Hester Hornbrook Academy

Hester Hornbrook Academy is a fee-free, Independent Specialist Assistance School (SAS) that provides flexible, supportive Senior Secondary School education for young people (aged 15–24) that operates across five campuses in Victoria—South Melbourne, Prahran, Melbourne City, Sunshine, and Werribee – supporting around 720 students.

Many of our students have/are experiencing social and emotional disabilities, systemic trauma, homelessness, and disengagement from mainstream education due to adverse childhood experiences such as abuse, neglect, family violence, or mental health challenges, resulting in gaps in education of 3 to 5 years.

At Hester Hornbrook Academy education is tailored to suit individual student needs. Its Healing-Oriented Program to Education (HOPE) framework prioritises safety, trust, agency, and supportive relationships, taking a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to student well-being and learning. The school offers high-quality teaching and learning programs in VPC (Victorian Pathways Certificate), VCE VM (Vocational Major), VCAL, with extensive VET offerings in-house, such as the Young Parents Classroom Program, Sports and Recreation Program, Applied Art and Technology Program, Hospitality Education and Training Program, Hybrid Classroom Program, and other youth engagement and student-led programs, to help students develop pathways to further education and employment.

In addition, Hester Hornbrook Academy works with Melbourne City Mission (parent company) to offer students housing support, education, training and employment support, social services support, and a learner's driver mentoring program.

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