Ripley Valley State Secondary College

Ripley Valley State Secondary College
Location
Location in Queensland
18 Parkway Avenue

South Ripley
,
Queensland
,
4306

Australia

27°41′39″S 152°48′37″E / 27.6942°S 152.8103°E / -27.6942; 152.8103
Information
TypePublic secondary school
MottoAchieving Excellence Together[1]
Established2020
Educational authority
Queensland Department of Education
School code
A797
Principal
Brendan Krueger[2]
Years offered
7–12
Enrolment1,495[2] (February 2026)
Websiteripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.au

Ripley Valley State Secondary College is a public secondary school in South Ripley, Queensland, Australia. The school opened on 28 January 2020 with 132 students and teaches students in Years 7 to 12.[3][4][2] The Queensland Schools Directory listed an enrolment of 1,495 students in February 2026.[2]

History

During the 2017 Queensland state election, a proposed new secondary school at Ripley Valley was included in an election commitment to build six new schools.[5]

The Queensland Government announced the school's final name and catchment in September 2019, several months before opening. It was planned to open for Year 7 and Year 8 students in 2020.[6][7] The secondary school was budgeted at $70 million and scheduled to open in 2020.[8][6] The planned campus included educational, sporting and design facilities.[9]

Ripley Valley State Secondary College opened on 28 January 2020 with 132 students. Further stages of construction were planned as the Ripley Valley developed.[3][4] A further expansion followed later in 2020, including additional science, resource and senior-learning facilities.[10][11]

By 2024, enrolment had grown to 1,050 students and the college was preparing to graduate its first Year 12 cohort.[12] The first Year 12 students graduated in November 2024.[13]

Campus and facilities

The school's second stage of construction included an information services centre, additional learning spaces, a science centre and a performing arts centre.[10][11]

The performing arts centre was under construction by August 2023.[14] The $22.9 million two-storey centre opened in August 2024 and includes a theatre, practice rooms, acting and dance studios, and drama and music learning areas.[15]

The campus also includes ANZAC Place, a memorial space. In 2026, the school's Parents and Citizens' Association received a $10,000 grant to add plaques and construct a new memorial within the space.[16][17][18]

A $35.9 million two-storey learning centre was completed at the school in 2026. The building included 32 classrooms and specialist learning areas.[19]

Esports program

The college's esports program began as a lunchtime club before developing into a formal school program.[20][21] By 2025, the program had about 100 participating students and included activities linked to the Australian Curriculum's Digital Technologies content.[21]

A Year 9 mathematics assessment also used esports activities for students to collect and analyse competition data.[21]

Transport

School bus services used by students from Ripley Valley State Secondary College and the neighbouring state primary school were the subject of overcrowding and delay concerns in 2025. The college's Parents and Citizens' Association and two local state MPs supported calls for additional services.[22][23]

Concerns continued later that year, including complaints of long waits and overcrowded buses.[24]

Proposed athletics track

In August 2026, Ipswich City Council voted to pursue a partnership with the Department of Education to investigate delivering a synthetic athletics track at Ripley Valley State Secondary College. The proposal included long-term community access and a conditional $2.5 million council contribution if the project secured Queensland Government funding.[25]

The school and Providence Athletics Club later presented design plans for the proposed track.[26]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Mission and values". Ripley Valley State Secondary College. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Ripley Valley State Secondary College". Queensland Schools Directory. Queensland Department of Education. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Bumper year for Queensland schools kickstarts new decade of learning". Ministerial Media Statements. Queensland Government. 28 January 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  4. 1 2 McIvor, Lachlan (28 January 2020). "FIRST DAY: New Ipswich schools welcome first students". Queensland Times. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  5. ↑ Bavas, Josh; O'Brien, Chris; Wiggins, Nick (10 November 2017). "Queensland election: Labor gives history lesson as it pledges six new schools". ABC News. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  6. 1 2 "New Ripley Valley schools reach double milestone". Ministerial Media Statements. Queensland Government. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "EXCLUSIVE: Ripley school catchment boundaries revealed". Queensland Times. 26 September 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  8. ↑ Mogato, Anna (1 October 2019). "Student enrolments are up…but not for Catholic schools". The Educator K/12. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  9. ↑ McIvor, Lachlan (9 December 2019). "REVEALED: Exciting facilities at new $70 million high school". Courier Mail. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  10. 1 2 "New schools continue to grow, more jobs for tradies". Ministerial Media Statements. Queensland Government. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  11. 1 2 McIvor, Lachlan (13 August 2020). "New facilities to be built for growing primary, high schools". Queensland Times. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Ripley school marks five-year anniversary". Local Ipswich News. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "College's first graduating class honoured for their achievements". Local Ipswich News. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "Ripley Valley SSC Performing Arts Centre underway". Ipswich News Today. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  15. ↑ Anderson, Rowan (22 August 2024). "Community benefits from facility". Local Ipswich News. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  16. ↑ Anderson, Rowan (27 April 2026). "$17.5k boost to honour Ipswich and Somerset veterans". Local Ipswich News. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "Saluting their service grant recipients have been announced across the Blair electorate". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "First look at new war memorial for Ipswich suburb". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  19. ↑ "Queensland Schools Receive Major Infrastructure Upgrades". Ministerial Media Statements. Queensland Government. 5 August 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  20. ↑ McIvor, Lachlan (14 October 2020). "Ipswich school to introduce competitive gaming subject". Queensland Times. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  21. 1 2 3 Russell, Dominique (2 October 2025). "Boosting student engagement with an eSports program". Teacher Magazine. Australian Council for Educational Research. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  22. ↑ "Calls for urgent action over school bus delays, crowding". Local Ipswich News. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  23. ↑ "Petition to improve Ripley school buses". Ipswich Tribune Today. 5 March 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  24. ↑ Kacimaiwai, Andrew (26 June 2025). "Qld Govt gives $4m for study into second inner Ipswich bridge with new Ripley Valley school set to add to bus woes". NewsCop. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  25. ↑ "Track fight escalates as Ripley takes lead". Local Ipswich News. 16 August 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  26. ↑ "Ripley SSC touts its track". Ipswich News Today. 19 August 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
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