Why choose Forest Hill College
Principal’s Welcome
Welcome to Forest Hill College.
It is a privilege to lead a school community where every student is known, valued and encouraged to achieve their very best. We are a school built on the belief that young people thrive when they are challenged to think deeply, supported to take risks in their learning, and surrounded by positive relationships and high expectations.
At the heart of our school are four values that guide the way we learn, work and grow together: Respect, Integrity, Success and Excellence.
Respect at Forest Hill College recognises the value of every individual and treating others with kindness, dignity and consideration. We want our students to be people who listen to others, embrace difference, value diverse perspectives and contribute positively to the community around them.
Integrity means doing what is right, even when no one is watching. We expect our students to act honestly, take responsibility for their choices and have the courage to stand by their values. Integrity builds trust, and trust is fundamental to strong relationships and a positive learning environment.
Success is understanding that every student has the capacity to grow and achieve. Success looks different for every young person, but it begins with setting ambitious goals, embracing challenge and developing the persistence to overcome obstacles. We celebrate achievement while recognising that progress, effort and personal growth are equally important.
Excellence is our commitment to continually striving to be better. We want our students to develop a genuine love of learning, to think critically and creatively, and to take pride in the quality of their work. We expect excellence from ourselves as educators and from our students, not as perfection, but as a commitment to improvement and reaching our potential.
Our commitment to academic excellence is at the centre of everything we do. Our teachers are passionate about their craft and continually strive to provide engaging, purposeful and challenging learning experiences. We want every student to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to succeed at school and to flourish in an ever-changing world. Our student’s results continue to demonstrate incredible growth with 16% of students achieving ATARS in the 90’s and our Year 9 cohort demonstrating enormous growth across all areas of NAPLAN.
We also recognise that education is about much more than academic achievement. Through our student leadership program and our enrichment and extension activities, students participate in a camp at every year level, Model United Nations, Lions Youth of the Year, Writers workshops and more. Students are encouraged to discover their interests, develop their strengths and find their place within our community. We want our students to leave us as confident, resilient and compassionate young people who are prepared to make a positive contribution to society.
Belonging matters. Every student should feel that they are an important part of our school and that their voice matters. We encourage students to take responsibility for their learning, contribute to our community and play an active role in shaping the culture of our school.
Strong schools are built through strong partnerships. We value the contribution of our families and recognise that the best outcomes for young people are achieved when students, staff, families and the wider community work together. Through respectful relationships, open communication and shared expectations, we can create an environment in which every young person can flourish.
Our aspiration is simple: to provide an exceptional teaching & learning environment that inspires confident and socially responsible students to pursue excellence
Respect. Integrity. Success. Excellence.
These are more than words. They are the values that shape who we are, how we learn and the way we treat one another.
I invite you to book a tour and discover what makes our school the school of choice for our neighbourhood.
Nicky Buckingham
Principal
What is important to us
Our Vision
To provide an exceptional teaching and learning environment that inspires confident and socially responsible students to pursue excellence.
This vision is underpinned by our core values of Respect, Integrity, Success and Excellence, supporting our commitment to ensuring every student thrives academically, socially, and personally.
College Values
School values are the guiding principles and shared beliefs that define a school’s culture, mission, and expected conduct, influencing how everyone works together to achieve educational goals.
A Forest Hill College our values reflect our dedication to learning and growing. Our goals are for each student to demonstrate academic excellence and to achieve the success they so richly deserve. We expect our community members to have integrity and to behave respectfully in all interactions and for our whole school to contribute to our ongoing agenda of academic excellence improvement.
College Priorities
→ Learning and assessment to extend every student
→ Holding data conversations with every student
→ Using data to inform College actions and student choice
→ Set high expectations regarding study and homework
→ Follow an agreed Instructional Model that provides consistent and predictable routines
→ Foster resilience and growth through targeted program implementation
→ Provide dynamic and functional learning spaces
