Pastoral Care Update

At the start of 2022, significant enhancement of our Senior School pastoral care system took place with the introduction of our House-based structure. This structure is designed to maximise the potential for each student to be known, loved, and affirmed. Key to its success is the connection between student, teacher, and family, and the core objective of maintaining closer relationships over an extended period.

We began this year with a strong sense of belonging through the House Gatherings for each of our College Houses. These community evenings provided the opportunity for families and staff to connect over prayer and a shared meal. A short video is provided below.

As part of an evaluation process, Senior School students and staff participated in a survey at the end of last year to provide feedback on their experience of the new House-based structure. The results were extremely positive, and students expressed their appreciation of the potential for establishing deeper and more diverse connections with others that the new structure provides. Students saw most value in the connections they were able to make across year levels and the relationships they were able to develop with mentor teachers.

Below are some responses from the survey made by Year 12 students:

“I’ve been able to develop new relationships with people in my house that I may not have spent a lot of time with.”

“People feel comfortable talking to all class members. This is shown most when we play class games together, it feels like a community.”

“I liked the way the new system allows for a greater relationship with your mentor teacher. This will become even better as the years continue as students spend more time with the particular teachers.”

“I have thoroughly enjoyed the connections I’ve made.”

“I like the small Mentor Groups and the focus on caring for each individual person”.

“I like the connections that I've been able to form with people in my Mentor Group that are in different year levels to me, but also the way I have become much closer with my own year level”.

These observations are very affirming in light of our core objectives. We will continue to review and refine the new structure, including the content of our 7-12 pastoral care program – Wellbeing, Faith and Service, Community and Celebrate - as we strive to provide a contemporary expression of cura personalis to our students and families.

I would like to thank all parents, staff and students for their engagement in the House-based structure and for your contribution to our loving, inclusive community.

Robert Passaniti
Director of Student Wellbeing – Senior School