Independent School Guides 2019

ISSUE 6 • 2019

Photo provided with the compliments of St Monica’s College, Epping.

For further information refer to pages 2-3 & 54-55.

St Monica’s College, Epping 12415357-FA26-19

“Every student matters, every moment counts”

T: 9409 8800 | www.stmonicas-epping.com Junior Campus Years 7 - 9 | 400 Dalton Road, EPPING VIC 3076 Senior Campus Years 10 - 12 | 16 Davisson Street, EPPING VIC 3076 12415354-FA26-19

Learning is fun

OPEN EVENING Tuesday 30 October 4.00pm to 7.00pm Take a College tour, enjoy music performances on the lawn, BBQ food on sale.

Early application is advised for Prep and Year 7 entry in 2020, 2021 and beyond as waiting lists apply. Limited places may be currently available at some year levels. Please contact the Registrar on 9333 1866 for enrolment information.

Aitken College is a Prep to Year 12 co-educational independent school providing a quality education in a caring and supportive community, emphasising academic achievement, creativity, environmental responsibility and service. The early years emphasise literacy and numeracy, leading to core studies in English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities, Technology (Design, Digital and Food), Physical Education and Indonesian and an elective program including Performing Arts, Visual Art and Commerce. Senior students undertake VCE or VCAL programs, study skills and personalised careers education. Most Year 12 graduates move on to a broad range of University courses. Religion & Values Education is complemented by a weekly Chapel Service. Students can access welfare support, the Learning Centre for special needs and a wide range of co-curricular activities including sport and performing arts.

1010 Mickleham Road, Greenvale 3059 Telephone 9333 1866 W: www.aitkencollege.edu.au E: admin@aitkencollege.edu.au

A Uniting Church School

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Independent and Catholic Schools Guide

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Caroline Chisholm Catholic College CAROLINE Chisholm Catholic College is a co-educational, multicampus secondary school in Melbourne’s inner west dedicated to learning excellence in an engaged faith-filled and support environment.

We believe every student is talented and offer them the chance to succeed whether academically or through our co-curriculum and extension programs.

Specifically, we offer a number of STEM extension programs including, SEAMS - The University of Melbourne’s Strengthening Engagement and Achievements in Maths and Science, a two-year school holiday program offered to our Year 11 students.

SEAMS was a wonderful program that was extremely beneficial to me as a student. I was able to expand my knowledge and get ahead in school, whilst experiencing what ‘uni life’ really feels like.

The mentors and tutors were all encouraging and really informative.

I had the opportunity to meet great people and make new friends. I would recommend this camp to everyone, as it is a very enjoyable experience.

Nhat, Year 12 Student EXTENSION programs are not just limited to VCE students. We offer an accelerated educational and enrichment program, Aspire, for students in Years 7 - 9 with exceptional academic abilities and a strong work ethic.

Aspire Science promotes excellence and challenges me to be my best in a stimulating and personalised learning environment.

Our classes pose real world problems, allowing us to explore and experience authentic and deep learning that challenges our thinking and broadens our knowledge.

Caitlin, Year 10 Student THE College has state-of-the-art science labs, a trade training centre – complete with 3D printing – an indoor swimming pool, 820 seat auditorium, two libraries, a wholly-owned outdoor education campus, and a new arts centre at our all-girls campus. All students are given

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We believe every student is talented and offer them the chance to succeed whether academically or through our co-curriculum and extension programs. laptops and our IT infrastructure is leading among schools in the area.

Students have access to online platforms that enhance learning and, through the College’s network that include leading universities, gain insight into study and work opportunities. Our digital technology studies offer them the chance to learn coding and programming.

Students can also participate in the VEX Robotics Challenge and demonstrate their robotics skills.

More than 95% of our Year 12 students go on to tertiary studies at universities across Australia. We have established links through our VCAL and VET programs with TAFE institutions, which are locally situated to service our multicultural community.

Driven by a personalised learning philosophy, the classroom is differentiated, learning intentions are explicit, and teaching is scaffolded to allow students to build skills and knowledge.

We are a College of many faces as seen through our values of Faith, Acceptance, Compassion and Excellence (FACE).

Caroline Chisholm Catholic College is a Respectful Relationships and Child Safe School.

To learn more about our thriving community please visit www. cccc.vic.edu.au or call the College on 9296 5311 to register for a guided tour.

Leaders In Learning Excellence We welcome you to see our thriving learning community for yourself.

Caroline Chisholm Catholic College is a co-educational secondary college in Melbourne’s inner-west, dedicated Ɛş ōĕëſŕĶŕī ĕƶĈĕōōĕŕĈĕ Ķŕ ëŕ ĕŕīëīĕĎǹ ĪëĶƐIJȒǔōōĕĎ ëŕĎ inclusive environment. Éĕ ćĕōĶĕưĕ ĕưĕſƷ ƆƐƖĎĕŕƐ IJëƆ ƖŕĶžƖĕ ƐëōĕŕƐƆ ëŕĎ şǓĕſ them every chance to be the best they are called to be.

Whether academically through science and mathematics, artistically with music and drama, hands on in the trade training centre or in out-of-classroom areas such as sport and social justice.

The all-girls and all-boys junior campuses cover Years 7 to 9, whilst our senior co-educational campus from Years Ǟǝ Ɛş Ǟǟ şǓĕſƆ È!0ǹ È0¨ ëŕĎ È! d żſşīſëŔƆȀ Our academic results are strong: In 2018 our student cohort achieved a College median Study Score of 29+, 45 subject scores were over 40+ and 98% have gone onto tertiary education. wƖſ !şōōĕīĕ 'Ɩƶ ëĈIJĶĕưĕĎ ë ǦǥȀǤ ¨ ëŕĎ Ɔĕưĕſëō students were successful in achieving scholarships at top tier universities.

ōƐIJşƖīIJ ƆƐƖĎĕŕƐƆ ëĈIJĶĕưĕ ĕƶĈĕōōĕŕƐ ëĈëĎĕŔĶĈ ƆƖĈĈĕƆƆǹ the College believes education is more than just a high score. Éĕ ëōƆş şǓĕſ ë ŕƖŔćĕſ şĪ ĕƶƐĕŕƆĶşŕ żſşīſëŔƆ ĶŕĈōƖĎĶŕīȅ international exchanges with schools in Japan and Italy and an accelerated educational and enrichment program, ƆżĶſĕǹ Īşſ ƆƐƖĎĕŕƐƆ Ķŕ ÏĕëſƆ Ǥ Ɛş Ǧȅ ë żëſƐŕĕſƆIJĶż ƱĶƐIJ ƖƆƐſëōĶëŕ !ëƐIJşōĶĈ ®ŕĶưĕſƆĶƐƷ ĕŕëćōĶŕī Ïĕëſ Ǟǟ ƆƐƖĎĕŕƐƆ to study tertiary subjects while at the College.

The College enjoys world-class facilities which include newly renovated science labs, a 6-lane indoor heated swimming pool, an 820-seat auditorium, two libraries, a new sports oval and amphitheatre, a wholly-owned outdoor education campus and a new arts centre at our all-girls Christ the King Campus.

0ưĕſƷ ƆƐƖĎĕŕƐ ĶƆ ŊŕşƱŕ ëŕĎ ưëōƖĕĎ Ķŕ ƐIJĕ !şōōĕīĕȝƆ inclusive multicultural community through our values of DëĶƐIJǹ ĈĈĕżƐëŕĈĕǹ !şŔżëƆƆĶşŕ ëŕĎ 0ƶĈĕōōĕŕĈĕ ȍD !0ȎȀ We invite you to visit our three campsues today and see why we are leaders in learning excellence.

GUIDED TOURS To tour any of our campuses please email registrar@cccc.vic.edu.au ǣǢ ɕ ǟǝǡ !IJƖſĈIJĶōō ưĕŕƖĕ ſëƷćſşşŊ ǠǝǞǦ cccc.vic.edu.au 03 9296 5311

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‌‌..ON OUR NEW VICTORIAN SCHOOL GUIDES WEBSITE www.victoriaschoolguides.starcommunity.com.au Whether you are seeking information about a particular school in your area or are looking for a school for your child, then this site is for you.

Several frequently asked questions have been answered and if you have a question that hasn’t been addressed then send it to our team for their input.

Check out the many interesting stories on students and their achievements, while many other educational issues have also been featured.

E magazines are also available for your perusal on the website.

For further information regarding our range of education magazines and to provide us with your questions please contact: Katrina Mihai on katrina.mihai@starnewsgroup.com.au or 03 5945 0693 12419461-SN26-19

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A school community where faith, learning and relationships matter.

‘love one another as I have loved you’

CATHOLIC REGIONAL COLLEGE ST ALBANS

All Are Welcome 12403507-RC06-19

Register for a personalised school tour at: www.crcstalbans.catholic.edu.au or by calling our registrar Eileen on 9366 2544

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Morning and late afternoon tours available refer to our website for dates and times 10 Theodore St, St Albans 03 9366 3544 www.crcstalbans.catholic.edu.au enquiries@crcstalbans.com.au Independent and Catholic Schools Guide

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Learning That Lasts a Lifetime

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Genazzano FCJ College GENAZZANO FCJ College is a Catholic day and boarding school, located in Kew, the same site that was originally secured by the 12 founding Sisters, Faithful Companions of Jesus, who set sail from England 130 years ago to meet the growing demand for Catholic education in Australia. Today, almost 1000 students from coeducational ELC to all girls Prep to Year 12 attend the College.

Our vision encourages our students from kindergarten to VCE to approach life with optimism, to be creative learners looking for ways to contribute to society, and to be actively engaged with issues of social justice. Our girls-only environment from Prep to Year 12 enables each student to take intellectual risks and focus on achieving her personal best across a wide range of subjects and pursuits, including a very broad curriculum, quality religious education, diverse co-curricular activities and social justice programs.

Our exceptional facilities are surrounded by beautiful park-like gardens, which work to immerse students in a unique and inspiring learning environment. Our students are located on a single campus which offers ELC, Primary and Secondary students easy access to specialised facilities.

CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAM Genazzano is home to an outstanding co-curricular program, with over 130 unique opportunities available, covering the breadth of sport, music, art, drama, technology, maths, creative writing, languages and social justice. Our co-curricular program caters for our students’ diverse abilities and offers them opportunities to form life-long interests outside the academic arena. For the second year running, Genazzano has been named finalist in the Best CoCurricular Program for the Australian Education Awards.

YEAR 5 AND 7 TRANSITION Transition from Primary School to Secondary School can be accompanied by mixed feelings of excitement, anticipation and sometimes a sense of worry about the unknown. We work collaboratively with families to make the transition to Year 5 and Year 7 at Genazzano enjoyable and successful. Gen girls are supported at every step of the way as they explore their new school, meet their teachers and new classmates and enjoy rich and diverse learning experiences.

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WHY TRANSITION TO GENAZZANO IN YEAR 5?

Many families will be considering the difficult decision as to whether to transition their daughters across to Genazzano at either Year 5 or Year 7. At the College, our Year 5 students are offered diverse possibilities for learning and develop both independent and collaborative working skills. Our Year 5 students are housed in the multi-level D’Houet building which allows the students to utilise the specialist spaces available to our senior students. Having the opportunity to immerse themselves in these spaces allows them to settle into the life and routine of a Gen girl, enabling a very smooth transition into Year 7 and the Senior School.

Our Year 5 students are offered extensive opportunities across a diverse range of interests including music, sport, the arts, drama and social justice. A two-year fully funded music program is provided to the Year 5 and 6 students to learn an instrument in small groups, as well as belong to ensembles and perform alongside our experienced senior musicians. There are many leadership opportunities available, as well as participation in our compulsory after school sport program that gives students the chance to compete on a friendly basis in a variety of sports.

SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS Our Companionship Program in Years 4, 6, 9, 10 and 11 invites our students to go beyond their comfort zone to spend time with members of the community who need support in one way or another. Participation in the Companionship Program enables students to develop their confidence and be challenged in a supportive environment, as well as making a positive contribution to our broader community.

Genazzano’s innovative Performance Psychology Centre employs world’s best practice to promote wellness, resilience, development and optimal functioning.

Our GenStar program, run on a fortnightly basis, supports the Genazzano mission to develop the whole person. Focused on building resilience, thinking for peak performance and a safe and healthy approach to life, the program is underpinned by robust theory and research.

A Genazzano education encourages students to view the world critically, to be discerning in their decision-making and, most importantly, to view learning as a lifelong journey.

Experience Genazzano.

Genazzano invite you to experience what it means to be a Gen girl and the world of opportunities that a Genazzano education can provide.

Enrol now for Year 5 and 7 in 2020 and 2021.

Prep places available for 2020 Bus services for the northern and eastern suburbs now available.

Open Mornings: Wednesday 31 July Tuesday 20 August Wednesday 23 October All tours start at 9.30am Register at genazzano.vic.edu.au

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A message from Maurice Sendak Grossek’s view MAURICE Sendak passed away in 2012, leaving a legacy of outstanding children’s literature for generations to come to enjoy.

His most famous book was, Where the Wild Things Are, an awardwinning book that was both highly acclaimed and criticised in some quarters as being “too scary”.

I recently came across a piece on Maurice Sendak, in which it was revealed that a hitherto undiscovered manuscript of his had been found and would be published soon under the title of, Presto and Zesto in Limboland. What really caught my attention, and is the primary reason for writing this piece on Maurice Sendak, was the comment he made in his 1964 Caldecott Medal acceptance speech, where he criticised children’s books set in: “a gilded world unshadowed by the least suggestion of conflict or pain, a world manufactured by those who cannot – or don’t care to – remember the truth of their own childhood”.

Apart from being a brilliant use of language, Sendak’s message has relevance today. All emotions present themselves in everyone’s lives over time, and if by having done all we can to have insulated our children from them in the first place, is it likely to be counterproductive in the long term? We face that dilemma as parents and teachers regularly. Those familiar with the developments in the field of Emotional Intelligence, would be familiar with the view that all emotions are valid – it is how we deal with and manage them, especially strong emotions. From that perspective, we should not avoid some emotions simply because they may cause us stress and pain, but rather build our capacity to manage them as positively as possible. Sendak’s message revolves around the issue of how best to develop resilience and that is no mean task.

In Sendak’s own words, his early life was anything but happy.

The Holocaust, to which members of his extended family were exposed with devastating consequences, confronted him with the concept of mortality. Furthermore, his life-long love of books ignited in his sickbed, beset by health problems at a young age.

The impact of that which is going on in the lives of students can be overlooked at times, given the current emphasis on NAPLAN, VCE results, and on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) results to evaluate our schools’ achievements in relation to those of other countries in science, mathematics and literacy. This begs a classic ‘chicken and egg’ question – which comes first, academic achievement or personal wellbeing? The answer is not a simple this or that. Nonetheless, Sendak’s revelation, whilst much to the benefit of children’s literature, serves a timely reminder that we should never underestimate the profound significance of events that deeply touch our inner self.

Interestingly, when Where the Wild Things Are was first

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Maurice Sendak wrote from life and the heart as he experienced it, and in so doing opened up a world of fantasy for which generations of children are the richer…

published it drew significant criticism in some quarters for its depiction of fanged monsters, the characters of which were rather grotesque in appearance. The timeless relevance of the book’s main character, Max, a child raging against his mother for sending him to bed without any supper should not be lost on any of us.

Parenting can be unbelievably challenging at times, as can being a child – and Sendak’s evocative and thought-provoking comments he made when accepting his 1964 Caldecott Medal should be taken seriously by aspiring writers of children’s literature.

In terms of accolades, and Maurice Sendak received many in his decorated and, at times, controversial career, none could be more rewarding than which he received from a young boy upon reading Where the Wild Things Are. As Sendak recalls: “A little boy sent me a charming card with a little drawing on it. I loved it. I answer all my children’s letters – sometimes very hastily – but this one I lingered over. I sent him a card and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, ‘Dear Jim: I loved your card.’ Then I got a letter back from his mother and she said: ‘Jim loved your card so much he ate it.’ That to me was one of the highest compliments I’ve ever received. He didn’t care that it was an original Maurice Sendak drawing or anything. He saw it, he loved it, he ate it.”

In not succumbing to the temptation of writing children’s stories scripted to a theme of how the world should be, in writing the acclaimed Where the Wild Things Are, Sendak also attracted notoriety with his book, In The Night Kitchen. Originally published in 1970, the book has often been subjected to censorship for its drawings of a young boy prancing naked through the story. The Night Kitchen regularly appears on the American Library Association’s list of “frequently challenged and banned books”. It was listed number 21 on the “100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–1999”.

Maurice Sendak wrote from life and the heart as he experienced it, and in so doing opened up a world of fantasy for which generations of children are the richer for him having done so.

Almost fifty years later, a US School Library Journal sponsored a survey of readers that identified Where the Wild Things Are as a top picture book. The librarian who conducted it observed that there was little doubt what would be voted number one and highlighted its designation by one reader as a watershed, ‘ushering

Maurice Sendak drew inspiration and influences from a vast number of painters, musicians, and authors.

in the modern age of picture books’. Another called it ‘perfectly crafted, perfectly illustrated ... simply the epitome of a picture book’ and noted that Sendak ‘rises above the rest in part because he is subversive’.

Subversive behaviour is not a behaviour on the lips of everyday teachers in classrooms across the country and it most certainly has a sinister tone of which we should be wary. Nonetheless, as teachers we do challenge children to be creative thinkers, questioning as well as accepting, challenging as well as conforming. That is quite a tightrope to navigate. To be a person who does not always run with the crowd is no easy task – ask any ‘out there’ individual if there isn’t a price to pay for their individuality or any whistle blower as to whether their acts of courage are always warmly received or rewarded. Sendak found a way to be ‘subversive’ in his writing that in hindsight should be inspiring.

There is an old saying – ‘there’s a time and a place for everything’ – the implication being that the challenge lies in finding that time.

There is an old saying – ‘there’s a time and a place for everything’ – the implication being that the challenge lies in finding that time.

Maurice Sendak drew inspiration and influences from a vast number of painters, musicians, and authors. Going back to his childhood, one of his earliest memorable influences was actually his father, Philip Sendak. According to Maurice, his father would relate tales from the Torah; however, he would embellish them with racy details. Not realising that this was inappropriate for children, little Maurice would frequently be sent home after retelling his father’s “softcore Bible tales” at school. Is there not a message within that story for us all as parents and teachers too? Are we ever guilty of having forgotten what it was like to be a child? If so, taking the time to reflect on the consequences of so doing, may be a useful starting point for better handling the next point of tension we encounter with children.

Sendak never found peace of mind in religion and was in fact an atheist. In a 2011 interview, he stated that he did not believe in God and explained that he felt that religion, and belief in God, “must have made life much easier for some religious friends of his. It’s harder for us non-believers.”

He died on May 8, 2012, at the age of 83, in Danbury, Connecticut, less than a month before his 84th birthday. The New York Times obituary called Sendak “the most important children’s book artist of the 20th century.” Author Neil Gaiman remarked, “He was unique, grumpy, brilliant, wise, magical and made the world better by creating art in it.”

Maurice Sendak leaves an enduring trove of children’s books and personal experiences, the essence of which remain inextricably entwined and fascinating – and we are the better for it.

Perhaps we have finally reached that time in our country in reflecting on the life of Maurice Sendak. He mentioned in a September 2008 article in The New York Times that he was gay and had lived with his partner, psychoanalyst Eugene Glynn, for 50 years before Glynn’s death in May 2007. Revealing that he never

Henry Grossek Berwick Lodge Primary School principal hosts Viewpoints on Casey Radio 97.7fm on Fridays

told his parents, he said, “All I wanted was to be straight so my

between 9.00am and 11.am

parents could be happy. They never, never, never knew.”

www.caseyradio.com.au Independent and Catholic Schools Guide

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A brighter future on the best foundation.

Book your personal Principal’s tour heritagecollege.vic.edu.au

Heritage College is a coeducational dual-campus school, providing excellence in Christian education in Narre Warren South and Officer.

From 3 & 4 year old Early Learning to Year 12, students at Heritage College are inspired to achieve their best academically, socially, emotionally and physically.

In addition to the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), Heritage College provides senior students an alternative pathway to their chosen vocation through the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL).

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What’s really at stake in debates over NAPLAN? AFTER 10 years of NAPLAN tests, researchers from Griffith University have drawn out the key debates over the testing regime through a review of the evidence.

“We sought to address an overarching question of how well NAPLAN serves as a communicative device for reporting students’ academic achievement in the key learning areas of literacy and numeracy,” said the authors of the research.

“The evidence from our systematic review of the literature shows that miscommunications, misunderstandings and misinterpretations are evident in regard to NAPLAN’s purpose, function and value across different fora and among various stakeholder groups.”

Dr Judy Rose, the lead author of the research, said “As NAPLAN reached the 10-year mark in 2018, it seemed timely to undertake a thorough review of the evidence.”

The authors analysed 63 works related to NAPLAN specifically, and large-scale standardised testing more generally, showing that four of the big issues experts are talking about are “datafication” (in 46% of works), social justice (in 37%), affective and emotional consequences (in 31%), and its use as an accountability tool for measuring schools’, teachers’, and students’ performance (in 26%).

Datafication refers to NAPLAN’s collection of large sets of data on students and schools, and the way this data is used, and the effects this has on children’s education. Dr Rose noted some research showed that NAPLAN to be an inaccurate measure of achievement at an individual level, and an unreliable

Students from Glendal Primary School.

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way to compare schools.

According to the studies reviewed, the authors suggest, the “high stakes” nature of the test can pressure schools or teachers to focus on performing well in the test rather than the best learning outcomes for students.

At the same time, some studies suggested that, “For some schools NAPLAN results have become catalysts for positive changes. They have helped target collaborative partnerships to boost literacy teaching and learning in disadvantaged schools through professional development.”

When it comes to social justice, said the authors, NAPLAN has “recognised benefits” such as “the foregrounding of necessary life skills and targeting funding and resourcing to schools with the highest need.”

Further, evidence shows how NAPLAN has helped to expose the enormous gap “between Indigenous and non-Indigenous educational achievement outcomes.” At the same time, other studies suggested it has done little to address the underlying causes of this gap, such as institutionalised racism.

“There is evidence,” said the authors “that NAPLAN and MySchool have dampened debates about Indigenous languages in schools, and effectively eliminated bi-lingual/bi-cultural education in the Northern Territory”.

NAPLAN has also been criticised by some studies for doing little to include students with disabilities or additional needs, and having less relevance to rural or remote settings.

Further, NAPLAN has been shown to cause significant distress among staff and students. An expert has observed that “reactions to NAPLAN results are often bodily and visceral and involve complex emotions. “In schools identified as ‘failing’, anxiety levels among staff, students and parents were extremely high and often accompanied by fear of public ‘naming and shaming’.”

“These findings suggested children in some low SES public schools reported negative emotions regarding NAPLAN, drawing faces that showed fear, anxiety and sadness.”

“In contrast, other studies found there was greater variation in children’s responses to NAPLAN with negative responses mainly related to its unclear purpose and expressed as frustration, anger and boredom.”

When it comes to accountability, the authors pointed to concerns “with use of accountability mechanisms such as MySchool and risks that the public reporting of school NAPLAN results may penalise students who are the least advantaged.”

Further, “The flawed logic of MySchool for teachers is that public display of NAPLAN data will make them work harder. However, surveillance of students, teachers and schools through the construction of public data profiles, instead raises concerns about ‘dataveillance’, privacy and the potential violation of children’s learning rights.”

At the same time, “evidence suggests that NAPLAN works best when used as one of several indicators of achievement, one tool in a toolbox to inform (not dictate) pedagogy and curriculum, and where

the ‘high stakes’ aspect of the suite of tests is downplayed.”

Scholars such as John Hattie and Gavin Brown, said the authors, have “further argued that standardised tests can be beneficial to education when: (1) they provide information on strengths as well as learning gaps, (2) teachers and students are well informed and have a strong belief in their purpose, and (3) they are conducted in an ‘environment of psychological safety’.”

However, Dr Rose and her co-authors argue that their synthesis of the research shows that “points 2 and 3 are not satisfactorily being met for NAPLAN.” Further, the authors said that the challenges faced in the recent shift to online, adaptive testing have brought forth fresh concerns about the reliability of NAPLAN data and “renewed consideration of assessment alternatives.”

Sources: Judy Rose, Samantha Low-Choy, Parlo Singh and Daniela Vasco (2018). ‘NAPLAN discourses: a systematic review after the first decade Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education. DOI: 10.1080/01596306.2018.1557111 Gavin Brown and John Hattie (2012). ‘The benefits of regular standardized assessment in childhood education’. In S. Suggate, & E. Reese (Eds.), Contemporary debates in childhood education and development New York: Routledge.

For more information or an interview, please contact Dr Judy Rose at Griffith University on 0413 332 688 or j.rose@griffith.edu.au

Students from Berwick Lodge Primary School.

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John Paul College INSPIRED by the Gospels’ values, John Paul College is committed to creating and maintaining an environment within which all members of the College community experience being loved, being worthwhile, having a sense of belonging and being recognised as unique. We are a vibrant learning community where each student is supported and challenged to achieve excellence. We are committed to maintaining high positive expectations and are attentive to the needs, goals and abilities of every student.

The College promotes the importance of wellbeing as the foundation to facilitating engagement, connection and learning.

At the heart of the College is the desire for the full flourishing of each student, across religious, physical, cognitive, emotional and social domains. Students enjoy coming to school as their personal narrative is known, respected and valued. Students are continually challenged to achieve academic success and model excellent learning skills and work habits. A diverse and rich curriculum is provided in all year levels to ensure interests, talents and aspirations are catered for and nurtured.

John Paul College offers parents, students and staff an opportunity to experience community life in a faith-filled environment. Each student is invited to develop their personal faith and the meaning and value in life through sacramental celebration, prayer, liturgy, retreats and other religious celebrations.

Social justice initiatives are flourishing through our fundraising efforts and immersion programs to the Philippines and East Timor.

Students willingly volunteer on a number of social justice

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initiatives and we are very proud of our young people who, in their service to others, enrich both their own lives and those around them.

Sporting opportunities are wide and varied for students at all year levels in both individual and team competitions. Students of all skill levels are encouraged to participate through the House swimming, athletics and cross country carnivals and those who excel are supported to go on to higher level competitions at regional, state and national levels.

Our first class facilities include modern and well-appointed Resource Centre, Food Technology Centre and Science laboratories.

The Ngargee Centre for Performing and Visual Arts is a beautifully appointed space; comprising modern facilities for music, drama, dance, media and fine arts. Involvement in the Arts provides students with the platform to develop their creativity and confidence in a supportive, challenging and engaging environment.

Investing in the future of our students, the College has developed a Masterplan after extensive consultation with staff, students, parents and the College Board. The plan outlines the continued development to facilities over the next 15 to 20 years, ensuring our 14 hectare grounds and buildings meet the demands of an advancing curriculum.

See the College for yourself at our upcoming Open Day on Wednesday 7th August at 1.15pm or 2pm. Please register your attendance via the College website.

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MID WEEKEND OF THE JULY SCHOOL HOLIDAYS, APPLY NOW!

Friday night 5th July to 7th July 2019

MELBOURNE TOURNAMENT 2019 Dandenong Stadium Stud Rd Dandenong - Next to the Monash Freeway (Melways map 90 G1)

ũ %H 3DUW 2I $Q ([FLWLQJ $QG 9LEUDQW 7RXUQDPHQW ũ %RWK 'RPHVWLF 5HSUHVHQWDWLYH 7HDPV $UH :HOFRPH 7R (QWHU ũ 0HOERXUQH 8QLWHG 3OD\HUV :LOO %H $YDLODEOH )RU $XWRJUDSKV $QG :LOO 3UHVHQW 7URSKLHV For further information: Call David Watson between 9am to 9pm 03 9380 4474 or e-mail info@MelbTournament.com.au Tournament Web Site - www.MelbTournament.com.au ENTRIES CLOSING DATE: 18TH JUNE 201 12419462-FA26-19

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Independent and Catholic Schools Guide

Learning from the past

MacKillop College With our 50 Year Anniversary celebration on the horizon, we feel privileged to have an opportunity to take stock, and invite you to do so along with us.

We listen for the stories The history of our College, within and without, has been profound.

With its namesake, the College finds its beginnings in Mary MacKillop, who looked to enrich with education, the lives of those whom would not otherwise be able to learn.

We grow as one From the smattering of students in 1970, we now stand as a coeducational secondary college of more than 1600. As our numbers grow, so, too, do our understanding, our knowledge and our possibilities. We strive to give our students ever more opportunities to learn, exploring and delivering more ways in which to experience their education. These include everything from area specific fairs, excursions, projects and international travel. We place a distinct emphasis on students being able to immerse themselves in other cultures and ideas so they can excel in a world that is ever-evolving.

This year’s theme is Many Journeys … One community and, though we embrace it as a theme for one year only, the ideal is fast becoming foundational. We have students, parents/guardians and staff working together to strengthen and maintain a culture of inclusivity.

We have faith Regardless of the background or belief system an individual at our

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College relies on, we believe in each other and each other’s right to believe. The College strives to follow in the footsteps of Mary MacKillop and the Josephite tradition, and this is commemorated during mass and prayer, and with music and art. We stand for Saint Mary’s words, ‘Love one another and help one another’, so any individual’s faith is supported and given opportunity to grow.

We find strength in diversity As we look to the future, we acknowledge that a student’s right to choose their path is integral to every school society. We offer as many subjects as possible within state of the art facilities so as to encourage diversity in interest, learning, thought, personality and expression, which in turn allows us the privilege of seeing our students succeed in everything from skeet shooting, to basketball, to dance and music. We’ve seen students overcome immense personal challenges as well as performing exceptionally academically, and we’ve been able to support our students as they stand up for the environment, equity and each other.

Celebrating all life • Challenging all people • Dreaming the new day We are a College and we are a community. If you would like to see this community and how it flourishes, come to our Open Day on Tuesday 2 November 2019. Tours begin at 2pm, with the last one starting at 5:15pm.

MacKillop College, Russell Street, Werribee Inquiries: 8734 5200 or www.mackillop.com.au

юѐ іљљќѝ Year 7 2021

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Arts Centre ͛͗͘͜ ͙͖͔​͔ Russell St Werribee Ǥ Ǥ Ǥ Ǥ Ȉ Ȉ Ȉ 12419955-MB26-19

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Marian College MARIAN College seeks to provide young women with the opportunity to be educated within an environment that allows and encourages each person to develop fully as an individual, and as a community member. We educate 800 girls in a safe and secure environment; each girl knowing she will be cared for and supported, through our strong pastoral wellbeing structures.

We believe that learning and development should occur within a framework that values and engenders the principles of inclusiveness, justice, love and forgiveness.

We offer educational programs that are relevant, innovative and challenging. Curriculum is constantly renewed so that courses of study reflect the needs of our students. A wide range of options is available for students in the senior years, including VCE, VET and VCAL programs. Strong academic results reflect the high expectations the College holds for students in their learning.

We value, encourage and recognise the diversity of many cultures and religions within the school, as both a reflection of the wider community and as a means of understanding the broader world.

Entering secondary school is an exciting stage of life and this transition is a period of adjustment for the individual student and their family. At Marian, we have a team of teachers working to ensure that each family experiences a deep sense of belonging.

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At Marian, we have a team of teachers working to ensure that each family experiences a deep sense of belonging.

Marian College - Pursuing excellence and innovation in a supportive Catholic environment to create strong futures, gentle hearts for all students.

OPEN MORNINGS 2019 One Tuesday of every month at 9:00am. 4th June, 6th August, 3rd September, 8th October, 12th November, 3rd December *Note: dates may be subject to change For more information regarding Open Mornings and to request a Prospectus visit www.mariansw.catholic.edu.au

ENROLMENT INFORMATION EVENING YEAR 7 2021 ONWARDS Tuesday 18 June at 7pm

&Žƌ ŬŝŶŐƐ ŐŽ ƚŽ͗ ŚƩƉƐ͗ͬ​ͬǁǁǁ͘ƚƌLJŬŝŶŐ͘ĐŽŵͬ z or phone 9363 1711

ŶƌŽůŵĞŶƚƐ ĨŽƌ zĞĂƌ ϳ ϮϬϮϭ ĐůŽƐĞ Ϯϯ ƵŐƵƐƚ ϮϬϭϵ MARIAN COLLEGE SUNSHINE WEST <ŝůĚĂƌĞ ĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ DŝŶŝƐƚƌŝĞƐ ĂƚŚŽůŝĐ ƐĐŚŽŽů ĨŽƌ ŐŝƌůƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƌŝŐŝĚŝŶĞ ƚƌĂĚŝƟŽŶ ϭϵϲ 'ůĞŶŐĂůĂ ZŽĂĚ͕ tĞƐƚ ^ƵŶƐŚŝŶĞ ϯϬϮϬ ͬ d Ͳ ϵϯϲϯ ϭϳϭϭ ͬ ǁǁǁ͘ŵĂƌŝĂŶƐǁ͘ĐĂƚŚŽůŝĐ͘ĞĚƵ͘ĂƵ 12418958-SN26-19

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Sleep and your child Tips and techniques to help your child get a good night’s sleep BEDTIME STRUGGLES

Many parents have problems getting their children to bed, especially with pre-school children.

Many children will use excuses to avoid going to bed such as “I need to go to the toilet”, “I need a drink”, “I just need to tell you something”. This can often delay the sleep time significantly.

What can parents do?

1. Be clear about what your child needs

What a child wants is not always what they need. Although some children want to stay up and have difficulty getting to sleep, this does not mean that they do not need sleep. As the parent, you need to decide and be clear on what is reasonable bedtime behaviour and what changes you expect. Once this is decided it is easier to stick to the limits set. Limit setting often benefits the child in more ways than just improving sleep, as they feel secure and contained.

2. Rules

■ Explain the new rules to your child during the day. Don’t tell them the first time when they’re stalling at bedtime.

■ Remember this is not punishment so try to engage the child.

It will help if your child knows what to expect.

■ Expect some resistance. Your child probably doesn’t want to change, so things may get worse before they get better.

■ Be consistent.

3. Children need a consistent bedtime routine

■ Have a predictable, enjoyable routine with calm activities.

■ Avoid stimulating activities such as watching TV, running around and computer games.

■ Try not to start negotiating with the child at bedtime. Do not enter a battle with the child if they protest. Calmly remind them of the new rules and continue.

■ Put your child to bed and leave the room while they are still awake.

4. What then?

If your child calls out: ■ Calmly tell your child it’s time to sleep.

■ Do not enter into a discussion.

■ If they get upset return to reassure them but be brief and limit what you say.

■ Be ‘boring’.

■ ■ ■ ■

If your child comes out of their room: Calmly return your child to bed.

Remember this is not punishment, but be firm.

If your child stays in bed, praise them.

Behaviour change can be challenging and it may take some time before you see improvement.

5. Reinforcement

a worrier’. Helping them overcome their night-time worries teaches them skills they can use in other areas. Some children suffer from a more general anxiety which may need further treatment.

Talking about it

Younger children may say they fear the dark or monsters. Older children may not be able to say what they are worrying about but have trouble falling asleep.

They often worry about not being able to sleep and will tell you “I can’t sleep”. It is important not to disregard your child but at the same time you shouldn’t give too much importance to irrational fears. It is important to give your child the message that you have confidence in them to deal with this. Therefore acknowledge their feelings but support them in dealing with their fears in a positive and independent way. It is a good idea to discuss it during the day, away from their bedtime. During the day your child is more likely to be feeling confident and can reason.

Routine

It’s important to stick to your child’s routine. Your child may need reassurance and support but try to avoid getting into a routine that has your child depend on you to fall asleep, such as having to lie with them, or having the child in your bed. Being firm in limit setting makes your child feel safe. It also tells them you have confidence in them to manage this. Giving in to their requests may give them the message that they are not going to be OK and that there is something to worry about.

Externalising fears

This is a way of taking your child’s fears and worries and giving them to someone else to worry about, or putting them somewhere else for the night.

■ ‘Monster traps’ are something many children and parents have found helpful. This can be talked about and set up during the day and is a way of making the child feel safe. Be creative with it.

■ ‘Worry box’ works in the same way for older children with vague worries. They can put the worries in the box and think about them tomorrow.

■ A special ‘fairy’ or protective ‘dragon’ is a way of using a child’s imagination in an adaptive way. The fairy or dragon looks after them and takes away their worries. Planning this ahead of time and talking about it during the day, when they feel confident, will help them feel confident at night.

Relaxation

Even young children can learn relaxation techniques. These include breathing exercises, muscle relaxation and positive imagery (going to a happy place). This has many benefits.

Concentrating on relaxation is a distraction and can stop your child worrying.

■ Night-light – As long as it does not stop your child from falling asleep a dim night-light can be used.

Positive reinforcement

Children often get lots of attention for having fears or worries which may encourage the behaviour.

Rewards are an important part of any behaviour change.

■ The idea is to focus on success, not on failure, give rewards immediately.

It is important to reward children for being brave and for managing their worries. Sticker charts work well even in older children. Break the process down into different parts and reward your child for each part so that they feel they are doing well.

NIGHT-TIME WORRIES

– Dr Anita D’Aprano and Dr Margot Davey

It is not unusual for some children to have night-time worries or fears. Sometimes parents will describe their child as being ‘a bit of

For further information contact the Melbourne Children’s Sleep Centre site: www.monashchildrenshospital.org

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8 Steps to Calm Parenting NEVER before has parenting and adulting been so complicated!

Society continues to have expectations that twist into “should” or “must have”. With the ever present competitiveness within our communities, it seems that parents are pressured to adhere to so many limiting rules and beliefs that create unnecessary stress.

Although hearing positive stories can be helpful, many opinions and experiences can make little allowance for differences of parenting methods which actually sit within a normal range of dissimilarity. By using our gut intuition we can more accurately decide what is useful for ourselves and our families rather than being told what to do.

Instant gratification has also become a norm for many adults and children with our children developing expectations of how to survive life unrealistically. They are in danger of arriving at adulthood underprepared for real life scenarios. We can help our children to prepare by adding to their innate wisdom with realistic discussion on a few basic guidelines: 1. Nobody has all the answers We do not have the answers for everything. All of life’s stages are new experiences. Life is a time of discovery and adventure. We do not need to follow the herd or feel obligated to do the same as everyone else for fear of not being “normal”. Allow yourself to find out things without pressure.

2. Everybody is a student Expecting perfection and knowing all the answers results is a feeling of inadequacy and increasingly reduced confidence by discovering appropriate preparation has not been achieved for life’s challenges. This is uncomfortable and avoidable. Wanting to be a student and discovering how learning occurs is key to everyone’s success. Accept that life is based on being a learner at all levels of living and enjoy the process. Appreciate our journey of learning with patience, enjoyment and reality. There is no shame in saying “I don’t know but I would like to find out”.

3. Forget the trends To be a young parent today with expectations of the flawless family, a settled child and a drone like perfection creates terrible pressure. Supplying expensive equipment from the best stores and following routines dictated by people who do not know your personal circumstances is exhausting!! We are not meant to be clones of one another. So why would we put upon ourselves and each other, the notion that we must measure up to a list of expectations from others at new mothers group, kinder, the school gate and beyond.

Every adult is unique and every child an individual. What works with one may not work with another. You have most of the answers intuitively. Even if given professional assistance, it is still good to note whether that feels peaceful in your gut.

4. Children love to learn Our children live in a world where problem solving and intuitive smarts are a pre-requisite for overcoming life challenge. Having goals and aims are paramount to good health but so is developing problem solving skills, intuitive self-care and understanding that it takes time to learn. We can assist our children to become aware, confident and independent without losing the joy of childhood.

Encourage the notion that it is okay not to know things!! Show them that we as adults do not have all the answers and it is fun to find out answers together. This will create a thinking child and a smart adult.

5. Judgement is out. Discernment is in.

Judgement is comparison and feels negative and painful.

Discernment is sensing that something else is better suited to the individual. Get to know the real child and their personality. Our children are unique, beautiful, and perfect as they are. We are aiming to assist them to be the loveliest version of themselves whatever that looks like. Children benefit from knowing how to accept their own differences and individual make up, and those of others. Each day is a learning curve and gentle suggestion is appropriate in moments of mistakes.

6. Adults can love learning.

Life is based on being a learner at all levels of living. Enjoy the process and begin your journey of learning with patience, enjoyment and reality. Without rush, judgement and expectations, we can remove the stress and pressure from ourselves and our kids.

7. Being Too literal Although having a broad guide for gauging how your child is faring in development such as first steps or exam results is useful, it is not productive when taken too literally. What if we were instead to guide by example how to use manners, respect for self and others and demonstrate problem solving, thereby allowing our children to be students of life and navigate their own way through with healthy boundaries of encouragement?

8. Find the family joys.

Share the skills of love, respect, sharing, caring, loyalty, honesty and trying to the best of their ability as a basic focus. Allow children to become their unique selves simply by being intuitive and creative. Having quiet, loving family times and restful moments removes the incessant striving for more and more. These basics don’t require funds, stress or pressure but rather they develop with together time and connection. Things do not have to be complex. Life is not perfect, tidy and neatly packaged into a list of accomplishments that our children must produce. Be realistic.

Be a bit messy. Simplify with back to basics and leave competition out. A new born baby feels loved by the kisses on the check not the expensive pusher he is pushed around in. The teenager feels valued by being listened to not by expectations of greatness.

GIVING ourselves permission to be a student at all stages of life enables us to be able to learn with accepting ears rather than try to prove that we know something. Learning is a wondrous thing and enables confidence to ask questions and explore.

This makes life exciting and enjoyable. By feeling free not knowing things, we will in fact solidify our problem solving skills and create ability to survive all manner of things.

ALEXANDRA Browne-Hill has been a nurse and midwife for nearly 40 years with additional qualifications in holistic counselling and natural healing therapies. With regular travel internationally, Alex has developed programs based on healthy connections to our body, mind and soul to develop our own wisdom. Using shamanic and indigenous wisdom in a western way combined with years of experience in the medical world, Alex can support you with your life concerns.

Consultations, mentoring, seminars, workshops and international retreats available.

To contact Alex : E: alexandra.browne.hill@gmail.com M: 0409009924 Website: alexandrabrownehill.com Independent and Catholic Schools Guide

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60 Williamsons Road, South Morang VIC 3752 T: +61 3 9407 9000

F: +61 3 9407 9010

www.marymede.vic.edu.au

When it comes to higher education, a little goes a long way NEW research shows that even an incomplete Bachelor's degree has benefits.

Approximately 1 million Australians have started, but not completed, a Bachelor’s degree. This phenomenon is often stigmatised and viewed as a failure of public policy.

This is neither new nor unique, with levels of incompletion remaining steady over the past few decades and on par with our OECD comparators. Yet concerns around university “drop outs” are often based on assumptions, with very little research done into the actual results of partial completion.

New research on this question reveals that even a partially completed Bachelor’s degree has private and public value. Michael Luckman and Andrew Harvey are researchers from La Trobe’s Centre for Higher Education Equity and Diversity. They used data from 27,846 households in the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2015 Multipurpose Household Survey to produce their findings.

Michael Luckman explains that “overall, our data suggest that far from being ‘drop-outs’ and ‘failures’, Bachelor non-completers appear to gain some financial benefits from partially completing a Bachelor level qualification.”

Bachelor non-completers reported substantially higher incomes than those who obtained similar levels of education but had not attempted a Bachelor’s degree. Median incomes of year 12 graduates who had attempted Bachelor’s degree were $7500 more than those of year 12 graduates who had not. A similar wage difference was observed between VET qualifications holders who had and had not attempted Bachelor’s degrees.

“This has important implications for the public funding of higher education. While it remains financially beneficial to complete a Bachelor degree, the perceived losses incurred by taxpayers from non-completion do not appear to be as severe as may have been expected,” said Mr Luckman 47.6 per cent of Bachelor non-completers reported a yearly income above the $54,000 HELP repayment threshold in 2015, which is only 9 percentage points lower than the 56.5 per cent of Bachelor completers who reported a yearly income above the repayment threshold.

Luckman and Harvey also found that most Australians with an incomplete Bachelor’s degree had completed a different postsecondary qualification. This is consistent with their previous research which shows around half of students who withdraw from higher education before completing their degree will return within 8 years.

“As such, our analysis shows the student life cycle is more complex than is generally assumed. Increasingly, we see that students are transitioning between sectors, institutions and courses,” they said.

“Surveys of students who have stopped studying show the reasons for withdrawal are complicated. Often it is a combination of factors that lead to someone leaving higher education.”

“There is substantial evidence to suggest that withdrawal is more often associated with personal factors, such as change of career, health issues and financial and employment commitments. This is opposed to factors which are directly controlled by institutions,

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Surveys of students who have stopped studying show the reasons for withdrawal are complicated. such as the quality of the educational experience.”

“So while institutions should act to continuously improve the quality of their teaching and provide support to students who are at risk of discontinuing, some level of discontinuation is inevitable.

Universities need to avoid stigmatising students who discontinue, but also to consider them as potential future students.”

“Indeed, institutions could improve long-term completion rates and enrolments by re-enrolling students when their circumstances have changed.”

“Bachelor non-completers represent a sizeable potential market of enrolments, and while some institutions are increasingly working to re-enrol withdrawn students, more could be done to encourage partial completers to return and complete their qualifications.”

“Given changes to the way many people now experience higher education, governments and higher education institutions need a greater understanding of non-linear pathways to University as well as the interim stages between enrolments. They also need to address unhelpful language and stigmas around those that leave higher education.”

Sources: Michael Luckman & Andrew Harvey (2018): The financial and educational outcomes of Bachelor degree non-completers, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, DOI: 10.1080/1360080X.2018.1553106 For more information or an interview, please contact Michael Luckman at The Centre for Higher Education Equity and Diversity Research on 0422 689 311 or at m.luckman@latrobe.edu.au

At Mercy we promote and encourage all of our learners to be:

Visit us today book your session online or call 9319 9299

mercycoburg.catholic.edu.au 12418952-FA26-19

CRICOS code 02227J

Mentone Girls’ Grammar WE BELIEVE children are never too young to be challenged as we help them achieve their goals driven by a genuine love of learning.

As an open-entry school, we accept students of all talents and abilities, faiths and cultures. We are consistently ranked among the top schools in Melbourne and our students regularly win prizes for sporting, artistic and academic endeavour. We also have an impressive track record of VCE success and university entry. This is why since 1899, generations of students, staff and parents have been proud to be part of our vibrant learning community.

Our beautiful beachfront location has inspired our WAVES priorities. These key principles guide the way we meet the particular learning needs of girls by contributing to their Wellbeing, Achievement, positive Values, Enterprising nature and Success.

These priorities contribute to the unique culture and success of our school, as well as our personalised approach to learning.

In our Early Learning Centre (ELC), specialist early childhood teachers recognise the different ages and stages within each class and provide tailored activities so every girl has power over her own learning.

We provide a highly developed program of intentional teaching based on the principles of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program (PYP) which supports a unique blend of inquiry and play-based learning. We can see the benefits of our

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education, not only in how ready our girls are to enter Prep, but how advanced their reading and writing skills are, as well as their social and emotional confidence. This is why we are currently rated as “Exceeding National Quality Standards” in the national ELC Frameworks Accreditation.

The PYP framework is extended in our Junior School as students develop more complex intellectual, emotional and social skills.

They are exposed to a diverse program of inquiry and challenged in many areas from music and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), to financial and digital literacy, cultural understanding, leadership and social enterprise. They are encouraged to try new things, take-risks and be bold, tapping into their interests and passions. Teachers develop a rich picture of every student’s learning successes, strengths and challenges, and each girl is supported to grow and develop to her full potential. As a result, our Junior School is recognised as one of the best in the state and consistently ranked well above state and national averages in the NAPLAN literacy and numeracy testing. Most importantly, our students develop confidence, capability and selfworth that are great assets to them in their senior years and beyond. www.mentonegirls.vic.edu.au info@mentonegirls.vic.edu.au

Give your daughter the best start to her educational and wellbeing journey with the best teachers and learning environment.

EARLY LEARNING CENTRE AND SCHOOL TOURS Friday 16 August, 9.15am

Girls are creative.

Girls are strong.

Girls are kind.

Girls are achievers.

Girls are adventurous.

Girls are explorers.

Girls are REMARKABLE.

Or book an individual tour with our Early Learning Centre Leader Mrs Shepherd, Head of Junior School Edwina Aikman or Admissions Manager Glenda McDonald.

TO BOOK VISIT www.mentonegirls.vic.edu.au or call 03 9581 1200.

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We know girls.

Your Child’s Transition to School STARTING school is a big step for you and your child. It can be both challenging and exciting. As families, the support you give your child is important because you are your child’s first and most important teacher.

TIPS FOR TRANSITION Below are some tips on how you can help your child have a positive start to school.

THE YEAR BEFORE SCHOOL ■ Ask your child what they think about starting school.

■ Encourage your child to ask questions about going to school.

■ Help your child stay healthy. Make sure they have regular health and dental checks and keep immunisations up to date.

■ Encourage your child to try to do things on their own such as dressing, going to the toilet, washing their hands, unwrapping their food and opening and closing their drink bottle.

■ Talk to friends and other families about what school is like.

■ Attend transition-to-school programs and activities at your child’s early years service and school.

■ Talk to your child’s early childhood educator about things you can do at home to help your child’s learning and development.

■ Talk to the school about how you can engage in your child’s learning and development at school.

■ Ask the school what time your child starts on the first day and where to take them.

■ During the summer holidays ■ Show your child where the school is and talk about how you will get there.

■ Arrange play-times with other families whose children will be going to the same school as your child. It helps if your child knows another child at their school at the start of prep.

■ Practise the things your child will need to do to get ready for school (e.g. putting things in their bag, remembering to take a hat).

■ Confirm your before or after school care arrangements. Show your child where the outside school hours care facilities are and talk about how they will get there.

■ Be positive about starting school and enjoy your child’s excitement.

■ Visit your local library and read books with your child about starting school.

THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL ■ Make sure your child knows who will take them to school and pick them up on the first day.

■ Help your child to organise their clothes, hat, shoes and socks the night before.

■ Help your child to pack their school bag with a snack, drink, lunch and a hat.

■ Place a spare pair of underpants and a change of clothes in a plastic bag. Let your child know these clothes are in their bag in case of any accidents at school.

■ Put sunscreen on your child in the morning if it is needed.

■ Show your child where you will meet them at the end of the school day.

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At the end of the day talk to your child about what happened at school.

THE FIRST YEAR OF SCHOOL ■ Find out about what your child is learning at school. By doing this, you can support your child’s learning and find out how your child is adjusting to school.

■ If your child is having difficulty at school, talk to their teacher.

Your child can also say what they think might help them.

■ Keep talking to your child about school. Ask them about their new experiences, what they like and what they find hard.

■ If your child attends an outside school hours care service, find a way of sharing your child’s school progress with the staff.

■ Share feedback about your child’s experience of starting school with the school and early childhood service.

■ Organise time for your child and their new friends to play together outside of school.

Local early childhood services and schools will organise their own transition-to-school programs and activities each year. To find out more, talk to your child’s early childhood educator or contact the school where your child is enrolled.

Ref: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/parents/ transition/pages/supporttransition.aspx ■

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Catholic education: Schooling for life satisfaction and success ACADEMIC achievement, accessibility, affordability, and strong and safe school communities are drawing more Melbourne families to Catholic education.

‘You feel something special the moment you walk into a Catholic school’, Allison Nally, a teacher at Emmaus College, Vermont South, says.

Krystine Hocking, Principal at Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School, Sunbury, just opening its doors this year, has an idea what that ‘something special’ might be.

But academic achievement is only one part of a Catholic education.

The Curtin University study also singles out for special mention the social capital available to those from Catholic schools.

A Catholic education equips students with the tools to shape a great understanding of themselves and their world, with graduates empowered to take the lead with action toward a better, fairer world.

‘Catholic schools are communities of compassion where we’re called to care for those in need and shape the world for a common good’, she says.

Safe pathways for life A long-running research project by the influential Melbourne Institute has found that the families of three out of four Catholic secondary school students expect their children will go on to undertake university studies.

‘We recognise that each person is different and we commit to respect each other and empower all our students to achieve their full potential. It’s about them making sense of their world.’

And in an important indication of the character of our schools, the same study shows that Catholic school students are far less likely to be bullied than those attending government schools.

Catholic schools encourage students to learn through inquiry, and teachers are encouraged to support students in their search for understanding and meaning. We want our students to explore the big questions in life with a clear vision of what is good about themselves, their immediate surroundings and the wider world in which they live. This emphasis on the whole student is endorsed by academic research, with a Curtin University study showing Catholic school graduates enjoy higher levels of life satisfaction.

‘Catholic schools are places where families have a sense of hope based on the experience of God’s love and care’, Krystine says.

New and expanding communities see Catholic schools as essential elements of their neighbourhood, with well over 210,000 students - almost one in four Victorian school children - enjoying a Catholic education in one of nearly 500 schools statewide, supported by some 28,000 staff. The figures show the strength of the system and why the proportion of Victorian students in Catholic schools is higher than in any other state.

Affordability backed by continued academic achievement are key reasons for the appeal of a Catholic education.

University of Melbourne research has found that Catholic schools add an average of six points to tertiary admission ranks, or ATAR scores, at the crucial career-defining end of a student’s school journey. A major part of this success comes from the fact that when Catholic school teachers walk into class, they see individual students, not a blur of faces.

‘There’s a tremendous amount of pressure for our children to be the best at all times’, Krystine says. ‘This has an impact on their wellbeing and we’re seeing high levels of anxiety. We should want our children to be the best for the world and not the best in the world, and our challenge is to instil that hope.’

Catholic schools work hard to discover what matters to each student and identify what they want from life so they can fulfil their full potential, realise their gifts, and build self-esteem and resilience.

They not only let students come to understand who they are, what they want and how to get there. They nurture a love of learning and a desire for knowledge that become an essential part of this process of growth. The Curtin University research shows this approach pays real-world dividends. It has found that Australians who attended Catholic schools enjoy a wage premium of around 10 per cent.

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The wellbeing programs in our schools live out the gospel value of faith and a shared belief that we should all aspire to a common good. As part of this, Catholic schools not only aim to create zerobullying environments based on a genuine concern for others, but strive to be leaders in child safety.

This has led Catholic Education Melbourne to work with Australian Catholic University to create the Graduate Certificate in Safeguarding Children and Young People, the only tertiary course of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and just one of a handful globally.

Family engagement Catholic schools are places where life and faith and family are celebrated. That, as Stella Maris School, Beaumaris, Principal Robert Horwood explains, involves building deep connections with parents as partners in learning – and helping them assist their children with their school journey.

‘With more parents working and the pressures of being timepoor, many families have less time to be together and to enjoy and discuss everyday life’, Robert says. ‘These factors can lead to a sense of uncertainty and anxiousness for parents, who then unknowingly pass feelings of anxiety and lack of resilience on to their children.

‘Sometimes, real or implied pressure to be perfect, compete, achieve success in everything they do and never being allowed to fail sets our learners up to be anxious teenagers and adults.’

This is where Catholic schools’ emphasis on communicating with parents and providing support can make a real difference and smooth student paths to learning.

‘Parental contribution to learning cannot be outsourced’, Robert says. ‘Stronger partnerships with the school lead to better outcomes and opportunities for our learners. Children need time to be children and to worry less about issues.’

The Catholic way of understanding people and the world provides students with a sense of hope and purpose in their lives. It adds to their resilience and capacity to make a difference, particularly in the face of all the challenges of our diverse, complex and ever-changing modern world.

"Our students are at the heart of everything we do" ɸPresentation students thrive in an innovative learning environment, supported by an inclusive and strong community.

Limited vacancies for 2020 Bookings now open for Year 7, 2021 To arrange to attend an Open Morning or have a tour please contact the College Registrar on 85172704 or office@pcw.vic.edu.au

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Sacred Heart Catholic School

Enrolments Open Now Building Relationships

SCHOOL TOURS Any day by appointment

PRE PREP PROGRAM Once a week running for six weeks in Term 3 & 4

ORIENTATION SESSIONS Gipson St, Diamond Creek | ofďŹ ce@shdiamondcreek.catholic.edu.au www.shdiamondcreek.catholic.edu.au 9438 1590

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Four Orientation sessions late in Term 4

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Kinder - Year 6 St. Anthonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Catholic Primary School is a unique environment enhancing inclusive learning and teaching through authentic partnerships with families. St. Anthonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promotes learning in perfect harmony through encouraging the deep questions of life linked to Catholic faith, promoting high expectations and ensuring the full ďŹ&#x201A;ourishing of every person. A culturally diverse community and inďŹ nite variety of life experiences enables us to activate wellbeing in many wonderful and creative ways.

Principal and Parent Guided Tours Every Day is Open Day â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Come & see us any time by appointment Please contact school administration %MAIL PRINCIPAL SANOBLEPARK CATHOLIC EDU AU s 0HONE 3 year old and 4 year old enrolments contact ECMS %MAIL ENROLMENTS ECMS ORG AU s 0HONE During Catholic Education Week

ST. ANTHONYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SCHOOL NOBLE PARK 90 Buckley Street, Noble Park, VIC 3174 Early Childhood Management Services

www.sanoblepark.catholic.edu.au

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6DQWD 0DULD &ROOHJH

ENROL NOW FOR YEAR 7 2021

e to do as much as you are able

Applications close on 23 August 2019 RQ 6WUHHW 1RUWKFRWH 9,& _ 7HO _ ZZZ VDQWDPDULD YLF HGX 50 Separation Street Northcote VIC 3070 | Tel: 03 9489 7644 ϹϏ ^Ä&#x17E;Ć&#x2030;Ä&#x201A;Ć&#x152;Ä&#x201A;Ć&#x;ŽŜ ^Ć&#x161;Ć&#x152;Ä&#x17E;Ä&#x17E;Ć&#x161; EĹ˝Ć&#x152;Ć&#x161;Ĺ&#x161;Ä?Ĺ˝Ć&#x161;Ä&#x17E; s/ ϯϏϳϏ ÍŽ dÄ&#x17E;ĹŻÍ&#x2014; ĎŹĎŻ ϾϰϴϾ ϳϲϰϰ

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Presentation/Q & A with the Principal ^ĆľĆ&#x2030;Ć&#x2030;Ĺ˝Ć&#x152;Ć&#x161;Ä&#x17E;Ä&#x161; Ä?Ç&#x2021; Ä&#x201A; Ć&#x2030;Ä&#x201A;ĹśÄ&#x17E;ĹŻ ŽĨ Ć?Ć&#x161;ĆľÄ&#x161;Ä&#x17E;ĹśĆ&#x161;Ć? Ä&#x201A;ĹśÄ&#x161; Ć&#x2030;Ä&#x201A;Ć&#x152;Ä&#x17E;ĹśĆ&#x161;Ć?

12 August 2019, 6:00pm - 7:00pm e to do as much as you are able

RQ 6WUHHW 1RUWKFRWH 9,& _ 7HO _ ZZZ VDQWDPDULD YLF HGX Book online at www.santamaria.vic.edu.au

www.santamaria.vic.edu.au

@SantaMaria_Melb @

Two heads are better than one

YEAR 7 2021 ENROLMENTS NOW OPEN Applications close Friday 23 August 2019.

Visit www.columba.vic.edu.au to download an Application for Enrolment form.

A N I N C L U S I V E C AT H O L I C G I R L S â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S C H O O L | Y E A R S 7 - 1 2 2 LESLIE ROAD, ESSENDON VICTORIA 3040 P 03 9337 5311 12418789-RC26-19

St. Columba’s Primary There’s a whole other world beyond our front door

The community spirit of justice and compassion have remained steadfast at our little school in the heart of Elwood for 100 years.

Today students are offered a first class, contemporary education while remaining true to these original values.

24 Glen Huntly Road, Elwood

We recognise the unique qualities of each and every student, striving to create a learning environment that stimulates academic excellence whilst providing a sense of security and wellbeing.

www.stcolumbasprimary.org Enrolment enquiries to principal@scelwood.catholic.edu.au

We look forward to showing you around our little school with the big heart at any time that suits you.

Simply call 9531 6560 for an appointment.

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The little school with a big heart St Columba’s Primary is a unique Catholic co-ed primary school that has been situated in the heart of seaside Elwood for 100 years.

With our focus on contemporary learning, innovation and strong relationships, we support and enable each child to be the best they can possibly be – academically, socially, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

We strive to equip our children with a growth mindset and the skills of collaboration, resilience, creativity, team work and problem solving.

Our curriculum offers a wide range of learning experiences to support the core literacy and numeracy concepts, knowledge and understandings that are essential for children to succeed.

We are also proudly a 5-star ResourceSmart school and are passionate about sustainability and creating environmental education opportunities for our students. Food education plays an important role in our curriculum with students enjoying time each week learning in our kitchen garden.

The school is fondly referred to in the community as “the little school with a big heart”.

We believe that by having a strong sense of belonging to a school - where everyone knows your name - a child feels supported to thrive, learns to value community and show compassion and care towards others and the world.

We would welcome you to come and visit our school and experience for yourself its strong sense of care, community and partnerships.

Please feel free to contact our Principal, Daniella Maddalena, with any questions or to make a time to visit – dmaddalena@scelwood.catholic.edu.au or (03) 9531 6560.

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Don't stop the bedtime story AT the start of this school year many children across Australia entered schooling life for the first time. This marks a major change for these fledgling students and their families, but there's something parents shouldn't change, says a leading expert on literacy and reading.

Sue Nichols is Associate Professor of Literacy Education at the University of South Australia. She says that all too often, the start of school marks the end of bedtime stories for children, depriving them of a fun activity that fosters valuable learning outcomes.

"For many children," says Associate Professor Nichols, "starting school is the beginning of learning to read. Teachers will be helping them learn about letter sounds and how these are combined in words. Most children will be practising their new reading skills using special learn-to-read books, sometimes called ‘readers’.

Parents will be encouraged to listen to their children read regularly.

This is important."

"However, as children begin to read independently, many parents stop reading to their children. There are good reasons why the bedtime story should continue well into the early school years."

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"First, learn-to-read books have limited vocabulary. This is helpful for children practising their reading skills. But they also need to be continually adding new words, and more advanced words, to their mental dictionaries. Fiction and non-fiction books have a wider range of words so hearing parents read will keep children’s vocabularies expanding."

"Second, learn-to-read books have simple stories, often with few characters. Even movies, television shows and computer games have more complicated story-lines and children can cope with these. Hearing interesting stories where there are complications and twists gives children’s brains a work-out and helps them build comprehension skills which will be useful in their later reading."

"Third, learning to read is hard and children can get tired and frustrated. Listening to a story or sharing a non-fiction book is a nice break and keeps up both children’s and parents’ enthusiasm.

It shows children that reading is not just work but fun and informative."

For more information, please contact Associate Professor Sue Nichols on 0410 441 037 or at Sue.Nichols@unisa.edu.au

St. Joachim’s Catholic Primary School opened in 1987 in the south eastern suburb of Carrum Downs, and is a vital part of St. Anne’s Parish in Seaford. It is a school that continues to flourish and its school population is approximately 335 students.

At St Joachim’s Catholic Primary School we recognise that we are living witnesses of God’s love. We strive to make Jesus’ vision and mission central in our lives and encourage all within our school and parish community to live a spirit-filled life.

Through a high priority on the excellent teaching of Literacy, Numeracy, and Religious Education and complemented by specialist classes in visual arts, performing arts, physical education and Italian, St Joachim’s strives to develop every student to their full potential.

We are an extremely well-resourced school with a variety of large outdoor play areas as well as a large indoor hall/gymnasium, library, computer lab and a beautiful chapel.

Come and see why our students and families love our school and why our school embodies our school motto of “Love and Unity”.

www.sjcarrumdowns.catholic.edu.au Independent and Catholic Schools Guide

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25 Broderick Road, Carrum Downs, 3201 | 9785 2633

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Looking to the future

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“Courage reaches for the Stars” On Thursday June 27 at 6pm, St John’s Regional College will be welcoming potential new families to take an interactive tour of the College, along with an information session on the opportunities at the school. The tours will be led by our Middle Year Leaders and accompanied by the College Leadership Team.

St John’s Regional College is a Catholic co-educational secondary school established by the local parish priests in collaboration with the De La Salle Brothers and the Presentation Sisters.

Students at St John’s Regional College will strive for self-worth and respect for others, will act justly, will confront social issues es and contribute to community life.

As a faith community, we will nurture each other’s her’s growth in the values lived by Jesus Christ.

5-11 Caroline Street, Dandenong g VIC 3175 P: (03) 8793 2000 www.sjrc.vic.edu.au

OPEN EVENING Thursday 27th June at 6pm

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Young children benefit from explicit teaching about bullying YOUNG children are confused about bullying, but new research from the University of South Australia is providing important insights on how to prevent bullying by improving children’s understanding of the concept itself.

Trialled in four South Australian junior primary schools, the proof of concept study was conducted by bullying prevention experts Dr Lesley-Anne Ey and Associate Professor Barbara Spears from the University of South Australia, with funding from the World Organisation for Early Childhood Education (OMEP).

Despite limited research on understanding bullying in the early years, Dr Ey says there is evidence that bullying takes place in all forms from an early age. She says children have limited understanding of bullying and that more needs to be done to explicitly educate younger children about it so as to contribute to the prevention of lasting problems associated with these behaviours.

Dr Ey and Associate Professor Spears interviewed 99 children, aged 5-8 years, from four trial and two comparison junior primary schools to assess their understanding of bullying.

Teachers from the four trial schools worked collaboratively within their schools to develop and implement a tailored 10 lesson bullying prevention initiative to meet the needs of their children’s level of understanding. The children were re-interviewed afterwards to determine if their level of understanding had improved.

Before the prevention initiative, the children showed a limited grasp of bullying. While over half related it to being aggressive, very few understood other core features of bullying, such as repetition, intent to harm, and an imbalance of power. As such, they confused bullying and non-bullying acts of aggression, such as a once-off conflict or act of “meanness”.

Children in the four trial schools were asked what bullying is: 17% mentioned repeated behaviour, 14% mentioned intent to harm, and 4% mentioned an imbalance of power.

After the prevention initiative, 51% included repetition in their responses, 30% included an intent to harm, and 16% an imbalance of power.

The children were also shown cartoon images of play, bullying, and non-bullying aggression (such as a once-off conflict between kids). They were asked to decide whether or not each image depicted bullying.

After the initiative, although children still demonstrated some confusion about bullying and aggression only scenarios, they were much more likely to use the core concepts of bullying in their reasoning for why they thought the scenario was bullying. For instance, their mention of repeated behaviour when viewing cartoons depicting bullying, rose from 59% to 78%.

Children who had been in the prevention initiative were more likely than those in comparison schools to recognise the concept of a single act of aggression in the non-bullying scenarios. They were also more likely to identify an intent to harm in images of bullying behaviour.

Dr Ey said she was surprised to see how quickly the children improved on their understanding of the core concepts for thinking about bullying - particularly the youngest children in the group.

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According to Dr Ey, these concepts are foundational for children to develop an accurate understanding of the issue. Such an understanding, in turn, is critical to prevention.

The 12 teachers who implemented the tailored prevention initiative all said they intended to use it again. Most found that it was easy to use and was very engaging for students, and the cocreation process was highly engaging for them. “[I learnt] more about what is going on in the lives of children with whom I work,” said one. “This is such an important area to work sensitively with children.”

Associate Professor Spears said that if teachers use data about bullying from their own classes to inform their practice, they can identify the areas which they need to explicitly teach, creating a suite of lessons tailored to their contexts, and which align directly with the Australian Curriculum.

“This research has shown that when teachers construct a program specific to the needs of the children in their context, it works,” said Dr Ey. “What we have done here is just the tip of the iceberg. Children as young as five years old have been able to learn the key concepts of bullying in a very short amount of time.”

“If an anti-bullying program was implemented from reception and built upon each year, I believe that children would have a clear understanding about bullying by the end of junior primary.”

“Further research to retest children’s knowledge after a period of time would strengthen these findings.”

Sources: Lesley-Anne Ey & Barbara Spears. (2018). Supporting early childhood educators to address bullying in junior primary classes through the co-creation of anti-bullying interventions and resources: A Proof of Concept Study https:// mediacentreforeducationresearchaustralia.cmail20.com /t/d-l-bhdhrtt-jrykgkjkk-r/.

A report for the Organisation Mondiale pour l’Education Préscolaire (OMEP) (World Organisation for Early Childhood Education).

Alternate link: doi.org/10.25954/5be36ba6aaf59

Adults must listen to bullied students before acting TWO of the most common approaches adults have taken to bullying among school students may not work. To do better, adults must start by listening to bullied children rather than rushing to action, say leading experts.

Adult reactions to bullying can do more harm than good Professor Marilyn Campbell of the Queensland University of Technology is a leading expert on bullying, and a member of the Australian Universities Anti-Bullying Research Alliance. She said that both past and present approaches to bullying have often been ineffective.

“The most general advice to young people who were bullied used to be ignore it and walk away,“ said Professor Campbell.

“With the knowledge of the often devastating harm that bullying can cause we have changed our advice to say to the bullied student to tell an adult. In a school context that is usually a teacher.“ “However, bullying in schools is not significantly decreasing.

Perhaps we are not responding to young people in the most effective way.“ “Instead of listening and hearing what the young person wants us to do we usually investigate and punish. This often brings more humiliation to the bullied student because of the lack of confidentiality and sometimes, if the bullying is severe, more retaliation, increasing the bullying.“ For more information or an interview, please contact Professor Marilyn Campbell on 0409 486 570 or at ma.campbell@qut.edu.au Tailor bullying responses to individual students and communities Associate Professor Barbara Spears of the University of South Australia, the Chair of the Australian Universities Anti-Bullying Research Alliance, agrees that it is essential to listen to young people when formulating responses to bullying, and to tailor responses accordingly.

“For some time we have been suggesting that a whole school approach is required to deal with bullying, and the evidence suggests that this does help to reduce bullying, but it is not the complete story,“ said Dr Spears.

“We also need to have differentiated, tiered intervention and prevention strategies: some universal information for everyone, as well as targeted and specific approaches that are tailored to the needs of particular students in that community, whether they are perpetrating or experiencing victimisation, or standing by while it happens.“ “As schools also reflect the communities around them, it is important that all aspects of each community work together to prevent bullying and support those who have been victimised.

Bullying is everyone’s problem, not just a school’s. We must listen to our young people and do better to model alternative solutions to bullying, aggression and violence.“ For more information or an interview, please contact Associate Professor Barbara Spears on 0403 168 300 or at Barbara.Spears@ unisa.edu.au

Interventions to address bullying Professor Phillip Slee of Flinders University is likewise a leading expert on bullying, and a member of the Australian Universities Anti-Bullying Research Alliance together with Professor Campbell and Dr Spears.

He noted that bullying is a public health issue impacting on everyone and detracting from the social capital of the community.

“Bullying prevention is a whole of community matter - not just a matter for schools,” said Professor Slee.

“Some groups are particularly vulnerable, such as children on the autistic spectrum, those who are LGBTQI, and those with special educational needs and disabilities.”

He emphasised, also, that bullying has an economic cost to the community, and that effective interventions need to be promoted.

However, he said it was crucial that interventions proceed from a strong evidence base; while some work, others can do more harm than good.

As such, he suggested that a strong evidence base for interventions must be established before they are widely promoted.

For more information or an interview, please contact Professor Phillip Slee on 0439 828 634 or at phillip.slee@flinders.edu.au Independent and Catholic Schools Guide

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St Monica’s College, Epping

THE Athlete Development Program (ADP) encompasses a high performance element to the College’s sport program. The ADP is a preparatory program run by the College’s High Performance Unit for selected elite level student athletes. This program is offered to Year 7-11 students.

Using a modified student timetable, the program provides these students additional high performance physical preparation for their respective sport activity, for both College representation and external non-College sport. The high performance support includes: • Strength and physical conditioning preparation, including tutorials on safe lifting techniques, incremental physical loading based on age and experience and sport specific strength and conditioning.

• Nutritional advice and programming in order to maximise performance, including opportunities for individual food monitoring, education on the value of nutrition and hydration for optimal performance.

• Performance psychology support, including general advice on time management, goal setting, visualisation techniques, resilience training and anxiety management. Students will have access to the College’s network of Consultant Psychologists.

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This program is offered to Year 7-11 students.

• Specialist, elite technical coaching within the College’s Academy programs, namely Football, Basketball, Netball, Australian Rules Football and Tennis.

• Sport Science and physical testing analysis, whereby students will be progressively measured in a number of general and sport specific physical parameters, such as strength, speed, power, agility and endurance.

• Injury rehabilitation and recovery techniques, with students provided access to the College’s network of allied health providers.

Students selected as part of the ADP are included as Academy athletes within the respective College Sport Academies or as part of an Individual Athlete Program for students competing in nonAcademy sports.

ENROL NOW FOR 2020 AND 2021 ST MONICAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COLLEGE, EPPING www.stmonicas-epping.com

T: 9409 8800 Junior Campus Years 7 - 9 400 Dalton Road, EPPING VIC 3076 Senior Campus Years 10 - 12 16 Davisson Street, EPPING VIC 3076

Coeducation at its Best 12415359-FA26-19

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School enrolment zones and parent choice LET’S start with Victorian Government policy, which states that “every child has the right to attend their designated local government school - the school for which they are zoned.” That’s clear enough, there’s a government school nearby that must enrol your child should you so wish - and of course, that’s as it should be.

That’s the easy part, from here on complexity gathers momentum in ways that can, and does, thoroughly confuse and frustrate parents.

In the majority of cases, ‘designated local government school’ can be assumed to be the school nearest to where you live - but not in all. All metropolitan government schools have been assigned a designated enrolment zone. These enrolment zones have been provided by the DET in order to provide clarity, consistency and transparency over what exactly constitutes a school’s neighbourhood zone. Terms such as, residential boundaries, school zones, enrolment ceilings and enrolment caps, all refer to situations in which schools have enrolment restrictions in place. All can be traced back to DET designated enrolment zones of which schools are aware, and can share them with prospective parents.

Whilst the DET mapping process to determine school enrolment zones approximates to the ideal of enabling every child to be zoned the school closest to which they live, in practice this cannot always be achieved. Consequently, there are instances in which some children will be zoned to a school that is not their closest government school, but not by very much. It is certainly well worth finding this out prior to enrolling your child so as to avoid hassles and potential heartache later. All schools can provide parents with their DET designated enrolment zone on request.

Where you live permanently will determine the local government school to which your children have an automatic right of enrolment.

Examples of what does not qualify as a permanent residential address include: staying with a relative or friend, and guardianship also is not a criterion for enrolment unless supported by the relevant papers endorsed by the Family Law Court. Depending on the enrolment situation faced by individual schools, permanent residential address can be interpreted to vary from being your primary property (owned/mortgaged) to a property you may lease.

Again, it is advisable to check with individual schools as their specific enrolment restrictions, which of course should be consistent with government policy.

There’s nothing to stop any parent from requesting a place in any government school, although, as previously stated, schools must first offer places to children within their zone. The usual priorities for enrolling students in government schools are: (1) Students for whom the school is the designated neighbourhood school.

(2) Students with a sibling at the same permanent address who are attending the school at the same time.

(3) Where the regional director has restricted the enrolment, students who reside nearest the school.

(4) Students seeking enrolment on specific curriculum grounds.

(5) All students in order of closeness of their home to the school.

(6) In exceptional circumstances, compassionate grounds.

DET policy states that the principal decides whether to offer

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There’s nothing to stop any parent from requesting a place in any government school, although, as previously stated, schools must first offer places to children within their zone. your child a place if you live outside the school’s zone, based on student numbers and the school’s particular enrolment policy. It is well worth remembering that whilst all government schools are required to adhere to government policy on student enrolments, scope does exist for variation between schools on the application of the guidelines and policy. Policy is just that - it is not one mandated set of rules, but rather a guiding set of principles.

Contact the school directly for their specific enrolment practice or your DET regional office for clarification.

As competition between school sectors and individual schools has ramped up in recent decades as successive state governments have promoted the option of parent choice in school selection for their children, anecdotal evidence indicates that some schools may put pressure on parents not to enrol their child for reasons other than those associated with government policy. Such practice is wrong.

Your child cannot be refused enrolment, for example, solely because they have a disability or because of ineligibility for supplementary funded support. Importantly, the Disability Standards for Education say that when deciding whether to offer a place, schools must consider prospective students with a disability in the same way as other students.

If a school offers a place to your child, the law and DET policy requires this offer to be made on the basis that ‘reasonable adjustments’ will be made to accommodate your child’s needs.

The school should discuss with you precisely what this would mean, to help you decide whether to accept the offer. Crucially, the same resources are available to schools to support students with a disability who live outside the school’s zone as those who live within it.

Again, anecdotal evidence indicates that some schools display a reluctance to accept children with a disability, living both within their zones and outside their zones. Based on the above information, this is wrong and whilst it is wrong, it can be understood in light of the challenges that schools face in securing additional support for children with disabilities in the first place. Nonetheless, all schools face the same challenges in this regard, and the importance of equity of enrolment opportunity for children with disabilities should be nonnegotiable.

All of the above enrolment information is available for public perusal, yet still a plethora of questions crop up. Addressing these in a FAQs format may be a valuable way of concluding this piece.

We live in a democracy, where is the freedom of choice when a parent has to send their child to a government school?

That’s a question which raises a lot of big picture and philosophical questions, far beyond the scope of this piece. Suffice to say that democracy does not imply unfettered freedom of choice. There are innumerable restrictions on what individuals may wish to do and what they can do by law or even social convention. The idealist in me yearns for the time when governments actually resource schools in such a way that the option of choice would become largely irrelevant.

What are the benefits of zoning to parents?

Systemically, it prevents some schools from becoming so overcrowded that whatever the desirability of enrolling your children in that school would vanish. That would be the main benefit, but that would be for the benefit only of those who managed to enrol in those zoned schools in the first place. The interests of local students would be the highest priority and from that perspective it’s a positive. For others, I’m not so sure.

If a parent wishes to send their child to a government school that is offering specific subjects not offered at their local school, can the parent approach the school for enrolment even if they are out of the zone?

Yes they can and that is one of several acceptable reasons for schools enrolling out of zone students. Of course, the caveat is that the school in question has enrolment room to accommodate the child.

If the secondary school in the family’s local area has an enrolment ceiling and is therefore full, does the parent have the choice of sending their child to another secondary school out of the zoned area and will they be accepted?

Parents can always seek enrolment of their child at any out of their local zone school, but this reason won’t get them in. Schools are required to have places available for their local students no matter what. Whether they are successful depends entirely on the enrolment

situation of the preferred school. The principal determines that in line with government policy.

If the local school doesn’t offer the accelerated learning programs the family desires for their child, what are the options for the parent?

The answer is the same as for the previous question and for a number of other questions all relating to curriculum offerings. You can try your hand at having your child enrolled at a school that does offer what you believe to be in your child’s best interests and it is a legitimate reason for such a request. The principal makes the call, depending on the state of their school enrolments.

Does zoning apply to Mac.Robertson’s Girls HS and Melbourne HS? No. They are select entry schools based on academic achievement of students.

If children attend a locally zoned secondary school and are in years 10 and 11, for example, with their family moving from a rented property in the zone to a purchased property out of the zone, will the children be forced to leave?

I would be greatly surprised if this were to happen. My advice to parents if this were to occur, would be to contact their local regional director of schools and lodge an appeal.

By way of conclusion, and returning to my earlier, idealist comments - it is a pity that the tension between school zoning policy and parental choice of school for their children causes so much stress.

I wish it were not so.

HENRY GROSSEK PRINCIPAL BERWICK LODGE P.S.

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Contents 8 steps to calm parenting ............................................................................................. 29 Adults should listen to bullied students before acting ............................ 53 Aitken College ........................................................................................................................5 Caroline Chisholm Catholic College ..............................................................6 & 7 Catholic education – Schooling for life satisfaction and success ... 38 Chairo Christian College .............................................................................................. 11 CRC St Albans ........................................................................................................................9 Don’t stop the bedtime story ..................................................................................... 48 Genazzano FCJ College......................................................................................12 & 13 Grossek’s View ........................................................................................................ 14 & 15 Heritage College, Berwick .................................................................................16 & 17 John Paul College ................................................................................................ 20 & 21 Mackillop ........................................................................................ 24, 25 & back cover Marian College ....................................................................................................... 26 & 27 Marymede Catholic College ......................................................................... 30 & 31 Melbourne Tournament .............................................................................................. 22 Mentone Girls’ Grammar ................................................................................ 34 & 35 Mercy College .................................................................................................................... 33

Penola Catholic College ............................................................................................. 37 Presentation College .......................................................................................................39 Sacred Heart Catholic School – Diamond Creek ....................................... 40 Santa Maria College ........................................................................................... 42 & 43 School enrolment zones and parent choice ....................................... 56 & 57 Sleep and your child ...................................................................................................... 28 St Anthony’s Primary School, Noble Park .........................................................41 St Columba’s College .................................................................................................... 45 St Columba’s Primary School ....................................................................... 46 & 47 St Joachim’s Primary School ................................................................................... 49 St John’s Regional College ........................................................................................ 51 St Monica’s College, Epping ................................... Front cover, 2, 3, 54 & 55 Victoria school guides website....................................................................................8 What’s really at stake in debates over NAPLAN? .......................... 18 & 19 When it comes to higher education a little goes a long way............... 32 Young children benefit from explicit teaching on bullying ............... 52 Your child’s transition to school ............................................................................ 36

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Independent and Catholic Schools Guide

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Independent and Catholic Schools Guide