Seton Catholic College SAMSON | WESTERN AUSTRALIA
A Student-Centred Team Approach
Seton Catholic College provides many opportunities for students to develop their talents and skills through a variety of educational programs. The College is Christ-centred and student-focused in that we take pride in developing the whole person. Our holistic approach offers a broad and meaningful education that embraces spiritual, religious, intellectual, physical, social and emotional development. Central to this growth and learning is the increased understanding of relationships that students have with their peers, College staff and, importantly, with Christ. We are deeply committed to our core values of Respect, Inclusion, Service and Excellence (RISE); these reflect the ambitions and goals of our College and underpin our culture.
Pastoral Care Matters At Seton we believe ‘every interaction matters’ and this philosophy is essential in assisting in the development of each student’s own special gifts and talents. A dedicated team comprising of the Deputy of Wellbeing, Dean of Student Services, Campus Minister, College Psychologists, Heads of House, Pastoral Care Teachers and classroom teachers, work towards the care of every individual, monitoring both the academic progress and wellbeing of the students. We have six Houses which are made up of seven vertical Pastoral Care Groups consisting of 20 to 25 students ranging from Years 7 to 12. The Pastoral Care Teacher sees the students in their Pastoral Care Group every morning and is the first point of contact for families to discuss student progress, difficulties, illness, achievements, or a variety of other matters. Our vertical Pastoral Care structure enables the grouping together of younger and older students where the former can gain advice, information and support from the older students who can, in turn, develop their leadership and mentoring skills as they act as role models for the younger students. These informal goals are more formalised in our Peer Support Program where Year 11 students lead our Year 7 students in their orientation to Seton Catholic College. Early and regular contact between the College and parents cultivates positive relationships based around mutual respect, clear communication and opportunities for engagement. Our 'Team Seton' program offers further support and guidance by facilitating a community agreement between parents on age appropriate issues affecting their teenage children. The agreement is not enforced; however, the majority of our parents embrace it because it empowers them to navigate what can be a challenging time in their children’s lives. This successful and well-supported 'Team Seton' program is unique to Seton and has helped forge the wonderful community that currently exists.
We take transitions seriously Before each child commences in Year 7 a Seton staff member visits or contacts the student’s primary school to meet their current teachers to gather a well-rounded understanding of the way we can best support each child and ensure their entry into high school is a smooth and successful transition. In Term 4 of Year 6 we invite all Year 6 students to 'Welcome Day' to meet their Head of House and Student Leaders. They are organised into their House Groups and our Year 11 Peer Support Leaders (who have been selected because they are outstanding role models for younger students) run activities and games to help break the ice. Academic testing also takes place to provide information for teachers to enable them to start planning for the following year. A morning tea is held at drop-off time for parents to connect with other families. Year 6 Math workshops are run after school for 4 weeks in Term 4 of Year 6. These workshops, should your child choose to attend, allow students to familiarise themselves with Year 7 Math concepts, meet some of our Math staff and mix with students who will be their Year 7 peers. Seton specialist staff present essential information at the Term 4 Year 6 Parent Information Evening. 'Set for Seton' Newsletters are sent to students in Terms 2, 3 and 4. These newsletters contain tips about high school, photos of activities around the College as well as articles written by Year 11 and 12 students. Year 7 Uniform Priority Period is set aside for Year 7 families to visit the Uniform Shop to fit and buy uniforms. Our Orientation Day launches Orientation Week and sees our new Year 7s start a day earlier than other students. Year 11 Peer Support Leaders facilitate activities to allow Year 7s to familiarise themselves with the College and reconnect with other new students they met at Welcome Day. Orientation Week at Seton has students complete an in-class program where each Learning Area introduces key skills and ensures students can confidently navigate the campus and become familiar with Seton's routines, people and opportunities.
At Seton we believe that settling in is of foremost importance and that is why we put so much energy into ensuring the transition from primary school to high school is seamless.
Induction Day is the final day of Orientation Week and involves a day off campus undertaking team-building activities. The aim of the day is to develop student confidence, to facilitate new friendships and to foster connections with Peer Support Leaders. We offer a Year 7 Parent Information Session and 'Team Seton' Evening for parents regarding pastoral care issues that are relevant to students entering high school. The evening covers a collective and supportive community approach to social media, IT, parties, friendships and resilience. There is also information on the way the College operates and the opportunities available for the Year 7s; parents can meet with their child’s Pastoral Care Teacher to discuss concerns or ask questions. The night concludes with refreshments and a time to make connections and establish new networks. Every Wednesday morning in Term 1 Year 11 Peer Support Leaders run sessions with Year 7 students to help them settle into high school and form a strong bond with older role models. Settling into a high school routine and timetable are made easier through adjusted times for Year 7s in Term 1. All Year 7s finish classes 5 minutes early for recess and lunch as well as the end of the day and will have a teacher assisting them during this time. This allows the Year 7s to establish a routine and not be caught up in the rush to the Canteen and the buses / pick up area. During break time Year 7s are not restricted to specific areas, but they can remain in the designated 'Year 7 only' area if they choose; while their lockers are separate from other Year groups. The P&F Year 7 Welcome Family Picnic is an informal and relaxed picnic on the lovely front lawn of the College. Games, live music and food make this a event not to be missed on the College calendar.
Opportunity abounds At Seton, a rich and diverse co-curricular program allows students to develop and diversify their interests while growing their knowledge, skills and sense of responsibility. Our Retreat program which starts in Year 7, and continues to Year 12, involves active listening, discussion, prayer, liturgy and the purposeful use of leisure time. The program is designed for students to encounter the message of Jesus and the challenges of responding to His message as a model for life. From the moment students start in Year 7 they have the chance to take part in additional programs such as Music, Dance, Drama and our annual Brother Francis Visual and Practical Arts Exhibition. A busy sports program allows them to compete at House and Interschool competitions in Basketball, Netball, Soccer, Touch Rugby, Cricket, Australian Rules, Volleyball, Triathlons and more. Camps as well as interstate and overseas tours extend the curriculum beyond the classroom and offer ‘real life’ experiences that enhance student learning. Students are also encouraged to be regularly involved in Community Service initiatives as providing service to others and the environment, showing compassion and looking beyond themselves are values that are celebrated and encouraged at Seton. In a more informal setting, there are structured lunchtime activities for those who choose to be involved: sport matches, STEM activities, Lego, Chess, card games, Makerspace activities, use of virtual reality headsets and the 3D Printer. After school Math and English workshops are also offered.
Curriculum Focus As a community of continuous learners, Seton Catholic College appreciates and celebrates that every child can learn and that learning is a personal journey. We recognise that for our students to be using their God-given gifts to be engaged and contributing members of the community, they will need highly developed skills in critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, citizenship, character and communication. The focus for our students is learning more rather than just knowing more. It is about learning how to think rather than what to think. We will continue to nourish curiosity and creativity by ensuring that learning is active and deeply connected to our world. In Year 7, the curriculum provides opportunities for students to develop critical skills in literacy and numeracy, but also a broadening of the learning experience through creative and practical arts, information communication and technology, language and nutrition. Our One2One device program focuses attention on developing important IT skills early in Year 7.
Excellence & Creativity The Excellence & Creativity Program at Seton Catholic College aims to provide academically and creatively talented students with the opportunity to maximise their true potential. Through accelerated classes, academic competitions, Project Based Learning, differentiated activities in the classroom and a variety of extracurricular opportunities we provide the opportunity for gifted and talented students to apply their knowledge and develop deep learning both within and beyond the classroom. Regular accolades are received by Seton students on local, state and national levels, with recent successes in Debating and Project Based Learning. In 2019 over 400 teams and 2,000 students competed in the Perth Schools Debating Competition; our Year 8 Debating team placed 1st in the Competition. As an extension of a Project Based Learning class one of our Year 11 students won the State Just Start It Interschool competition; she went on to take first place in the 2019 WA Young Innovator of the Year which led to her travelling to Vietnam to present at a International gathering of innovators from all age groups.