And its ground-breaking young parents program will move from its Delacombe base to Wendouree to give its participants more options to continue their education.

Previously the school had students up to year eight, and its young parents program for older students, but Yuille Park Community College principal Brett Shillito said the addition of a senior program was a push to give the local community and students across Ballarat more options and broaden the horizons for the students taking part.

More than 80 students, including 16 young mums, will be part of the wider VCE Vocational Major senior school program in its first year.

The program will be offered at Yuille Park's senior campus on Mckenzie Street with school-managed childcare and kinder provided at the main Violet Grove campus and transport provided for the young mums between sites.

While plans for the change have been in the works for some time, Mr Shillito said the school's expanded registration certificate was finally received in the last week of the 2022 school year.

"It's really good news for the school. Our whole philosophy ... is about trying to create an environment for the local community, particularly for kids that struggle with school and maybe don't cope at bigger schools," he said.

Mr Shillito said folding the young parents program in to the broader VCE Vocational Major would allow the young mums to engage in trades, technology and a broader range of other curriculum areas while still providing the support they, and their children, need to succeed in education.

He admitted that for some mums and their children who have been attending the Delacombe campus the change might be tough with children cared for at the other campus.

"We run three and four year old kinder and have a next door room registered and staffed for occasional care exclusively for those mums so their little ones can be looked after while they go over and learn at the other site. For some of these young mums ... it will be about supporting that transition ... building their confidence and building a trusting relationship with the adults working in that space."

Under the new VCE Vocational Major, which replaces the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning, students at Yuille Park and schools across the state will undertake specific studies like literacy, numeracy, work-related skills and personal development, as well as at least 180 hours of vocational education and training, their choice of other traditional VCE studies and time in the workplace.

The change means students will no longer need to transfer from Yuille Park to another school to complete their secondary education, and it will allow for students who may not be coping at other larger schools to join the smaller program.

"The whole program is essentially for young mums and any student enrolled on our other campus so kids don't have to shift after year nine - they can stay and continue their learning," he said. "And more broadly from the Ballarat community, kids who may not be coping too well at larger schools come to us for a more hands-on approach to learning which can lead to a trade or traineeship or other work or another pathway for them."

Mr Shillito said many students struggled socially, emotionally or faced other barriers to learning and their needs could be difficult to meet in a larger mainstream school.

Staff at the school complete professional development in how best to support these students, trauma informed teaching practice, and the curriculum can be modified to meet the needs of individual students.

IN OTHER NEWS

Even before COVID those student numbers were increasing, but since the pandemic numbers have grown significantly.

"It's really centred around the student need and conversations with the school, family and student themselves before they do enrol with us," he said.

Mr Shillito said the Yuille Park Community College school council had been "hugely supportive" of the change.

"Not every school is the best place for everyone," he said.

"We need to provide every opportunity to find the right fit for every kid. It's about finding that niche to help individual students and allow them to be the best they can be and focus on their strengths."

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