Educational Framework 2017-2022

3St Philip’s College Educational Framework 2017- 2022 - to be reviewed annually

Intention of this document

This document is to guide strategy and ongoing development of practice. It is not to be a policy and procedure document. It is a STRATEGIC document, which provides high-level guidance for the development of a Strategic Action Plan.

This document will be reviewed each year as we learn and build towards best achieving our purpose - preparing students to flourish, contribute and care in a rapidly changing world and will drive wider strategic and education implementation plans.

5St Philip’s College Educational Framework 2017- 2022 - to be reviewed annually

Our Foundations

We actively, intelligently and passionately pursue our College Vision:

‘To be a world-class school community that excels at: Striving, Seeking, Caring’.

Our foundations and values are strongly grounded in the faith and tradition of the Uniting Church.

We are building on over thirty years of heartfelt, personal commitment by many to achieve the best educational and personal outcomes for the students at St Philip’s College.

We know we need to keep learning. The world is changing. Fast.

7St Philip’s College Educational Framework 2017- 2022 - to be reviewed annually

We are educating for success, for the future, which will be a very different world

The world is changing. It is being disrupted by accelerating digital, technological and other changes including the way we interact socially.

The very nature of ‘work’ is changing; the predication is that 30% of today’s jobs will be gone in a decade with losses even higher at 50% in remote areas 1 .

There will be different types of work requiring different sets of skills and capabilities. It is impossible to predict what work and life will be like in 60 years’ time.

Education today needs to prepare students for the future, which is unknown2. Education is not just about being work-ready. It is about being life-ready.

Our students need to be equipped to flourish. And at St Philip’s College, we want our students to be contributors who care for others, not just themselves.

1http://www.fya.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/fya-future-of-work-report-final-lr.pdf, accessed 27/3/17.2A male finishing Year 12 at St Philip’s at the end of 2017 will on average live until 2078, a female until 2083! The world will change considerably during that time… (see http://www.aihw.gov.au/deaths/life-expectancy, accessed 27/3/2017). 3 “Capabilities are the set of skills, behaviours and dispositions which allow an individual to convert their knowledge into meaningful action in a range of different settings” (Fox, 2016) cited in Torii, K. and O’Connell, M. Preparing Young People for the Future of Work. Mitchell Institute Policy Paper No. 01/2017. Mitchell Institute, Melbourne. Available from: www.mitchellinstitute.org.au

What is needed to flourish, contribute & care? The St Philip’s College motto encapsulates what’s needed: To Strive - Striving ambition, pushing forward, working hard To Seek - Seeking scanning ahead, looking for the next opportunity, learning, excellence To Care - Caring thinking about others, active compassion

Coupled and linked to these we believe that the following capabilities3 will best prepare students to flourish in this ever-changing world;

A SPC graduate is... • A contributor• A change navigator• A critical and creative thinker• Literate, numerate and digitally intelligent• Resilient• A collaborator• Good hearted

9St Philip’s College Educational Framework 2017- 2022 - to be reviewed annually

STRIVING

A Critical and Creative Thinker:

• Inquisitive• Imaginative

• Focused

Literate, Numerate and Digitally Intelligent:

• Proficient

• Competent• Lifelong learner

Resilient:

• Takes responsibility• Determined

• Emotionally intelligent

Our Purpose: Preparing students to flourish, contribute

& care in a rapidly changing world

A Change Navigator:

• Confident• Grounded

• Responsive

SEEKING

A Contributor:

• Shares• Thinks and acts beyond themselves

• Informed and engaged citizen

CARING

A Collaborator:

• Team Player• Team Builder

• Communicator

Good Hearted:

•Informed by Uniting Church

values and spirituality•Caring

•Moral compass

11St Philip’s College Educational Framework 2017- 2022 - to be reviewed annually

We educate to build these capabilities

Everything we do is aimed at building these capabilities.

Academic prowess is very important but we acknowledge that our student body is diverse with a significant range of skills and abilities. We aim to empower every student to achieve their own personal best, find their strengths and flourish.

We are committed to a holistic and ADAPTIVE approach - not a ‘one size fits all’ approach.

We aim to plan and actively engage the whole ‘system’ – Board, staff, students, parents, school community and town to build essential educational partnerships.

13St Philip’s College Educational Framework 2017- 2022 - to be reviewed annually

Education Strategies

1. We will keep ‘learning while doing’

We ourselves need to keep reflecting on practice and outcomes to learn in order to improve our outcomes.

We will be courageous, and implement/attempt different learning opportunities.

We will rotate action, learning and experimentation. This is NOT about getting the Educational Framework and its outcomes ‘right’, but setting up the process so that we get better and better as we learn more.

We will:

• Be data/research driven

• Persue best practice by engaging the services of the best consultants and teachers to update and challenge our thinking

• Learn while doing at the grass roots level (classroom, program level as well as at the holistic level) (see Strategy #6, Measuring Success)

• Resource innovation and learning strategies

15St Philip’s College Educational Framework 2017- 2022 - to be reviewed annually

Education Strategies

2. As educators we need to be what we want students to be

We can’t educate students about what we don’t know or what we don’t embody. Therefore, staffing requirements will determine the workforce development plan (structure, staffing and organisational chart).

Professional development is crucial as we move forward. Staff personal development plans/expectation/perspective in line with focus and needs.

17St Philip’s College Educational Framework 2017- 2022 - to be reviewed annually

Education Strategies

3. We prioritise our relationship with students

Relationship Based Learning (RBL) is at the core of our Educational Philosophy.

RBL develops links between staff and students which will help us achieve our educational outcomes.

We believe a strength-based approach i.e. Positive Education, offers opportunities around character development and resilience.

We acknowledge the connection between culture/wellbeing/values and outcomes.

Staff and student wellbeing is very important.

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Education Strategies

4. We consider the whole-person

St Philip’s College has a very strong focus on the development of the whole person.

We use out-of-classroom co-curricular programs, closely interconnected with the core curriculum to drive whole-person outcomes.

The importance of open lines of communication/relationships between students, school and parents.

Values-based learning integrated across all programs not just through religious education.

Development of individual learning plans.

21St Philip’s College Educational Framework 2017- 2022 - to be reviewed annually

Education Strategies5. We are very intentional in pursuing our Educational Purpose

St Philip’s College has a very strong focus on the development of the whole person.

Develop a school structure that enables scope for creativity, innovation and flexibility yet we acknowledge that many of our students will be striving for their best possible ATAR in their senior schooling years?

We recognise the need for a diversity of learning styles in response to multiple intelligences.

6. We measure success against whole-person outcomes

‘If you don’t measure it… it doesn’t matter’… using measures drives priorities and focus.

23St Philip’s College Educational Framework 2017- 2022 - to be reviewed annually