By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
A NEW-AGE high school in Melbourne’s CBD which doesn’t include sport, religion or assemblies in its curriculum is set to open a campus in Narre Warren North.
The City of Casey has approved a permit application this month which will see the New Generation College open a second campus in Heatherton Road to cater for up to 200 students in Year 11 and 12.
Neil Lennie, founding principal at the New Generation College, said the school wanted to establish itself in the suburbs and the attraction of Narre Warren North lay in its accessibility to public transport and its “pastoral setting”.
“We are a destination school and we adopt a university style. So we like students to travel to us as they would to Monash or Melbourne universities,” he said.
” … We are a young dynamic school, unique in many ways. Narre Warren North matches our ethos.”
Mr Lennie also said a VCE College with low fees was needed in the south-eastern corridor.
The school’s permit application was lodged in May last year, proposing the new campus be built on a 2.8 hectare site at 169 Heatherton Road.
Casey Councilor Rafal Kaplon, whose Four Oaks Ward includes Narre Warren North, said the campus wouldn’t impact on the amenity of residents.
“The school doesn’t use outside speakers, so there won’t be any noise,” he said.
“The next step is to begin construction and keep improving the premises.”
The New Generation College, currently based in Elizabeth Street in the CBD, opened as a registered school in 2004 with a focus on teaching without extra-curricular activities.
There are no uniforms, detentions or camps at the school and more time is spent in class and in free extra tutoring.
“The VCE is too important to students to lose time with assemblies, sports days, teacher days, religious services and so on. We have none of that,” Mr Lennie said.
“Sport, music, drama and such things mean much to me but the students’ futures must come first. Anyway, that is how universities work.”
