AT Advance College of Education, students that have struggled in the mainstream education system are given the opportunity to earn their senior secondary certificates in a supportive and alternative learning environment.
“What makes our school so unique is that we offer students who haven’t succeeded in mainstream education another opportunity in a different way,” Assistant Principal Kris Helisma said. “We really operate on building strong relationships with our students.”
The school commits to small class sizes and personalised teaching, making it stand out from traditional methods of teaching. “They have just one teacher for all subjects for the year, which helps build that relationship,” Helisma said.
Molly Glassborow, Student Support Officer, said the school’s approach to learning prioritises student well-being. They offer four core subjects, which include Work Related Skills and Personal Development Skills. Each day, the students are asked on a scale from one to five how ready they are to learn. Depending on their answers, the teachers will assess whether they require additional support before they begin learning.
“We’ve had so many young people that have come through who have just been really disengaged and don’t want to be at school, and they come to us and then all of a sudden they are attending every day,” Glassborow said.
The school has a psychologist and an occupational therapist available to support the students throughout the day. “We have young people come across who have already been diagnosed or already have additional support needs, and we discuss with them and look at what support we can offer,” Glassborow said. “We make sure we’re the right pathway.”
The school also encourages the students to get involved in their community. Through various volunteer projects, the students are able to apply their learning while giving back. “This term they’re going into a local bowls club and interviewing the elderly members and putting together a digital story with them and teaching them computer skills,” Helisma said.
In addition to the bowls club project, students have been involved in initiatives such as packing food at a local community house and participating in the backpack program, where they purchase essential items and pack emergency backpacks for children and teenagers in need.
“We’ve had some pretty incredible students that have worked their way through the whole program and then gone on to do a course that’s like their dream job,” Glassborow said.
Advance College is committed to continued growth and improvement and are set to move forward with plans to expand ($4m education building set for Advance College, The News 9/10/25). The school is currently taking enrolments for 2026 at the Hastings and Rosebud campuses. Phone 59864623 for further information.
First published in the Mornington News – 14 October 2025
