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Learning at MLC
What is a school curriculum?
A good education does not stay still, which is why at MLC, the curriculum has been continually re-evaluated, re-imagined and refined over 140 years.
It may surprise you that the word ‘curriculum’ has no fixed meaning. It can apply to a specific subject or programme of study (e.g., ‘the history curriculum’); or it can refer to the whole breadth of planned learning opportunities and subject areas (e.g., ‘the school curriculum’). Broader still, the curriculum can also refer to the set courses that take place within a particular locality, state, or even nation (e.g., ‘the Australian Curriculum’). A curriculum breathes life into the philosophy of education at a school and sets out what every student should learn. Practically speaking, the curriculum encompasses what students learn and how to structure learning and the school day. An effective curriculum is one of the most significant school-level factors impacting student learning and wellbeing. At MLC, we believe curriculum informs a common set of knowledge, skills, values and experiences required by students for lifelong learning, social development and active and informed citizenship. It is a coherent, sequenced plan for teaching and learning that is evidenced-based, promotes student wellbeing, focuses on positive student-teacher relationships, ensures connectedness, engages students in their learning and promotes social and emotional skills that support them to reach their full potential. When a student takes a particular pathway or direction through the curriculum, such as by focusing her elective and co-curricular activities on music practice, she is following one of the many programmes on offer within our curriculum that has been carefully and strategically planned to maximise her learning, her wellbeing, and the links she makes across subject areas and disciplines. An effective, imaginative and engaging curriculum builds students’ confidence, knowledge, and awareness. It enables them to access and enjoy greater and greater subject variety and breadth across the College as they progress. There are four broad stages of schooling within MLC’s P-12 curriculum, as outlined in the diagram below. In our rapidly changing world, faced with much uncertainty both in the short and long term, we must design and build a curriculum that is dynamic, rigorous and flexible to support the learning of our students well into the 21st century and to ensure that we continue to nurture and inspire students who become the citizens that the world needs.
We are reviewing the current MLC curriculum in partnership with educational experts, our teachers, and support staff. We have reflected on lessons learnt from remote online learning and, most importantly, we have gained feedback from the people who the curriculum most impacts – our students and families – both through surveys and via student focus groups that took place at the end of last year. Together this will shape the further development of our curriculum and ensure MLC remains at the forefront of exceptional education. We look forward to sharing the outcomes with the MLC Community.
Foundation stage (Years Prep – 2)
The focus is on the five curriculum areas of English, Mathematics, The Arts, Health and Physical Education and Personal and Social capability. Students have the opportunity to fully engage with all learning areas and capabilities, with a focus on English, Mathematics and Science.
In these years students develop skills in emotional literacy, positive coping, problem solving and relationship building. Students engage in a broad education and begin to plan their secondary program of study. There is increased student choice in what they learn at this stage. Students develop skills in assessing and utilising strengths, emotional regulation, collaboration, relationship management and understanding their personal values and identity. Students undertake either the VCE or IB pathway. By Year 11 and 12, students have developed the foundation SEL skills and are able to utilise them in more complex and challenging situations.Breadth stage (Years 3 – 8)
Pathways stage (Years 9 – 10) Senior secondary (Years 11 – 12)
