Chevalier College Prospectus

Chevalier College is a heart-centred community

Welcome We are a 7-12 coeducational Catholic school with around 900 students, owned and conducted by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC).

At Chevalier College everyone is welcomed and valued. We are an inclusive, safe environment where you will be nurtured, challenged and supported to find and pursue your passion.

Chevalier is a heart-centred community embodying the MSC values of love, honesty, reliability, trustworthiness and adaptability in an ever-changing world. We are a community which is compassionate,

educated and wanting to contribute to the development of the world we live in and will live in.

Chevalier graduates are self-motivated young adults who are resilient, reliable, outward looking and eager to embrace life after school. They have a strong educational basis, strong Christian values, are happy and curious, and look at the world in a positive way.

The values and ethos of an MSC education The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are a religious congregation of the Catholic Church founded in the 19th century by Jules Chevalier in France. Jules’s vision was that the Catholic Church should represent the core values of the heart of Jesus, namely, kindness, compassion, inclusivity, and hospitality. His mission was that he and his fellow Catholics would strive to ‘be on earth the heart of God’. We are all called to live these core values in our daily lives whether in our ordinary interactions with others or in the big decisions that humans make at various times in their lives. Jules devoted his life to this mission and encouraged all people to bring this vision to the world. All people are called to be Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.

This MSC ethos underpins everything we do at Chevalier College; it is who we are. Families of all religious traditions and those who do not identify with a religious tradition are welcome at Chevalier College.

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MSC VALUES:

• Kindness and understanding • Compassion • Forgiveness • Humility

• Sense of humour • Hospitality

’It is by the heart that we are something’ – Jules Chevalier

Principal’s welcome It is a privilege and a joy to come to work each day and I hope when you read this prospectus, it will give you a glimpse of why this is.

Set on our splendid 100-acre site, students are able to experience the diverse offerings of a large school, whilst feeling they are in a very secure and comfortable small school environment.

The MSC charism is one that focuses on love for one another, the same love that Jesus offers to us all. It is through this charism, known as Heart Spirituality, that the school has a very calm, peaceful and respectful feel about it. It is within this charism that students are encouraged and supported to be the best people they can be academically, physically, emotionally and spiritually and to be the best carers of others they can be – in essence, to be people of heart always striving ’to be on earth the heart of God‘.

As an educational community, we place high value on providing quality learning opportunities for all students. Our students are encouraged to develop skills and thinking that support a growth mindset, resulting in significant academic success. They have a reputation amongst the wider community for being

well-prepared for further study or employment after completing school.

Through our wellbeing structures, we aim to provide students with the support they require to achieve to the best of their ability. We hope all students feel valued and safe in our school and that they participate fully in all aspects of school life. Our extensive extracurricular program complements the academic curriculum and is seen as an integral and important part of their balanced education.

I invite you to get in touch if you would like a personal tour of the college, to explore in depth and witness for yourself the very special nature of the Chevalier College family and experience something of its heart.

CHRIS MCDERMOTT

Learning and Teaching We use a highly student-focused agenda to foster a culture of academic excellence, founded on the belief that every one of our students has the capacity to become a lifelong learner.

Our goal is that every student can achieve their academic potential. We offer a wide and varied curriculum that effectively allows the Chevalier student to build their own pathway. We are not an academically selective school, though we have students achieving at the very highest level.

We nurture the six attributes which form the definition of a learner, and guide our students to achieve their best, not only academically but also on their life journey.

1. Curious – always wondering how and why; want to get below the surface; ask questions.

2. Resilient – able to pick myself up and try again; be flexible in my thinking and my approach to learning.

3. Creative – able to use my imagination; approach problems from different perspectives.

4. Self-motivated – loving to do my best; setting goals and working towards them.

5. Courageous – not fearful of making mistakes; admit what I don’t know; take risks in learning; critically reflect.

6. Collaborative – know how to work with others; know how to listen and contribute productively to a team; value and recognise the input of others.

The breadth of our academic offering is extensive. We are fortunate to have state-ofthe-art facilities and a wealth of resources, and can therefore provide students with a uniquely balanced education which encompasses not just the core learning areas, but a much more diverse range of skills.

We focus on numerous areas to ensure the best outcomes for all students, including: • Enrichment Programs

VET Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses enable students to study courses that are relevant to industry needs and have clear links to postschool destinations. These courses allow students to gain both HSC qualifications, counting towards the ATAR and accreditation with industry and the workplace as part of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).

Vocational Education and Training courses currently being offered at the college include: • Business Services – Certificate II in Business • Construction – Certificate II in Construction Pathways • Hospitality – Food and Beverage – Certificate II in Hospitality

• Diverse Learning Programs

• Hospitality – Kitchen Operations – Certificate II in Kitchen Operations

• Accelerated Learning Programs

• Primary Industries – Certificate II in Agriculture

College curriculum We offer a wide choice of subjects across all year groups, with the hope that each student can reach their personal best by selecting academic subjects according to their own individual needs and interests.

STAGE 4 YEAR 7 AND YEAR 8

STAGE 5 YEAR 9 AND YEAR 10

All students in Years 7 and 8 have subjects that they are required to complete by NESA.

The subject options become even broader for students in Years 9 and 10, with an extensive range of electives that allow students to develop their own interests and strengths. In addition to core subjects, options include:

• English • Geography • History • Languages • Mathematics • Music • Personal Development, Health and Physical Education • Religious Education • Science • STEM • Technologies • Visual Arts

• Agricultural Technology • Commerce • Design and Technology • Drama • Food Technology • History Elective • Industrial Technology – Engineering, Metal or Timber • iStem (Integrated – Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) • Japanese • Music • Photography and Digital Media • Physical Activity and Sports Studies • Textiles Technology • Visual Arts • Wilderness Studies Where only a small number of students select a subject, the subject may not be viable to run that year.

STAGE 6 - YEAR 11 AND YEAR 12 Our wide range of HSC subjects for Years 11 and 12 include many extension options.

• Agriculture • Ancient History • Biology • Business Studies • Ceramics • Chemistry • Community and Family Studies • Computing Applications • Design and Technology • Drama • Earth and Environmental Science • Economics • Engineering Studies • English Advanced • English Extension 1 • English Extension 2 (Year 12 only) • English Standard • English Studies • Geography • History Extension (Year 12 only) • Industrial Technology – Timber Products and Furniture Technologies • Information Processes and Technology • Investigating Science

• Japanese • Legal Studies • Mathematics Advanced • Mathematics Extension 1 • Mathematics Extension 2 (Year 12 only) • Mathematics Standard • Modern History • Music 1 • Music 2 • Music Extension (Year 12 only) • Personal Development, Health and Physical Education • Photography, Video and Digital Imaging • Physical Education Bushcraft (Wilderness) • Physics • Society and Culture • Software Design and Development • Sport, Lifestyle and Recreation • Studies in Catholic Thought – 1 unit • Studies of Religion 1 • Studies of Religion 2 • Textiles and Design • Visual Arts

Subjects only run if there are sufficient students to make them viable and trends do change from year to year.

A highly individualised educational experience

Wellbeing At Chevalier College the wellbeing of our students is paramount.

When we refer to wellbeing we are referring to nurturing five elements: social, spiritual, emotional, academic and physical wellbeing. We focus on the whole person, not just their academic potential.

We believe that academic and personal success is hard to achieve if a student’s wellbeing is not in balance.

Combining pastoral support with academic attention results in students who whole-heartedly embrace their life choices and, importantly, enjoy their time at high school.

We aim to: • Foster values of mutual respect, care, compassion, responsibility and service within our community.

• Provide the opportunity for every student to value themselves, experience wellbeing and self-fulfilment.

• Allow students to become competent, confident and independent learners within a safe and caring environment, where they will feel empowered to take healthy risks.

• Support optimal learning and development outcomes through a holistic and school-wide approach that assists each student’s personal growth in spiritual, emotional, social, physical and academic terms.

VERTICAL HOME ROOMS The wellbeing structure is based on a family support system. Every student is placed in a Home Room group with students from Years 7-12.

The benefits of the Vertical Home Room system: • A home room creates a safe, supportive home environment to support students to achieve their best academically.

• The structure creates a connected family vibe with a mix of ages, and encourages students to form friendships with others in different year groups, and this in turn creates a web of positive interactions throughout the wider school.

• Knowledge of and relationships with students and their families is retained by Home Room teachers.

• Senior students become role models providing support for younger students.

• Leadership opportunities are created for all students.

Extra Curriculum At Chevalier College, we want our students to feel they are activated in all their abilities whether academic, creative, sporting, spiritual or emotional; we are committed to educating the whole person.

Extracurricular activities are not compulsory but we have a large uptake with around 70% of students taking part. With our whole-person philosophy in mind, we encourage our students to get involved and find something which sparks their interest among the huge array of opportunities available to them.

Choices include summer and winter sports, performing arts, visual arts, agriculture, social justice, cultural tours, and more academically-oriented activities such as debating, mock trial and public speaking.

Extracurricular choices include: SPORTS AND ISA REPRESENTATION As a larger school we usually have enough students to field strong teams. We are members of the Independent Sporting Association (ISA) and have teams competing in: athletics, basketball, cricket, cross country, hockey, mountain biking, netball, rugby, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, and touch football.

MUSIC Extracurricular music offers students an opportunity to extend their musical abilities through various bands, choirs and orchestral ensembles, including: the Chev Boys Vocal Group, the Chev Girls Vocal Group, Stage Band, Chamber Ensemble, Drumline, Reeds Ensemble, Jazz/Rock Band, Classic Rock Band, String Ensemble, Concert Band, Guitar Ensemble, Flute Ensemble, Orchestra and Junior Band. Students have many opportunities to perform including: music concerts each term, attending extension music festivals, playing in the musical orchestra, and playing at Anzac parades and local events.

SHOW TEAM Our onsite working farm is home to cattle, sheep, alpaca and chickens, as well as a bountiful vegetable garden. Our popular Show Team is responsible for caring for and presenting the animals at agricultural shows, frequently bringing home multiple awards from local events and further afield such as the Royal Easter Show.

DANCE ENSEMBLE The dance troupe meet weekly allowing dance students to put their skills to good use. They perform group routines, self-choreographed duets and solo dance routines. The troupe performs at numerous community and college events through the year.

DRAMA

adversarial setting. Students can take part in numerous roles including: barrister, solicitor, witness, magistrate’s clerk, court officer, or assisting with preparations. Students work as a team towards a common goal, and learn skills including advocacy, debating, problem-solving and professionalism. The Chevalier Mock Trial teams have been very successful, being state champions in 2013 and 2015!

Chevalier is well-known for our annual productions which alternate between a musical and a drama or comedy play. All students have the opportunity to get involved, whether it’s for fun, personal development or to develop skills.

There are roles for actors, singers and dancers, opportunities for musicians in the orchestra, or behind the scenes in the technical team including hair and makeup, costumes, set design, sound and lighting, and stage crew. Our state-of-the-art Performing Arts Centre provides a professional environment for our students to perform in and over the years, Chevalier has won numerous awards at the Canberra Area Theatre Awards.

DEBATING AND PUBLIC SPEAKING

TOURS

Our Visual Arts Enrichment program mentors our most talented young artists and provides them with a range of extension and enrichment experiences beyond normal classes. Students participate in exhibitions within the college and also in the wider community, such as the outdoor art exhibit next to our local Empire Cinema in Bowral. Chevalier’s young artists are frequently selected to take part in the acclaimed ArtExpress exhibition, and we are extremely proud to provide the foundations for many creative careers.

Over recent years Chevalier has participated in cultural, mission, social justice and sporting tours, offering enriching educational and cultural experiences for students. The number of tours and the destinations vary from year to year.

MOCK TRIAL Mock Trial introduces students to the judicial system by providing practical experience in the running of a court case in a true-to-life

Debating and Public Speaking give students the opportunity to develop invaluable skills including: researching, preparing and delivering speeches; debating; and negotiation. Chevalier students are very successful participants in both the Catholic Schools Debating Competition and the Southern Highlands Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA). We had so much interest in MUNA in 2019 that we sought special permission to enter three teams, where most other schools entered one.

VISUAL ARTS ENRICHMENT

Facilities and Campus Giving hearts and minds the space to grow.

Chevalier College is located in the beautiful Southern Highlands region of New South Wales. Our extensive school campus is situated on 100 acres, in Burradoo.

With sprawling playing fields, an onsite farm and stateof-the-art facilities, the sheer size and beauty of our campus truly sets us apart from other schools.

The college is well-equipped with excellent facilities that support the growth and wellbeing of our students, including: • A state-of-the-art Performing Arts Centre, completed in 2019 • A new multipurpose sports hall, completed in 2019 • Tennis courts • Basketball courts

• Six large sports grounds that are used for rugby, cricket, hockey, softball and football • A mountain biking track • An extensive agriculture teaching area with cattle, sheep and poultry • An extensively equipped hospitality area with a fully installed commercial kitchen and adjoining teaching café

11 Charlotte Street, Burradoo NSW 2576 PO Box 243 Bowral NSW 2576

| (02) 4861 1488 | office@chevalier.nsw.edu.au

| chevalier.nsw.edu.au