Principal’s Welcome

Doveton College is a unique, diverse and vibrant learning community.  It is unlike any other educational setting in Australia.  Located in the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Doveton College resides in one of the most disadvantaged metropolitan regions of Australia.  It is the first of a number of settings to be developed which link the Victorian Government and Philanthropic funding organisations.

In 2009, the Colman Foundation approached the Victorian Government with a desire to become directly involved in the education of young people who come from a background of disadvantage, including high migrant and refugee groups.   The Colman Foundation has a goal of changing the life opportunities of young people by supporting families and communities to access education, health and wrap around services with the school at the centre of the services.  As such, a team from Our Place support our work in engaging the community and providing access to the wide range of services and opportunities the college offers.

Doveton College is complex in its operation; we seeks to support, foster and develop opportunities for all members of the Doveton Community including children, young people, and adults.  The focus is on providing high quality teaching and learning programs for young people aged 0 – 15 with additional learning opportunities for parents and the wider community members. We provide a wide range of wrap-around educational and allied health support including Paedeatrician, GP,  Maternal and Child Health services, and Adult Learning opportunities.

Our high quality Early Learning Centre operates a long day setting, with a focus on intentional learning through a play-based approach.  Having been evaluated as Exceeding in all quality areas we are confident that our programs are best practice and continue to embed the best in care and education for our children.  Funded three and four year old kindergarten programs run everyday and we ensure that our staff to child ratios are better than industry standard, so that every child has a great day, every day.

In the school sector students participate in a rich learning program, with a strong focus on literacy and numeracy.  Our early years program privileges time each morning for the phonics program which builds strong foundations for lifelong reading and literacy.  We are highly skilled in supporting students for whom English is not their first language and continue to see excellent outcomes in learning growth for all students in Literacy and Numeracy.   A variety of specialist classes extend the learning into music, drama, STEM, Art, Media and Physical Education. Each week students from Foundation to Year 9 participate in the Doveton Engagement and Enrichment Program (DEEP) which operates as an extension to the school day to provide opportunities in sports, performance, technology, creative and artistic programs.

With over 800 children and young people in the school, more than 80 children in the Early Learning Centre and close to 150 dedicated staff, we are committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Providing the structures, programs and opportunities in a high-quality learning environment is our work.  Every child and young person matters and we strive to ensure that all members of the Doveton Community get what they need to succeed.

I welcome you to visit and explore the opportunities that Doveton College offers.