How We Help Our Students

Contemporary Teaching and Learning - Boys Education
St Edmund’s College has been teaching boys, Years 4-12, since 1954. We continually adapt our methods and programs to ensure that we deliver contemporary learning opportunities for our students. Our learning philosophy and teaching strategies are underpinned by our experience of “what works for best for boys”. For example, all classroom activities fall into one or more of the following five categories:  Connect, Challenge, Collaborate, Create and Contemplate.

Holistic Education
At St Edmund’s College all subjects are equally important and have the same smount of time allocated to them. Literacy and Numeracy skills are integrated across all subjects. NAPLAN is used diagnostically to review strengths and areas for improvement in the educational program for each student individually. We also measure our school success in other terms, such as the level of healthy participation in physical activity and other co-curricular activities offered by the College, student satisfaction and, our ability to facilitate an appropriate pathway for each student’s future.

Electronic Learning
At St Edmund’s College we use an electronic learning platform, StudyWiz, to ensure that students have access to classroom, research and assessment resources from home. Access to StudyWiz is available to all our parents to assist them in supporting their sons’ academic efforts.

Independent Learning
Rather than nightly homework that may conflict with the busy schedules of the modern family, all students are issued fortnightly activities to complement class work. These activities are staged according to age to support the development of independent study habits required for lifelong education and employment.

Flexible Learning Spaces
Teachers have access to a variety of learning spaces in which to teach according to the goals of their subjects. From traditional classrooms, to computer labs, to lecture rooms, to open plan areas, we provide many options to assist teachers in engaging students.

Assessment Policies that Emphasise Social Justice
Our assessment policies reflect our appreciation of the rigours of childhood. Special consideration is given in cases of genuine illness or misadventure ensuring that all students are treated fairly and equally according to their individual circumstances.

Student Effort Reporting
Every four weeks, students and their parents receive feedback against the following student developed criteria: Attitude, Contribution to Learning, Completion of Tasks and Classroom Behaviour. This assists students, parents and teachers in identifying the student strengths and areas that may require targeting for improvement.

Student Effort Tracking
Each term, we look at every student’s effort for the previous term in comparison with his past performance. Students are affirmed where they have improved and offered extra support if their effort grades have fallen.

Academic and Pastoral Care in Partnership
Our academic and pastoral teams work in close partnership to enable students to achieve and improve. Parent/Tutor Nights at the start of each semester allow for advice on academic goal setting, study skills and holistic improvement. Parent/Teacher Nights in the middle of the semester allow for advice on student progress and skill development.

Effort Priority in Elective Allocation
In high school, St Edmund’s College students have the opportunity to select elective. In the allocation of students to electives, we give preference to those students who maintain a high effort grade average across all subjects. This allows students to study specialty areas with like-minded students and provides a strong extrinsic incentive to try their best at all times.

Affirming Academic Success
Effort is as significant and important a part of academic success as achievement. Each semester, students with grade averages of ‘B’s or higher across both categories are publically awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze Academic Success Certificates.

Supervised Senior Study
Each Year 11 and 12 student is allocated the equivalent of one line of the timetable to work with the support of our Senior Studies Advisors.  Here they are supported in the completion of Structured Learning Programs developed by their subject teachers.

Flexible Learning
Each Year 11 and 12 student is offered optional Flexible Learning activities that add value to their ACT Year 12 Certificate.  A large range of employability, academic and community skills can be studied, developed and certified to ensure that they have a competitive edge with respect to their post-Year 12 aspirations.