Loreto College has released long-term plans to double in size, build another secondary campus, reintroduce boarding and eventually offer all year levels from kindergarten to year 12.
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Principal Judith Potter released the school's Strategic Goals 2019 and Beyond to families this week, revealing the school's expansion plans in response to the rapid growth of Ballarat's population and the demand for Catholic education for girls.
The document outlines plans for the next five to 50 years of the school, with the search already on for the site of another secondary campus.
"This is a very exciting time to be in education and in education in Ballarat. With the growth of Ballarat there is a need for places across all schools as that growth continues," Ms Potter said.
"The very first priority for our school board in this big picture plan is expansion of the secondary school and that requires us to secure land, which we are in the process of looking for."
When Mother Gonzaga founded Loreto in 1875 it was time of exponential growth in Ballarat city with education needed in all sorts of areas, and we feel that's the time Ballarat is now in again
- Judith Potter
Ms Potter would not be drawn on whether the school was looking to Ballarat's growth zones to the west and south west of the city for the new site, saying only that the board was looking at all options for the right land which would be a greenfields site with no existing buildings.
"We want to have enough land for sporting grounds so we will have all these facilities."
Loreto put its former junior school campus on Lyon Street North on the market in 2017, but Ms Potter said that would not have been suitable for the expansion plans.
The move to reintroduce boarders to the school is a result of strong demand from families, Ms Potter said.
"We are aware that for parents seeking boarding for Catholic students within Catholic education there's opportunity at St Patrick's College for boys, and we have had many, many comments that there isn't the same opportunity for girls."
It is also likely in the future that any new campus would also house a primary school and kindergarten.
The school currently has about 930 students with hundreds more students applying for year seven entry each year than can be accepted.
Ms Potter said the planned new secondary, primary and kinder campus could eventually house a similar number of students.
"The feedback so far has been very positive, a recognition that we have an obligation and responsibility in the area, particularly with secondary education. I think it's seen that we are probably being responsible in what we are doing in that area."
"When Mother Gonzaga founded Loreto in 1875 it was time of exponential growth in Ballarat city with education needed in all sorts of areas, and we feel that's the time Ballarat is now in again.
"We are really following in her footsteps, to be open to all possibilities of education that we can be part of."
Ms Potter said the school board had produced the Strategic Goals document after two years research on growth areas, population predictions and other factors.
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