ex-principal
• Art/science/technology wing
• Korean Garden
• MERC (McKinnon Exploration Research Centre)
• School canteen
• Multicourts
• Two Large Ovals (With Soccer Pitches and AFL Goals)
• Gym
• New Year 7 wing (2010)

VCE Results

McKinnon Secondary College is consistently in the top non-selective government schools in Victoria for the last decade, and in 2003 was the state system's second top non-selective-entry VCE school.^[6] In 2011 it was ranked 62nd in the state out of all schools,^[7] and ranked 6th out of public schools ^[8]

Music

McKinnon Secondary has many instrumental groups that cater for people of different ability, instrument and music style preference.

The colleges music ensembles include:

The music faculty at McKinnon holds many performances such as the Spring and junior concerts. An event considered important in the school calendar is the Winter concert, held annually at Robert Blackwood Hall, in Monash University. The college also produces a musical every second year. The most recent musical to be performed by the college was 'Hot Mikado'. Five shows where performed from 20 to 23 May 2009. The school also participated in the 2008 Rock Eisteddfod proceeding to the final and finishing in sixth place.

Languages

McKinnon Secondary offers two languages, German and French. The school previously taught Korean.

It is compulsory for students in years 7 and 8 to learn a language. The college also hosts the Victorian School of Languages, which allows students to learn a language out of school in their own time as a subject for VCE. The VSL offers both Hebrew and Russian. This enables McKinnon students to learn another language, or their native language, as part of their VCE. Year 10 students have the opportunity to go on exchange trips to either Germany or France and have an exchange student live with them for a period of time.

Enhancement program

The college offers an enhanced maths and science program for selected students called ELMS.^[9]

Sports carnivals

McKinnon Secondary holds sports carnivals throughout the year where students can compete for their houses (Chisholm, Monash, Gilmore and Flynn). The three carnivals are swimming, athletics and cross-country. Students who win, or do well, in these competitions go on to represent McKinnon at inter-school sporting events.

Extra curricular activities

McKinnon Secondary offers activities including: Tournament of the Minds, interschool debating, Philosophy Club and annual state Philosothon, Sceptical Society, Chess Club, Code Club.

Uniform

Students are required to wear a uniform. The teachers are very strict on uniform policy. The colours of the uniform are red, blue, green and white.

Alumni

• Musician Harry James Angus of The Cat Empire.
• Actor James Frecheville
• Malabar Services Jayaprasad Thampi
• Property developer Henry Kaye^[10]
• Singer Danielle Matthews
• Soprano Elena Xanthoudakis

References

External links

• Official Website
• Victorian Government Schools

Coordinates: 37°55′04″S 145°03′02″E / 37.91778°S 145.05056°E / -37.91778; 145.05056