Western Heights College

LEARNING COMMUNITIES OF 100-120 STUDENTS
There are learning communities of 100-120 students and six or seven teachers. There are no classrooms with 25 students and one teacher. These communities can operate independently and each learning community has their own:

• Learning areas that can be easily reconfigured
• Collaborative area
• Da Vinci Studio – an art, science and projects area shared between each two communities
• Einstein Studio – a more informal area for thinking and learning in a library-like environment
• Socratic studio – a conference space
• Small Group room
• Kitchen and Wet area
• Student and Staff Toilets
• Store room
• Large covered outdoor learning areas
• and most importantly their own Staff

All students and staff participate and contribute to one another’s learning. There is very little instructional teaching. Collaborative learning is the focus. The flipped classroom approach is widely adopted and encouraged.

SPECIALIST LEARNING COMMUNITIES
The specialist areas are integrated with the learning communities and they are:

Design Arts Technology integrated with two learning communities of 100-120 students

Science Learning Community integrated with two learning communities of 100-120 students

Performing Arts Food Learning Community immediately adjacent to performing arts, drama, music, lecture theatre, hospitality, food technology and training cafe

SHARED COMMUNITY FACILITIES ARE IN THE SCHOOL AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Western Heights College is also unique because there are shared community facilities and community organisations that are in the same buildings and on the same site. These include:

Community Library that is shared with the students and the public

Vines Road Community Centre which operates day and night and has some 40 user groups. The centre includes flexible multipurpose rooms, a function Hall, an information technology resource centre, meeting rooms, and a fitness centre

Seniors Club

Sporting facilities including a high standard oval and high standard netball courts which are shared with the community and the adjoining Bell Park Sport and Recreation Club

Civic Plaza – The College has a central plaza, Hamlyn Plaza which is highly visible from the main road and forms the civic interface with the community. The main building adjacent to the plaza includes the shared Library, Cafe, Community Centre and Seniors Club and it is in the most visible location. The focus at the end of Hamlyn Plaza is the Performing Arts Food centre which opens out onto a stage and a grassed amphitheatre. It also has training Cafe which opens onto the plaza