Our School

Principal’s welcome

Dear parents and carers,
It is a pleasure to welcome you to Blackburn English Language School. We care for and appreciate each of our students. We take responsibility for their learning and we meet this challenge with strong collective knowledge, skill, experience, and enthusiasm. We work together for all students in a safe and supportive environment.
We are proud of our highly qualified and very committed staff and the achievements of our students over many years. We work in partnership with parents and carers in the educational journey of their children. We provide timely information to build familiarity about schooling systems in Victoria and assist families to navigate these systems. We look forward to meeting you and enrolling your child and celebrating their achievements as they grow toward active and full participation in education and life in Australia. 
 

Mark Melican
Principal

About Us

Who we are

Blackburn English Language School (ELS) is part of the New Arrival Program (NAP) and provides intensive English language programs to primary and secondary aged newly arrived students from language backgrounds other than English (LBoTE).

What we do

Blackburn ELS provides:

  • focused learning environment that supports all students to reach their potential in English language development and aims to prepare them for the academic, behavioural and social challenges of mainstream schools or alternative learning pathways.
  • a school environment that encourages students from a range of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to become confident and active participants in the wider Australian community.
  • a supportive and stimulating work environment for all staff that encourages commitment, innovation and excellence.
  • learning opportunities for newly-arrived families that broaden their knowledge of the Victorian schooling system and prepare them for involvement in the school community.

 

Where we are

Blackburn ELS delivers intensive English language programs to newly arrived students across the North-eastern Victoria Region (NEVR). The school provides an environment that encourages students from a range of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to become confident and active participants in the wider Australian community.

The school operates across three locations, two metropolitan and one regional. The main site, Whitehorse, is located in Burwood East, the Maroondah Campus is in Croydon North and the Wodonga campus is in the north-east of the state in Wodonga. Each site attracts newly-arrived students from their respective geographical areas.

Annual Report

Each year the Annual Report provides principals and school councils with an opportunity to share the year’s achievement and progress with the school community. Please find the Blackburn ELS 2022 Annual Report below.

Blackburn ELS Annual Report 2022

(pdf download)

Wellbeing

Settlement of newly arrived students from wide-ranging cultural, linguistic and educational backgrounds is the major planning focus in the school. Resources are targeted to support the development and delivery of a stimulating learning environment in which all students are expected to reach their potential. Student learning is focussed on English language achievement and preparation for the academic, behavioural and social challenges of mainstream schools. The school acknowledges that student engagement is influenced by a wide range of factors and, given that newly arrived students are unfamiliar with the Australian education system and have varied needs and vulnerabilities, provides a comprehensive and high quality approach to student welfare.

 

School Policies

Click here to access our School Policies

School Values

Our beliefs as a school are based on the following core values:

Future Making
Teacher Practice

Explicit focus on:

  • learning how to learn
  • learning how the English language works
  • personal responsibility
  • resilience, problem solving and social skills
  • goal setting
  • cooperation and collaboration
  • understanding of mainstream system
Learner Behaviours
  • independent learning
  • taking responsibility for self and supporting others
  • setting learning goals
  • adapting to new environments
  • organisational capacity
  • confident and active learners
  • striving for personal best
Parent Behaviours
  • attending relevant meetings
  • providing a space for learning at home
  • showing an interest in their child’s learning
  • following school procedures
  • openness to learning about the Victorian schooling system
Embracing Diversity
Teacher Practice

Explicit focus on:

  • students working collaboratively and across varying learning styles
  • acknowledgement/celebration of school/class cultural and linguistic diversity
  • students’ personal journeys
  • inclusive classroom environment
  • choosing texts that reflect a range of perspectives
  • MEA’s assisting with communication and/or issues
  • multiculturalism in Australia
Learner Behaviours
  • working collaboratively with all classmates
  • showing respect for others backgrounds
  • encouraging others to do their best
  • inclusive of others during learning tasks
  • embracing opportunities to learn from others
Parent Behaviours
  • participating in school events with other families
  • providing a positive model for their children by interacting with those from other cultures
  • encouraging their child to use their first language at home
  • seeing difference as an opportunity
  • respecting all members of the school community
Building Communities
Teacher Practice

Explicit focus on:

  • strategic management of group composition in learning tasks
  • individual identity within the group
  • collective responsibility
  • celebrating success and being motivated by challenges
  • strength of team-work
  • understanding that our attitudes and behaviours have an impact on the people around us
Learner Behaviours
  • feeling safe in the classroom and school environments
  • respecting all members of the school community
  • engaging with school and having a sense of belonging
  • involvement in whole school activities
  • participating in the wider community with confidence
  • making good choices about how to treat others
Parent Behaviours
  • showing interest in their child’s learning
  • encouraging their child to be positive about all members of the school community
  • providing a positive role model for their child by engaging with the community
  • facilitating active participation by their child in the wider community

Links