Ballarat's burgeoning population is putting increased pressure on the city's five government secondary colleges, with almost twice as many year seven students starting high school in 2022 as year 12s who graduated this year.
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But it's not just growth at the year seven levels, with all schools and particularly those near the sprawling western growth zone reporting strong enrolments at other year levels as well.
In November, Premier Daniel Andrews hinted at potential new schools amid surging student numbers across Ballarat.
At Mount Rowan Secondary College there will be 165 year seven students next year - more than six times the number who have just left after completing year 12.
It will be at least the fourth year in a row that an extra year seven class has had to be added to cater for the extra demand.
"Our numbers across the school are going to be about 575 roughly, up 80 from this year, with around 165 year sevens where we are adding another class which we have done steadily for the last four years," said Mount Rowan principal Seona Murnane.
"We're bursting at the seams which is a good thing, with lots of new students and staff."
At Woodmans Hill Secondary College there will be 110 new year seven students taking the place of 32 year 12 students who have left this year.
Phoenix P-12 Community College principal Karen Snibson said the school was "almost at capacity" for year seven students with about 225 expected to start next year.
About 120 year 12s graduated this year.
"We've been within that vicinity of 220 to 230 year sevens for the last couple of years so it's been steady growth for us," Ms Snibson said.
"We've also seen growth across other year levels as well in terms of enrolments coming to the school across all year levels. We've noticed a lot of interest from people moving in to the Winter Valley area and Bonshaw."
Ms Snibson said schools had spent the past term working hard with students after the disruptions of repeated periods of remote learning over the past two years.
She said she was pleased with the completion rate of year 12s who had faced extensive disruption right through their VCE.
"What we are seeing though, just in our work in the past couple of weeks and making sure our program is right, is the number of year 10s planning to return. Some of them in COVID times have been working, but they are coming back which will be great.
"In COVID times when we think about the work needed to return children to the modality of face-to-face learning that's really positive," she said.
At Mount Clear College, principal Lynita Taylor said there had been more year 12s than usual leave school to take up jobs and apprenticeships throughout the year.
"There's a number of students who have picked up work out there in the pathway that they are chasing," she said.
"They are not going to nowhere, they are going to apprenticeships and that has increased. COVID has had an impact on their desire to study in school and the jobs are out there. It's exciting to see them off and moving in to what they love."
Mount Clear will welcome around 200 year seven students next year, just under twice the number of year 12 students who finished this year.
"The past three years we have grown to over 200 year sevens which means we have had to make changes around school as to where year levels are based," she said.
Ballarat High School, which is close to capacity, will have around 240 year seven students in 2022 after saying goodbye to 200 year 12s.
IN OTHER NEWS
In response to the city's population growth and school capacities, Ballarat's secondary school zones were redrawn in 2019.
The new zones resulted in smaller catchment zones for Ballarat High School and for the rapidly growing Phoenix P-12 Community College.
"We have now for some years enrolled neighbourhood zone students only," said principal Gary Palmer.
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