Inside the Primary School

Pastoral Care

Northside Christian College wants students to flourish. We recognise that the wellbeing of our students is essential and plays a vital role in their learning. Northside is grateful to have a student wellbeing team, including a qualified chaplain and counsellor, that proactively supports students. This team works closely with Home Group teachers, subject teachers, learning support staff, the INSPiRE team, and administration staff. It also collaborates with parents, health care professionals, and other stakeholders.

The College has introduced a weekly check-in program called EI Pulse to help understand and support the wellbeing needs of students. EI Pulse provides weekly real-time feedback on how students are progressing with their wellbeing, and opens pathways for assistance for those who need help. Northside includes social and emotional learning within the curriculum. In Primary School, the College uses the Friendzy program, a Biblical social-emotional learning program that assists students in developing skills in self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, social awareness, and relationships. In the Middle and Senior Schools, the College introduced a Pastoral Care period in addition to the Home Group classes to further help students. In the Pastoral Care lessons, staff deliver the PeaceWise youth relationships and conflict management program, as well as the You Can Do It socialemotional learning program. Finally, we are grateful to have two student prayer groups that contribute to our student’s peer-topeer pastoral care. Vision Prayer provides an opportunity for students to spend time together in prayer, worship, and the Word. Furthermore, the Secondary School students help run the Vision Junior Prayer Group.

Educational Philosophy

Northside Christian College has developed a unique and strategic teaching and learning framework. It provides an opportunity for teaching staff to reflect on what we teach, why we teach it and how we can teach it in a way more closely aligned with the mission and vision of the College. The framework also provides a chance for the College to consider the knowledge, skills, work habits, and character traits we want to instil in our students and a chance to reference this with a wide range of 21st century expectations, from teamwork and interpersonal skills to interacting with technology in all its forms.

Reaching Higher

For students who excel academically, musically, artistically or on the sporting field, Northside Christian College provides avenues of extension and enrichment.

The INSPiRE program provides an opportunity for our students to explore their giftings outside of the regular classroom in a variety of ways, and is our College’s most targeted approach for releasing potential to transform our world. Students identified as being of high ability in a range of subjects and skills - such as STEM, debating, creative writing and art - are able to receive development, mentoring and enrichment opportunities. All students have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, with specialist tuition available in piano, guitar, drums, orchestral instruments and voice. Sport and physical education is a key learning area for students across every stage at Northside Christian College, and all students have an opportunity to participate in a wide variety of sporting programs throughout the school year. Athletes can test themselves against the best at other schools in athletics, cross country and swimming as part of the Christian Schools Events Network (CSEN), and in regular competition via the Western Christian Schools Sports Association (WCSSA), which covers seasonal sports including netball, volleyball, soccer, basketball, tennis, cricket and softball. The aim of these sporting networks is to promote friendship, goodwill and a spirit of sportsmanship and comradeship, together with healthy competition. Our Year 5 and 6 students also participate in District Sport facilitated by School Sport Victoria (SSV).

My favourite thing about Northside is all the many extra curricular sport programs such as Year 5/6 district sport, cross country, swimming squad and many more. I also really like the music program and opportunities to play in the Jazz and Year 6 band. This has really helped me to play an instrument as part of a team and in front of an audience!“

— Levi Y, student

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then “ you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.

— Romans 12:2

Child Safety

A key objective for Northside Christian College is to embed child safety practices into our culture, because maintaining a child safe organisation is not a one-off task. It must become part of our school’s ongoing processes and be embedded into our way of life. Guiding principles for the College’s Child Safety Policy, Code of Conduct and Procedures include: – the College has zero tolerance for child abuse; – the best interests of the student are paramount; – child protection is a shared responsibility; – all children have a right to feel safe and be safe at school, and have equal rights to protection from abuse; – the College will consider the opinions of students and use their opinions to develop child protection policies and procedures; – the College is committed to the cultural safety of and will take into account the diversity of all students, including (but not limited to) the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, students with disabilities, and students who are vulnerable, and will make reasonable efforts to accommodate these matters.

Admissions & Enrolments

Enrolment process

– Register for a Principal’s tour. – Apply online ($100 per application). – Parents may be invited to attend an enrolment interview with the Principal,

Director of Learning and/or Business

Manager, if a place is available in the year level requested. – Based on the completed application and the interview, an enrolment offer may be given to a student. Enrolment offers must be returned within the time stipulated in the offer, together with the $300 non-refundable enrolment acceptance fee (per family) and fee payment agreement.

Fees

Our current fee schedule can be found here.

Scholarships

Northside Christian College offers scholarships of up to 70% discount on tuition fees. Students entering Year 7 and Year 10 have the opportunity to apply for a Secondary Academic Scholarship and a General Excellence Scholarship. Students entering Year 10 also have the opportunity to apply for the Christian Leadership Scholarship.

Find out more

Before you go

Want to find out more?

Maybe some of these documents on our website can help. Check out our:

– Annual reports – Newsletters – Blog – Policies – Senior School resources – Child Safety