Southern Cross Grammar Prospectus

PROSPECTUS

3 PRINCIPAL’S WELCOME

5 HISTORY AND VALUES

9 F-12: STAGES AND MILESTONES

CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS

Lower Primary: F-2 | 11

Music | 23

Upper Primary: 3-6 | 13

Clubs and Activities | 25

Year 7 | 15

Camps | 27

Middle Years: 8-9 | 17 SOUTHERN CROSS GRAMMAR PROSPECTUS

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Senior Years: 10-12 | 19

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PRINCIPAL’S WELCOME

Southern Cross Grammar has a proud history of meeting challenges with skill and composure. We have worked hard and attracted outstanding staff who understand the value of high performance and resilience.

As a school community focused on personalised approaches to learning and caring, we deliver quality classroom learning experiences and many co-curricular activities and events both in and out of remote learning.

Like the proud constellation we take our name from, at Southern Cross Grammar, we celebrate everyone’s individual strengths and interests, and foster an environment where students experience a deep sense of belonging. In this way, staff, students and parents shine in their own right while also contributing to the overall success of our community.

The intimate size of our school, our buildings’ modern design, contemporary programs and our one campus F-12 structure all form part of what is a warm, productive and exceptional experience for our students.

With our plans well underway to expand our facilities along with a commitment to continual improvement, we are excited for the bright future ahead for our school, students, staff and our community.

I am confident that when you visit our beautiful campus and experience our warm, hardworking and high performing community, you will feel the SCG difference for yourself.

Mr Matt Dodd Principal

29 HOUSE

31 COMMUNITY

33 STUDENT VOICE

35 FUTURE

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Mr Zig Inge ringing our school bell at the school’s offical opening

HISTORY AND VALUES SOUTHERN CROSS GRAMMAR PROSPECTUS

Officially opened in July 2011 in the presence of Mr Zig Inge and the Inge group, Mr Michael Daly and the founding Board of Directors, and the Foundation Principal Mr Andrew Ponsford, Southern Cross Grammar has thrived, building a high performing, modern school for families seeking a quality education in Melbourne’s West.

Southern Cross Grammar remains committed to a student-centred approach that develops the whole child into a capable and successful adult. The school is single campus with a population that promotes a Personalised Approach in a liberal and modern environment.

The Current Principal, Mr Matthew Dodd, with the support and guidance of the Board Chair, Mr Andrew Borg, and the Board of Directors continues to honour the school’s proud foundations and history while remaining committed to the continual improvement the school has become known for.

AUSTRALIAN DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE Southern Cross Grammar commits to supporting and promoting, through its programs and teachings, the principles and practice of Australian democracy, including a commitment to: (a) elected government; and (b) the rule of law; and (c) equal rights for all before the law; and (d) freedom of religion; and (e) freedom of speech and association; and (f) the values of openness and tolerance.

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PERSONALISED LEARNING With a genuine commitment to Personalised Learning, our students enjoy many opportunities to build on their strengths and pursue their passions. Our Head of Personalised Learning leads our school’s efforts in data collection and research of each child such as their contributions in co-curricular activities.

Most importantly, we have built a culture that supports the individual while developing belonging. We plan to stay at a scale that supports good knowledge of each student.

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F-12

STAGES AND MILESTONES It is a privilege and a great advantage to guide a student’s development from their first steps in literacy in Foundation to their final examinations and graduation in Year 12. Our students find comfort in navigating our one campus and everyone benefits from having all year levels, together, on campus. Our youngest students feel safe and cared for and our older students have everyday opportunities to be role models and build compassionate and thoughtful relationships across the school.

Each stage in the F-12 pathway provides students with something to look forward to and a new challenge to master. As a result, our students are empowered to lean into their learning and skills development, stay motivated and maximise their social, emotional and academic learning.

For those joining the school at Year 7, or indeed at any year level, our intimate community means you will be welcomed and make friends quickly. Our commitment to Personalised Learning ensures we will build your capacity from your first day at SCG.

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LOWER PRIMARY FOUNDATION-YEAR 2

SOUTHERN CROSS GRAMMAR PROSPECTUS

Our F-2 learning program places great emphasis on the foundational skills of literacy and numeracy, and gaining a clear picture of each child to set our youngest students up for success as they progress through Southern Cross Grammar.

In addition to regular mornings focused on laying strong academic foundations, our students in the F-2 sub school spend their day learning how to learn. Under the guidance of highly experienced teachers and support staff, they learn how to listen, develop their questioning skills, and social and emotional regulation. These essential skills are developed in a safe, kind and joyful environment filled with laughter and delight as students and their teachers work productively and with great purpose.

In addition to their classroom teacher and support staff, students also enjoy a number of specialist classes such as Art, Music, Chinese and Physical Education.

As part of an F-12 school, our Lower Primary students also enjoy visits from expert staff and take part in guest classes throughout the year such as STEM.

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UPPER PRIMARY YEARS 3-6

SOUTHERN CROSS GRAMMAR PROSPECTUS

By Upper Primary, students enjoy greater personal responsibility and are further involved in their own learning plans.

While literacy and numeracy skills remain important and continue to form the majority of lessons, our emphasis shifts to inquiry classes to provide students with opportunities to apply their skills across a greater variety of contexts.

Specialty Art, Music and Physical Education classes continue with an introduction of regular STEM classes with a specialty teacher.

Our off-site camps program begins in Year 3 with an overnight camp. The Year 3 off-site camp program is the first of many camps during students’ time at SCG. The camps program, which concludes in Year 11, provides students with opportunities to explore and learn in remote or overseas environments.

In Year 5, the Band program introduces students to a greater range of instruments including brass, woodwind and percussion.

From Year 5, students begin visiting the Secondary School on regular incursions. Doing this maximises the advantages being an F-12 school provides for our younger students. It allows them to begin building relationships with other members of staff and older students, while familarising themselves with the secondary areas at SCG. As role models in the Primary School, Upper Primary students take on leadership roles and build their leadership skills as they prepare to enter Secondary School.

By giving our Upper Primary students further opportunities to grow and mature through a range of leadership opportunities, off-site camp programs and on-site incursions to the secondary school, our students emerge confident and ready to take part in a calm and productive Year 7 program. We find that students who join our school community as part of our regular Year 7 intake benefit from making a friend that knows where to go and models a confidence that spreads across the Year 7 cohort.

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YEAR 7 SOUTHERN CROSS GRAMMAR PROSPECTUS

Year 7 represents a significant milestone for SCG families. For those joining us for the first time, it is a great joy and privilege to welcome new families and the skills, enthusiasm and new relationships they bring to our school. For existing families, the entry into Secondary School is significant with multiple teachers and new specialty classes to navigate for the first time.

To assist with this exciting but significant change, we have a Head of Year 7 as part of our broader wellbeing team. The Head of Year 7 is a central point of communication and care for students and families as part of our commitment to creating a smooth transition for our students and their families in this new stage of their learning journey.

In addition to forming Secondary School routines Year 7 focuses on maturing students in their approach to, and skills for, learning with great energy and joy. Students at this stage in life are becoming more metacognitive. As a school we offer students support and opportunities to reflect on their thinking and problem solving skills.

In addition to providing a positive, strength-based approach, our school also uses the significant benefits of the Resilience Project.

We value our students developing and adopting a balanced approach to life, including the ability to persevere through initial hardships to develop their full potential.

Southern Cross Grammar has always attracted a range of learners who are driven and committed to maximising their learning. Year 7 students are invited to apply for one of our select entry courses in Music or STEM. Successful applicants will spend 6 lessons a fortnight in specialty classes that are advanced and well suited to capable learners. If you are interested in the select entry offerings, you will be involved in a Personalised Learning project with a range of Year 7 and 8 students and teachers from each facility to assist you with developing your own passion.

For the majority of classes in Year 7, students will be together and are encouraged to participate in all areas of the curriculum to build their experience in a range of specialty subjects as outlined in our curriculum documents.

Whether your child’s personal best is to be found in our sports science gym or in our music rehearsal rooms, each student will have moments to shine and opportunities to challenge themselves.

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MIDDLE YEARS YEARS 8-9

SOUTHERN CROSS GRAMMAR PROSPECTUS

Our students are introduced to creating customised learning programs during our Secondary School Middle Years.

In Year 8 we offer students choice in the languages stream and, most significantly, through the projects students chose within each subjects. In languages, students may chose to continue with Chinese, move to Global Studies or study Linguistics.

Students may also apply for, or continue to take part in our STEM or Music select entry programs.

After mastering introductory skills in specialty classes, we encourage students to specialise. In Creative Industries this could mean being an artist, IT manager, lighting technician or sound engineer! By specalising, all students get to experience the full curriculum and balance it with passion projects and special interests.

Year 8 students also enjoy the challenge of the snow camp. The unique environment, the challenge of skiing and the joy of spending nights together in the alpine chalet makes this one of our students’ favourite camps with many students and staff having fond memories of the experience.

By Year 9, students develop a deeper knowledge of their interests and strengths by partaking our expanded offering of electives.

Students’ motivation is high throughout the program as they begin thinking about the many pathways available, and as they move through the secondary middle years as leaders and role models.

Year 9 students graduate from our outdoor camps program with a number of options for adventure camps. At Year 9, our students are keen to explore the wider world and their place in it. We provide programs and experiences to support their adventurous spirit while balancing safety and maximising their sense of achievement. We also give students agency to have an input in planning and leading the experience.

At the end of their time in our Middle Years program, our Year 9 students enter their Senior Years confident and ready for their final years of schooling.

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SENIOR YEARS YEARS 10-12

SOUTHERN CROSS GRAMMAR PROSPECTUS

Our Senior Years program supports students’ ambition to advance their learning in their final years of schooling.

With a number of options to accelerate into VCE in Year 10 along with a great number of pre-VCE electives, students begin their Senior Years with great choice and many options to personalise their learning program. Our staff are experts in their field of teaching and our senior students enjoy the privilege of learning under their guidance.

There is a real sense of maturity across our Secondary School and the relationships between staff and students intentionally encourage increased self-management for senior students. From signing in and out, to arranging meetings to discuss progress, students take small but significant steps towards reaching the level of independence required to do well in Tertiary settings beyond SCG’s gates.

Students can also accelerate into university studies as part of their VCE. Where we can, we support sensible challenges for our students, from Foundation to Year 12.

We offer our students a number of interstate and overseas tours, to compliment their studies and further shape them into world ready graduates.

As leaders of the school, we also look to our senior students to set the example for the younger members of the SCG community; a role they take with pride.

Whether you see our senior students helping primary students in the yard and playground, leading a house activity, studying in a class independently, or navigating their way around Mayan ruins, you will see a young person who values themselves as well as others; a person who is well rounded, kind and ambitious. In any number of contexts, like us, we are confident that you too would be proud of our senior students and the way they manage their learning and their life more broadly.

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CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS In line with grammar traditions, students at SCG enjoy a rich co-curricular program. From active offerings through house and inter-school sport, to clubs and specialty programs such as the robotics club or music ensembles, the programs offer students ways to foster a sense of belonging and close relationships beyond the classroom with children from various year levels with similar interests.

Our co-curricular programs are an integral part of the SCG experience and helps students to develop a broad range of skills including leadership, creativity, teamwork and resilience.

The program also provides the important step from theoretical to contextual, allowing real world, authentic applications of learning.

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MUSIC SOUTHERN CROSS GRAMMAR PROSPECTUS

SCG is an enthusiastic supporter of music. From classroom music in the primary school, including our string and band programs, all students benefit from time spent learning in this area. Whether a student is motivated to develop themself as a proficient musician or simply wants to be involved in classroom basics, we work with students, families and instrumental staff to tailor a program to fit every student.

Our Select Entry Program in Years 7 and 8 provides a peak performance environment with like minded and talented musicians for accepted students. This program leads into high performing ensembles which provides a pathway to excellence for those wanting to pursue music with a high level of commitment and skill.

We also celebrate the importance of music as a recreational pursuit and offer a number of co-curricular activities, and open choirs and bands for those simply wanting to be involved socially and at a recreational level.

In Secondary School, students may elect to study music as part of their VCE as well as industry skills through a number of VET options.

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CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES SOUTHERN CROSS GRAMMAR PROSPECTUS

A number of teachers offer clubs to further extend the breadth and depth of learning at SCG. Sporting and fitness clubs, robotics, games, and visual and performing arts clubs are popular in many year levels.

Our school supports student initiatives and our culture encourages student vision, voice and action. Students may also elect to organise their own clubs to share a skill or interest with others. By taking part in clubs, either through facilitating their own club or joining an established club, staff empower students to be future leaders by offering them safe spaces to further build their confidence, collaborative and leadership skills through working with others.

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Our community is focused on developing capable adults who know themselves, understand their capacity and are able to go out into the world confidently. We want to instill self-belief in our students with the knowledge that they are more capable than they might think, and that with the right support, skill and preparation, they can achieve at the highest levels. We value resilience above all other skills; the ability to get up after a setback puts our students in a great position to be successful throughout their lives.

Camps are an ideal setting to promote and practise these skills.

Starting with a meal at school after dark with their class, and culminating in exploring worldwide locations, our camps program is sequentially challenging and builds skills each year. The program also forms many positive memories for SCG students that last a lifetime.

CAMPS SOUTHERN CROSS GRAMMAR PROSPECTUS

ON-SITE CAMPS

ALPINE / SNOW CAMPS

ADVENTURE CAMPS

INTERSTATE CAMPS

OVERSEAS CAMPS

CHINA CAMP

PERU TRIP

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Gamma

Beta

Delta

Ginan (Epsilon)

Alpha

HOUSE The house system, named after the stars in the Southern Cross constellation, offers students additional opportunities to interact across age groups and deepen their sense of belonging at SCG. With athletics, cross country and swimming carnivals, along with debating, performing arts and music competitions, our house program provides the ideal platform to strengthen our community’s wellbeing and our co-curricular offerings.

The idea of many stars making up the one iconic constellation also provides a great metaphor for the balance we aim for between celebrating individual and group achievement.

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COMMUNITY We are a strong community. Families, staff, Alumni and local, national and international partners all contribute to the deep sense of belonging students and their families feel throughout their time at Southern Cross Grammar.

Our families are at the heart of our school community. Successful in their own right through study or business, and in life more broadly, their collective role in valuing their child’s education and showing a genuine interest in partnering with us to educate their child, makes the strong foundation for students launch into successful adult lives.

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STUDENT VOICE SOUTHERN CROSS GRAMMAR PROSPECTUS

The ability to express your views and needs while also being able to listen to others takes time and practise.

Our students have a number of formal leadership roles that provide a structure for student voice. Beyond this, we encourage students to adopt confidence to ask for assistance, share ideas and actively contribute to the continual improvement of their school.

Student agency, efficacy and self-belief are built through their ideas being heard, considered and making an impact. By being in teams, listening to others with genuine interest and stepping into small and large leadership roles, our students’ thoughts and experience shape their experience at SCG and we work closely with them to build the wonderful school we all enjoy.

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FUTURE We have built a solid reputation for high levels of care and personal academic achievement during our first decade of establishing Southern Cross Grammar.

In the immediate future, a sports science gym will be in place for the beginning of the 2021 school year along with an expansion of our STEM facilities and senior art room.

Set for opening in 2022, the next stage of our campus expansion is a confident next step for our community. With state of the art, modern facilities including Visual and Performing Arts rooms, a commercial training kitchen and restaurant, two cafés, Year 12 study and social spaces, a second library and an auditorium, this really is an exciting time to be learning and teaching at SCG. The growth in physical resources is matched by a program to further strengthen our teaching, learning and co-curricular programs.

We look forward to discussing any aspects of our strategy with you.

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2–20 LANCEFIELD DRIVE, CAROLINE SPRINGS, VIC 3023 (03) 8363 2000 ENROLMENTS@SCG.VIC.EDU.AU FACEBOOK.COM/SOUTHERNCROSSGRAMMAR INSTAGRAM.COM/SOUTHERNCROSSGRAMMAR