Warrnambool College's WAVE campus, a re-engagement program for students who from year 10 become at-risk of leaving school, has moved into vacant century-old buildings on Hyland Street.

The buildings, once home to Warrnambool High School, now house the program's 47 VCAL students, who are settling in after the coronavirus disrupted initial weeks at the start of the year.

"In their words 'it feels like a real school'," campus co-ordinator Damian Farley said. "There's a basketball court, garden space, a kitchen, space for a table tennis table. These sound really basic, but they didn't have that."

Mr Farley said the previous location, in the city's CBD with one classroom and next to a bottle shop, was "pretty ordinary".

"If a building says to you 'you're not important and your learning is not important' on some level you are going to absorb that. If the building says 'this is a place for real learning' you are going to take that on board," he said.

RELATED: WAVE program pushes for new campus after three years in office building.

The new campus is next to the former Warrnambool Special Developmental School and was last used by adult education services.

But the buildings need upgrades and cannot offer space for all the VCAL subjects students do.

"We haven't been able to establish a hands-on learning space yet. We are still able to run robotics, art and craft," Mr Farley said.

"Warrnambool College and WAVE are still working with the department on some site issues."

Located at the site are also Warrnambool's Men's Shed and 3Way FM. Warrnambool College principal David Clift said WAVE was "hoping to want to work those organisations creatively".

Mr Clift said the school was also seeking donations to improve WAVE's facilities.

"We are hoping to work with the broader community and philanthropic organisations to get the fit-for-purpose facilities," he said.

The WAVE program can only teach students around 15 years and older, but Mr Clift said the school was seeking a state government accreditation to change that.

"There's a number of students who become disengaged and don't have any other options around 13 and 14 years of age, and we need to offer them alternative forms of learning," he said.

Mr Farley said the new buildings gave the program the opportunity to widen.

"We think it could hopefully soon have a three-tiered model. What we are planning is a year eight-to-nine program, a year 10 foundation VCAL, and then a senior program for senior students," he said.

"There is a gap in provision."

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