YEAR 12 students at Bendigo Senior Secondary College celebrated their final day of classes in style today.

Students, who attended their formal graduation ceremony last night, were asked to come in fancy dress and were treated to a day of celebratory activities.

Assistant principal Linda Lyons said the school had a full gamut of last-day activities planned for the students. 

"It was a tremendous morning," she said. 

She said the day started at 9am with an assembly in the gym, still decked out from last night's graduation night, and a formal address from principal Dale Pearce.

"They had a good reminder about our pride in them as mature young and women going on to start their life," she said.

She said a video which included snippets collected from students throughout the year talking about what they valued, highlights of their time and any final-year advice was then played back to the group.

After the video, students and staff gathered in an outside area for a party with food, drinks and a photo board.

Photos of the students in their fancy dress clothes were taken by photography department students before students were brought back inside for a fashion parade. 

Ms Lyons said even staff got into the spirit of the day, with a highlight involving a group of staff performing a song they had written for the students.

She said overall the day was "great fun". 

"It's amazing the creative new ideas (for dress ups) each year," she said.

"There was not one sign of damage or destruction... the worse thing we've had was a bit of silly string."

The day had shown how the culture had changed from a "muck-up day" to a "celebration day", Ms Lyons said.  

"They've really embraced it, they've been empowered to be young leaders," she said.

"As a college that says we treat them as young adults, they have stepped up to that. 

"It's wonderful to see them celebrating in a positive way."

Ms Lyons said the students were dismissed with a few final words of wisdom.

"Our last words as we dismissed them was to continue to make themselves, their parents and their school proud," she said.