Bundoora schools expand learning models to strengthen resident ties and student outcomes

Bundoora Secondary College opened its doors for the 2026 school year on Thursday, 29 January 2026, beginning with PAL classes that set the tone for student-led activities throughout the term.

These steps matter now because they place decisions about daily learning into the hands of Bundoora families rather than distant administrators, giving residents clearer influence over how their children spend school hours near La Trobe University and RMIT University.

Named programs now in place

The school introduced the Bundoora REACH Program in 2024 to extend high-ability learners through targeted activities. At the same time it rolled out an Empowerment Learning Model that grants students explicit voice, choice and control over lesson content and pacing. Bundoora Primary School, with its enrollment of approximately 300 students, sits close enough to the same universities that many local children can see direct pathways from these classroom changes into higher education options.

Victorian Department of Education records show the department is advancing Koorie Pre-Prep access from 2026, with enrolment windows opening during 2025, extending the same principle of early local control to younger residents.

Practical steps for families

Parents and carers must log into the Compass platform on a regular basis to track tasks, monitor progress and receive updates on both schools. Bundoora Primary School issues its revamped Bundoora Bulletin newsletter twice each term through the same app, listing dates and event reports that affect household schedules. The Victorian Department of Education 2023-24 Annual Report notes 14 new schools opened statewide alongside 142 upgrade projects, providing context that local model changes align with broader system shifts already underway.

Residents who check Compass regularly and note the twice-term newsletter schedule can stay aligned with the new programs without waiting for separate notices.