 The school was formally referred to by the Education Department as the "Camberwell High Annex".The concept for the school was developed by Roy Irvine, its initial coordinator, who convinced Mr Schrum, then Director of Secondary Schools in Victoria, of the need for the alternative form of education that the school would offer.The school started with 100 students from forms 1 to 6 (years 7 to 12), many of whom with talents and aspirations that had little chance of being developed in conventional more structured state high schools of the time.