Head of Secondary School Administration
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003 has been a year of great activity, initiative and planning for teachers in development of the College’s Curriculum, particularly in response to the implementation of the Curriculum Framework, an outcomes focus for learning. We have experienced the extension of Mr Robert Marshall Vocational Education and Acting Head of Secondary School Training provisions for our senior students and the development of a comprehensive course for senior students in our educational support programme. In addition to this Trinity has been fortunate to be involved with University research for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism, and the Australian Council of Educational Research that is part of a comparative numeracy standards research with other OECD countries.
Curriculum Framework This year at Trinity we implemented outcomes reports in Year 9. This is the end product of the change of the delivery of learning with an outcomes focus for students. This process results in a more personalised and student-centred delivery of the learning experiences, with consequent changes to the model of assessment, marking and reporting. The implementation of the Curriculum Framework has resulted in the further development of an integrated approach to learning. In both Year Eight and Year Nine, we have continued to develop the implementation of our value that Information and Communications Technology is used for learning; it is not a stand alone subject. ICT teachers have worked collaboratively with English and Society and Environment teachers to utilise ICT for the delivery of their courses. In Science, Mathematics and other subjects teachers are now using ICT, as commonly as students in previous generations used slide rules and four function calculators. Teachers in all learning areas continue to integrate the development of literacy in all learning and assessment experiences.
Post Compulsory Education.
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It has become apparent this year that the current model for Secondary Graduation and Tertiary Entrance Examinations will continue to 2007. The 2003 Year Eights will be the last to be assessed in the current model. Perceived benefits of the changes are that there will be no distinction between subjects – as currently with Tertiary Entrance Subjects and Wholly School Assessed subjects – resulting in all students being able to gain a Tertiary Entrance Rank for tertiary education.
With the increase of the opportunities in Vocational and Educational Training (VET) and the range of Wholly School Assessed Subjects all students have the opportunity of selecting courses that that will enable them to achieve results that will gain them entry to University or TAFE. We have had eight teachers of Wholly School Assessed Subjects participate in courses to prepare them to deliver and assess national training modules, which are common to current course work. Because of this, students can be credited with units for TAFE equivalent Certificate Two courses.
Education Support The College has developed an integrated studies programme for senior students in the educational support programme we will implement in 2004. This programme will incorporate study in English, Mathematics, Information Technology, Design and Technology, Social Science, and will include employment preparation and recreation integrated with a horticultural project. The course will be school based and result in students being able to achieve units in national training modules, similar to the other VET courses the College offers. The students will also undertake the mainstream Religious Education course.
Partnership with Parents Fundamental to the process of students achieving to their academic potential, is the importance of an excellent partnership between teachers and parents in working with boys. The support of parents for the College is particularly valued by teachers. In addition to these meetings, two hundred parents attended a presentation by Ian Lillico on the Education of Boys in August.
Teachers and Students I take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding work of our teachers, along with the excellent leadership of our Heads of Academic Departments and Subject Coordinators for being very professional and passionate in the delivery of the comprehensive curriculum and the extension opportunities we provide in addition to programmed subjects. I congratulate the students for their commitment to work and contributing to a learning environment in which striving for excellence is the norm and there is enjoyment in learning.
Robert Marshall Acting Head of Secondary
