Amici - Westbourne Early Learning Centre

There are some significant ways the school is being managed that barricades Westbourne from reaching its full potential, considering how parents pay similar fees to parents at top performing schools but without the facilities, opportunities and ATAR results. So, as a former student, I'll make some suggestions. EXTRACURRICULARS Let's be real. I found it hard to really immerse myself in the school community. The opportunities for those who are academically inclined are minimal. Other than chess and debating, where are the clubs and committees? I'm sure most parents don't pay 26k to just get their kid to do academics and sport without extracurricular commitments. I suggest that the school incorporate... - Cadets - Committees like... Astronomy committee, Public Speaking Committee, Community Service committee, Women's Lib Committee, Robotics committee... the list can go on. That way, students interested in leadership and making a change get a chance to also improve the school community. (Also, leadership is heavily biased because school leaders AREN'T democratically elected with the exception of SRCs) When 26k is spent, parents aren't looking for the school to foster an ATAR machine, but a well rounded individual, and WGS simply doesn't offer that. GENERAL LEADERSHIP So um... Can we just take a second to rage about how leadership in year 12 isn't democratically elected by the cohort? I've been to this school for quite a long time and it's sad to see it so morally and ethically destitute. If school management is afraid that voting for house captains/school captains/etc. will turn into a popularity contest, getting candidates to do speeches is the key. The candidate doesn't matter as much as the manner in which they deliver their speech. Getting teachers to pick is just corrupt. ACADEMICS Maths - They should stream students from year 7 to year 10. And I don't mean having a "normal" class, a "lower" class, and a significantly lower class like what happens in year 10. I mean the top 48 students get streamed into Maths 1 and 2, where they can study without disruptors affecting the time teachers spend on teaching. Everyone else then should be randomly arranged in the "middle classes" while the bottom 24 are put in a class together so teachers can give them the support they need and focus their time and materials on them. English should be streamed for the same reasons as Maths. Too much of teachers trying to control belligerent kids, not much of actual teaching going on and getting through content in time. This significantly disadvantages those who are above average students who might just need that extra push to do well. Push the average student up, and the school will perform significantly better. I can assure you that this is one of the main strategies the top 20 non selective schools employ to pull their VCE result up. Science - Science actually does well. Maybe making tests harder to create a bell curve so it reflects the nature of VCE would be strategic, as in the long term, students are encouraged to work harder. This can be said, however, to all of the core subjects. Maths, I'm looking at you. Side note: treat your teachers better. So many good teachers have left because of subpar school management. Offer them more benefits. Teachers have so much worth that management just fails to realise. The next thing I recommend that the school do is set up a tutoring centre before and after school, and emphasise its use for year 11s and 12s. It's worked wonders for lifting the average score up not just because of the obvious benefits, but because of how supported the students feel. Obviously, this can only work if teachers are treated well and supported by the school, which isn't happening. WGS is the epitome of high potential, poor leadership.