Boarding

assessments in General and General (Extension) subjects. For each subject, several randomly selected assessment items are submitted to the QCCA for confirmation. Confirmation is not about marking or remarking students’ work. It is a quality-assurance process that is focused on checking the accuracy and consistency of the judgments made by teachers, to ensure comparability of student results across Queensland. A significant proportion of our teachers are trained and active QCAA Endorsers, Confirmers and Markers; a crucial component for an informed understanding of the workings of the new QCE system.

As one would appreciate, scheduling the 17 days of external assessments across all Queensland schools is a complex logistical exercise involving around 53,000 students sitting 46 General subject external assessments in over 13,000 different subject combinations. In preparation for this event, our Senior Teachers devised a planned sequence at the start of Term 4 for an intensive three-week period to prepare our students thoroughly for the External Examinations, with particular focus on Mock Examination results and feedback as the best methods for exam preparation.

The new approach to assessment also led to changes in the way senior schooling was organised, in order to provide occasions for our Year 12 students to celebrate important final occasions together as a cohort. In a year of major disruptions to normal school life, providing an opportunity for the College community to acknowledge the contributions of our Seniors throughout their years of schooling was perhaps more important than ever before. Events such as Presenting Fairholme and Valedictory celebrations retained the time-honoured traditions that are so important to our College.

In the Middle School, Fairholme continued to build on the sequential programs of study established and fostered in the Junior School. A learning approach is taken to ensure that students are working at levels which are challenging, yet within reach. The principles underlying the best in Middle Schooling suggest that offering students a choice of subjects and allowing them to negotiate areas of interest within a subject – for example, Mathematics – encourages better engagement in learning and a greater degree of understanding of the topic. As such, with the constant review of Elective subjects, in 2021 Fairholme has introduced Agricultural Science as an elective offering in Year 9, whilst interest in Business, Languages and The Arts continues to grow. Our teachers in the Middle School will continue to develop a dynamic curriculum that makes us wish we were at school again.

The Learning Pathways Centre, developed to ensure that all students are offered an opportunity to undertake an exciting and authentic career plan that suits their individual strengths and dreams, has seen the number of students studying Vocational Education and Training (VET) Programs increase yet again. The Year 10 Specialist Elective program is a significant and integral part of the of the Fairholme curriculum; one only has to only drop into the Health Hub on any given Tuesday or look up from our oval to marvel at the skill of our drone pilots, to feel the excitement and enthusiasm and witness ‘real-life learning’ in action.

The academic reputation of the College goes from strength to strength, with our students continuing to achieve outstanding results each year. The Class of 2020 distinguished themselves by achieving outstanding QCE results and subsequent ATARs. Their individual commitment to high academic standards, demonstrated through diligence and perseverance, is noteworthy and has set a fine benchmark for their peers.

After the necessity to switch to online learning in late March, our Year 12s rase to the challenge magnificently. They were superbly supported by our exceptional teaching staff; we are proud that their combined efforts were so well rewarded.

We stand by the wonderful QCAA and ATAR results as accurate assessments of each student’s potential achievement.

I would like to thank the students of Fairholme College, particularly our Year 12 students, for being a delight to work with in 2020. I would also like to thank the parents for being so supportive, particularly of our curriculum directions and choices. Finally, I would like to thank our magnificent staff who are always flexible, creative and committed, and who maintain a wonderful sense of humour which makes Fairholme a happy place to be.

MS MARGUERITE DUNNE, HEAD OF BOARDING

Fairholme is one of the largest all-girls Boarding Schools in Australia and 2020 has seen our Boarding House continue to be a leader in providing residential care for girls in Years 5 to 12.

Our boarding students continued to contribute approximately 30% of numbers to the Middle School and 40% of girls in our Senior School. We welcomed two Yr 5 Boarders during the year and so students ranged from 10 years of age right through to 18-year-old girls in Yr 11 and Yr 12. As in previous years, most Boarders came from regional South-West Queensland and North-West New South Wales, but we also have many girls from Central and North Queensland, and further away from the Northern Territory and Victoria, with a small number whose parents reside overseas. This wonderful mix of girls brings real diversity to the Boarding House, which benefits all the girls.

In January, we welcomed over 50 new girls from Year 5 to Year 11 into our Boarding House. This was an increase on previous years, and it is obvious that our modern facilities are attractive to new girls and their families. Many girls comment on the refurbished rooms and how much they value their own study and storage spaces, vanity units and access to common rooms and kitchenettes on each floor. A lot of the rooms also enjoy beautiful views over Webb Park and the escarpment or our Fairholme gardens and lawns. The Fairholme Health Centre, with a registered nurse on duty 24 hours per day each day of the school year, is also reassuring for our families.

Boarding provides such a positive experience for all our girls. They learn to be more responsible for their own belongings and space and to be flexible and resilient as they negotiate and collaborate with the other girls with whom they share a room, bathroom and breakfast and dinner table. Our Boarding staff observe great development in our girls’ maturity and ability to co-operate with others and to be independent and organised in their approach to their daily tasks and towards their study.

Our boarding students also benefit from the proximity of the Boarding House to Fairholme's day school. So many of the boarding girls use the sporting and performing arts facilities after hours and take advantage of their easy access to after- and before-school training, rehearsals and other sporting, academic and cultural co-curricular opportunities.

Another plus for our boarding girls is their supervised ‘prep’ or homework time. Teachers from the day school are rostered to support the girls while they do their academic study each week night and Sunday afternoons. Many students find this focused quiet and independent study time vital as they rise to meet the academic challenges that their subjects provide for them. The girls also benefit from the positive and reassuring messages provided to them by our weekly Devotions and