A Tradition of Excellence & Opportunity
Lilydale High School has a long tradition of providing excellent educational programs for students in Years 7 to 12 and is highly regarded in the community.
Great efforts are made to see that its students consistently attain outstanding achievements in a wide variety of areas, including VCE results, sports and community service activities. Collaborative decision-making processes, resulting in clearly defined policies and programs, aim to ensure that each child is challenged and extended academically, creatively, socially and physically.
Secondary education in Lilydale commenced in 1919 and the strong community spirit shown then continues to this day. It is represented by the Lilydale High School symbol of a lighted flame above an open book, which appears on our distinctive uniform, and by the name of the school magazine, ‘Salamander’, a reminder of the strong school spirit that endured after the 1958 fire.
The school offers a comprehensive curriculum for Years 7 to 12 in the following eight Key Learning Areas: English, Languages, Technology, Science, Mathematics, Humanities, Physical and Sport Education and the Arts. All Year 7 and 8 students study units from these core areas. Year 9/10 students select from a wide range of units offered by all areas of study within set requirements. VCE subject choice is determined by vocational or further study ambitions and is made from a comprehensive range of courses. Special features of the curriculum include the provision of an accelerated program for academically gifted and talented students and the study by Year 10 students of VCE units.
The school also offers VET and VCAL courses. The current Charter Priorities are: Improved Student Outcomes including improved NAPLAN and VCE results; Improved Connectedness and Improved Transitions from Year 8 to 9 to 10.
Our Vision Statement underpins all the school’s decisions and actions: Lilydale High School is dedicated to providing an environment that values academic excellence and maximises opportunities and pathways to enable all students to become resilient and contributing members of the community.
In brief, Excellence in learning, resilience in life, thriving in community. We are committed to providing a safe, secure and welcoming environment for all students. The school believes that each student’s happiness, confidence, feelings of security and sense of belonging are dependent upon an environment where all members are considerate, respectful and courteous to each other. A strength of the school is its ability to maintain a pastoral concern for each student from the initial enrolment to post school experience.
Teachers are caring, dedicated and committed to providing an excellent quality of education for their students; there are specialist teachers in Careers and Student Wellbeing. Staff involvement in school life is all encompassing, including extra-curricular activities and work on various committees. Teachers are involved in policy writing and review and in responding to the needs of the school community, as well as setting up innovative programs.
Lilydale High School enjoys the support and confidence of its constituent groups who are actively involved in all aspects of the school’s decision-making processes. The School Council is a most active and effective group. Year 12 Valedictory Presentations, Year 11 Presentation Ball, Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences, Course Selection Information Evenings, Education Week Activities, Council and Council Sub Committee meetings, curriculum and other committee and working party meetings are but some of many opportunities for members of the Lilydale High School community to participate in and contribute to the school.
Lilydale High School is proud of its years of service to the people of the Shire of Yarra Ranges and the Yarra Valley and looks forward to continuing to provide for the educational needs of this outer eastern area of Melbourne well into the new millennium.