Like the phoenix, Auburn High School emerged from the figurative ashes of Hawthorn Secondary College in 2014 and across 11 transformative years has seen its enrolment numbers rocket from 250 to 850 students.
Surrounded by a plethora of elite private schools, competition is fierce and so to boost numbers the new school has had to be better than good – it had to be outstanding.
“The brief from the community was that they wanted an academic high school with high standards, an exceptional STEM program, a formal uniform that was fitting for the area, and a school that provided the continuation in French bilingual studies that are a focus at two of our main feeder schools,” principal Ross Pritchard tells EducationHQ.
The vision, he says, was to set up a school with exceptional standards and to win the trust of the local community in providing a high quality educational alternative to local private schools.
“In 2014 we received just two enrolments from the primary school located across the road. We’re now getting over 50 per cent of their Grade 6 cohort,” Pritchard says.
Set on striking Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung Country, Auburn High School’s new Senior Centre is a triumph of colour, culture, and creativity, with a vivid palette evoking its natural surroundings.
“It’s a good indication that the programs that have been put in place have really changed the way the local community sees the school, and we’re very much now a high performing state school.”
The only public school in Victoria to offer the Binational French program – where students not only learn French, but learn in French according to the French National Curriculum – Auburn High is also unique in that it offers a combination of both the VCE Vocational Major and International Baccalaureate curriculums.
The last six years have also seen the school’s original building undergo a major refurbishment and the construction of a new, separate Senior Centre.
Principal Ross Pritchard says it was important that students were empowered to tell designers and school leaders how they wanted to use the Senior Centre and to help with the set up of the study spaces and some of the landscaping spaces.
The result is a learning space that has drawn universal praise and seen the school and Melbourne-based design practice WOWOWA Architecture honoured in the recent 2025 Dulux Colour Awards in the Commercial Interior - Public & Hospitality category.
“The purpose of the new building, and where it is on the footprint, was to raise the profile of the school in the local area,” Pritchard shares.
“Because of the size of the school, we didn’t really have a presence on all parts of our footprint.”
The space had to be somewhere Year 11 and 12 students could call their own and have a designated space within the greater community.
A vibrant yellow bulkhead in the foyer draws inspiration from the Golden Wattle, Australia’s national flower, while also reflecting the school’s logo.
The centre is constructed on an old quarry and brick works, with the first floor, street level entrance descending down into the base of the quarry.
“In terms of the look of the building, we were very much in tune with the architect who wanted colours reflective of the quarry,” Pritchard explains.
“It’s a sandstone to limestone quarry, and the bricks are still obvious throughout the local Hawthorn area.
“We were keen to have a historical context, and as well for the design of it to flow from street level down onto the oval, so that when we hopefully receive funding to renovate our playing grounds, it would be a seamless flow from the outdoor area into the new building.”
Another major consideration was the importance of the area in terms of Indigenous history and how the school continues the tradition of the local people in using the area for education and social gathering.
“It was also a place known for the forging of tools and production of medicines,” Pritchard says.
The Senior Centre’s bold colour selection celebrates cultural richness, natural beauty, and vibrant community spirit, creating an environment that sparks thought and conversation at every turn.
“So there’s a lot of historical use of the area that we as a school continue in our own way – and so consulting with the local elders in design and then subsequently in the landscaping has been important.”
The new centre includes a science lab, seven new state-of-the-art classrooms, a combined kitchenette/kiosk/study area, a reception area, a student learning and wellbeing area, plus careers practitioner designated areas.
Pritchard says it was important that students were encouraged and empowered to come into the space and tell designers and school leaders how they wanted to use it, within reason, and to set up the study spaces and some of the landscaping spaces.
“The cohort that’s in Year 12 at the moment, when they first started, their original building had a lot of issues, roof leaks, asbestos, a lot of construction that was happening around them.
“And so just to see them take ownership and responsibility of this new space and call it their own – it’s been quite amazing, actually – the maturity they’ve shown, and the appreciation they’ve shown to have such an opportunity.”
The fully equipped STEM lab is wrapped in yellow both indoors and in external doors and window frames, bringing energy and presence to the specialist study.
It’s a calm learning environment where senior students appreciate being treated as young adults and in return make the most of their learning environment.
While the Senior Centre is located 180 metres from the Years 7-10 building, Pritchard emphasises that providing ways of connecting the two groups and having senior school students role model for their younger cohort is important.
“Where we can, we drip feed junior classes into the senior building to give the kids an idea of what’s there and something to look forward to,” he says.
The canteen is also purposely located in the main building with the senior students gathering there for house activities, and for peer mentoring activities.
