Bendigo Senior Secondary College facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bendigo Senior Secondary College
Official logo
Location
Bendigo , Victoria Australia
Coordinates	Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 614: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Information
Former name	Bendigo Continuation School (1907–1912) Bendigo High School (1912–1984) Bendigo Senior High School (1984–1989)
Type	Government-funded secondary
Motto	Latin: Qui Patitur Vincit (Translation: "Who perseveres conquers")
Established	1907
Principal	Dale Pearce
Teaching staff	144
Years	11–12
Number of students	1756 (as of 2019)
Campuses	2

Bendigo Senior Secondary College (BSSC) is a large government school in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. It's a special school just for students in Year 11 and Year 12. BSSC helps students get ready for their future. It offers many different courses like VCE, VET, and VCAL. It is the biggest school for these programs in Victoria.

In Bendigo, there are four other government secondary schools for Years 7 to 10. These include Eaglehawk Secondary College, Bendigo South East College, Crusoe College, and Weeroona College Bendigo. Students from these schools often move to BSSC for their final two years of high school.

Discovering BSSC's Past

The main administration building of Bendigo Senior Secondary College.

The school first opened its doors on April 27, 1907. Back then, it was called Bendigo Continuation School. Its main goal was to help students prepare for jobs in the government, become teachers, or go to university.

In 1912, the school changed its name to Bendigo High School. Over the years, it grew bigger. It started using nearby buildings and built new ones, like the James King Hall and the administration block in 1930. In 1959, the old Bendigo Supreme Court building became part of the school, used for music classes. Other new parts, like the Alexander Wing (1967) and the Commonwealth Library (1977), were added later.

The year 1975 was the last time Bendigo High School taught students from Year 7 all the way to Year 12. In 1976, it became Victoria's first "senior high school," meaning it only taught Year 11 and Year 12 students. This change was fully completed by 1979. The school's name changed again in 1984 to Bendigo Senior High School. Finally, in 1990, it became Bendigo Senior Secondary College.

In 1991, new buildings were constructed. From 1995 onwards, all the school's facilities were upgraded. The school's site is very important and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.

Special Programs and Achievements

Bendigo Senior Secondary College has achieved some amazing things. In 2001, it became the first government school in the world to be approved by the Council of International Schools. This means it meets high international standards for education. The school was reviewed again in 2011 and continued to meet these standards.

NETschool Program

NETschool is a special part of BSSC. It offers VCE, VCAL, and VET courses. This program is designed for students aged 15–18 who might have been out of regular schooling or training for a while. It helps them get back on track with their education.

Online Learning Program

BSSC also has an online program. This program delivers the school's courses to students in other schools across Victoria. This helps more students access quality education, and the program is expected to grow even more in the future.

Famous Former Students

Many talented people have studied at Bendigo Senior Secondary College. Here are a few:

Arts and Entertainment

• Nick Bland (born 1973): A famous cartoonist and writer. His books, like The Very Cranky Bear, have won many awards.
• Yergurl (born 2000): A singer-songwriter and producer. She was a finalist in the Triple J Unearthed High competition in 2018.

Business

• Frank Milne (born 1946): An expert in economics and finance.

Public Service

• Nicola Rosenblum: She served as the High Commissioner to Brunei from 2016 to 2020. She was the youngest person to hold such a senior diplomatic role.
• Jim Short (born 1936): A former member of the Australian Parliament. He served as an Assistant Treasurer in the Howard government.

Sports Stars

• Mark Alvey (born 1980): A former AFL player for the Western Bulldogs and Essendon.
• Jack Ginnivan (born 2002): An AFL player for Hawthorn, who previously played for Collingwood.
• Ben McGlynn (born 1985): A former AFL player for Hawthorn and Sydney. He is now an assistant coach for St Kilda.
• Kobe Mutch (born 1998): A former AFL player for Essendon.
• Scott Selwood (born 1990): A former AFL player for Geelong and West Coast.
• Dean Solomon (born 1980): A former AFL player for Essendon and Fremantle.
• Chris Tarrant (born 1980): A former AFL player for Collingwood and Fremantle.
• Jeff Tho (born 1988): Represented Australia in badminton at the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games.
• Glenn Warfe (born 1984): Represented Australia in badminton at the 2012 Olympic Games.
• Nick Dal Santo (born 1984): A former AFL player for St Kilda and North Melbourne. He is now a senior coach for St Kilda's AFL Women's team.

Important School Buildings

The school has several historic and important buildings:

• James King Hall: This building was finished in 1930. It was named after James King, who was the headmaster from 1907 to 1923.
• Ron Lake Building: Opened in 1994, this modern building stands where the school caretaker's house and a tennis court used to be.
• Supreme Court: Built in 1858, this building was originally a court. It became part of the school in 1959 and is now used by Bendigo Senior Secondary College.
• The Police Barracks: Completed in 1860, this building was once used by the police. From 1941 to 1967, it was an Art Room for Bendigo High School. In 1999, it was updated and is now used by the college.
• Old Gold Quadrangle: The original school building was finished in 1870, with additions in 1914. The Quadrangle was used for school assemblies for many years.
• Alexander Wing: Opened in 1967, this wing was named after Charles Alexander, a former student and principal. It was updated in 2017 to include a new VCAL centre, library, classrooms, and study areas.
• The Commonwealth Science Building: Opened in 1977 with help from a science grant. It originally had two science rooms. In 2018, the ground floor was renovated into four new classrooms and a study area, and renamed the Business Center.

Special School Landmarks

The school also has some special landmarks:

• King Memorial Gates: These gates were put up in 1933 to remember James King. They have a Latin inscription that means "I Shall Not Wholly Die." These gates were the school's main entrance until 1957.
• Memorial Gates and Memorial Steps: Built between 1956 and 1957, these were created as a war memorial. They honor "those members of the school who served and suffered that our way of life might be preserved."

Awards and Recognitions

Bendigo Senior Secondary College has been recognized for its excellent programs.

Australian Training Awards

School Pathways to VET Awards

VET in Schools Excellence Awards

See also

• Bendigo South East College
• Crusoe College
• Weeroona College Bendigo
• List of schools in Victoria