Luther College Exceptional Futures Strategic Plan

Exceptional Futures Strategic Plan

As we step boldly forward to meet the needs of our students in the global future context, Luther College is proud to present the Exceptional Futures Strategic Plan.

The plan is the result of significant collaboration between College Council and the Executive Leadership Team who share a passion and commitment for delivering educational opportunities that excite, challenge, and empower young people in their learning. Students, parents and staff contributed key insights at the commencement of the process as they reflected on their personal experiences and future needs. It is driven by our mission and vision and underpinned by our core values of excellence, integrity, creativity, service and community.

In this age of globalisation, we should not underestimate the rate of exponential change and its impact on education and its purpose. Key forces of digitisation, automation, collaboration, the dominance of data and the reworking of work are driving trends that dictate young people’s learning needs and shape our provision of education. If the education of the past has been about delivered wisdom, the education landscape of the future is about user-generated wisdom.

In meeting this challenge, we are committed to the provision of an exceptional Lutheran education that recognises and nurtures the distinct link between pastoral care, wellbeing and student learning outcomes. Our curriculum and pedagogy will empower students to be citizens of change, global stewards and community builders as they develop the sense of agency they need to reshape the world.

With this in mind, we have set three significant, overarching goals to drive innovative contemporary teaching and learning, to build a culture of inclusivity and equal opportunity, and to promote sustainable practices. Supporting these goals is a comprehensive

strategy framework including mapped indicators, measurable action plans and an organisation-wide innovation strategy to keep us on track and accountable for the achievement of our goals.

Since its commencement in 1964, Luther College has been a significant leader in Christian co-education, offering an educational environment where Christ is central, excellence is pursued, and relationships are valued. Our college motto, Unctio Eius Docet (The Holy Spirit is our Teacher) forged by our college’s founders continues to inform and guide our school. The plan is meaningfully developed to honour this foundational work and position us to deliver outstanding educational opportunities for our students as we work towards 2025.

Luther College is an exciting place to be as we forge a path to the future and support our students in the development of their God-given gifts and abilities. We give thanks for God’s grace and the abundant blessings which gives shape to our present day and supports our future development.

Helen Suke Council Chair

Jacqui Layfield Principal

Mission

Drive innovative, contemporary teaching and learning.

Targets

Teaching practice is led by contemporary data and research.

The co-curricular program is intentionally designed to deepen learning.

Our people are empowered to thrive on challenge.

Our teachers are committed to continual improvement.

We provide contemporary learning environments.

GOAL 2

Build a culture of inclusivity and equal opportunity.

Targets

Individuals feel safe and included.

We celebrate being a place without barriers.

Wellbeing is promoted.

Proactive connections with community deepen our relationships.

Promote sustainable practices.

Targets

Sustainable practices are embedded.

Our people actively serve in the world.

We have a strong Lutheran identity.

People are responsible global stewards.

We seek to improve.

Contemporary Teaching and Learning Philosophy

Learning at Luther prepares young people for life. We know that young people learn best when they feel safe, comfortable and connected in an atmosphere that is nurturing, yet challenging and motivating. Our young people are facing the most significant disruption in the world of work since the industrial revolution and, as such, education must build capabilities that will best position our learners for tomorrow. Rich, personalised learning experiences embedded in a contemporary and innovative curriculum that encourages student agency will develop the essential knowledge, skills and attributes they need to meet these challenges and experience an exceptional future.

Collaboration

Critical Thinking

Thinking

Learning to

Achieving

Learning to

Developing

The

to explore

Being

Learning to contribute

Using

Learning together

Being

Excellence

Learning to improve

Achieving personal bests while striving for the highest quality outcome.

We believe that all learners should be:

• Supported to pursue their personal best and experience success.

• Engaged in authentic learning experiences that develop deep, analytical, and critical thinking.

• Curious and creative problem-solvers using inquiry, logic, resourcefulness, and innovation.

• Encouraged to generate new ideas, possibilities, and action.

• Guided through mastery of skills and understanding.

• Coached to value a culture of feedback, reflection, and growth.

• Willing to take risks and see mistakes as opportunities.

Integrity

Learning to be

Developing qualities of the whole person that have high moral value.

We believe that all learners should be:

• Increasingly independent and self-managed.

• Reflective, self-aware, and accountable for their actions.

• Resilient, embracing challenges with determination and optimism.

• Guided to explore deep moral and ethical understandings.

• Actively improving emotional, spiritual, and physical wellbeing.

Creativity

Learning to explore

Being curious, questioning assumptions and using imagination to experiment.

We believe that all learners should be:

• Encouraged to imagine possibilities and connect ideas.

• Guided to explore situations and generate alternatives.

• Supported to experiment with options and actions when seeking solutions.

• Adjusting and explaining their thinking and identifying the thinking behind choices, strategies and actions taken.

• Reflecting on actions and processes, and transfer knowledge into new contexts to create alternatives or open up possibilities.

Service

Learning to contribute

Using one’s gifts for the benefit of others.

We believe that all learners should be:

• Celebrating their God-given gifts and talents with the community.

• Seeking opportunities to give back to the community through service.

• Encouraged to develop understandings relating to issues of global stewardship.

• Demonstrating empathy and a sense of responsibility.

• Encouraged to make significant contributions to the global village.

Community

Learning together

Skilled at living and working with others.

We believe that all learners should be:

• Able to communicate clearly and effectively.

• Aware of commonalities and differences, creating connections with others, and cultivating mutual respect.

• Seeking opportunities to learn with others to accomplish common goals.

• Positively engaging with activities and community events.

• Understanding, trusting, collaborative, and supportive community members.

Excellence in learning

Luther College values excellence and creativity in teaching and learning for all community members. A culture of challenge and support nurtures enthusiastic, independent learners, committed to lifelong learning. Excellence in teaching and learning is focused on improving student outcomes which includes spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional, cultural and social dimensions. All learners should have access to quality learning experiences that ensure they develop their God-given abilities so that they may enrich the world. High expectations are established through reflective practice, collaborative planning, monitoring, providing feedback and reporting on the effectiveness of learning. The learning environment promotes active engagement, risk taking, motivation and a strong learner voice.

Ongoing improvement and innovation

Improvement is guided by its values, vision and mission. Excellence is pursued through a culture of reflection, collaboration, innovation and creativity. Evidence is gathered to develop and implement improvement plans and policies for the continuous development of teaching and learning, the institution and its facilities. Ongoing professional learning encourages all members of the community to achieve high standards and develop their service and leadership capacity.

Leading effective organisation and management

Roles, responsibilities and procedures are clearly articulated so that staff can participate in its smooth and efficient operation. Data and knowledge management methods and technologies are used to ensure that resources (human, physical, technological and financial) are efficiently organised and managed to provide an effective, safe and caring, growth-oriented learning and working environment. Strategic planning ensures the ongoing improvement and sustainability of the school. Best practice is built upon effective collaboration between the governing body, staff, students, families, church and others.

Strengthening Lutheran identity

Luther College, as an agency of the Lutheran Church of Australia, shares a recognisable Lutheran identity in which the gospel of Jesus Christ informs all learning and teaching, all human relationships, and all activities in the school. The rituals, symbols, visual displays and practices convey its Christ-centred identity. The community is regularly involved in Christian worship which includes daily devotions. Christian Studies is an essential and distinctive part of the formal curriculum. Luther College deliberately and intentionally shares and lives the good news of Jesus Christ with students, families, staff and the broader community. Opportunities for faith nurture are actively promoted and maintained.

Community building

Luther College values the richness and diversity of the wider community and other education sectors. Positive and strategic partnerships are developed and maintained with students, families, local Christian communities, the broader community and Lutheran education. The relationships are built upon support, collaboration, trust and reconciliation. The community lives out the gospel and is active in service of others. The multicultural and multi-faith nature of Lutheran education and Australian society fosters understandings of diverse cultures. Lutheran education promotes the understanding of, and respect for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Source: Growing Deep Leadership and Formation Framework (Lutheran Education Australia)

At Luther College, innovation means focusing on continual improvement of our practice.

As educators, our challenge is how best to change and improve the quality of teaching and learning in order to prepare our young people to be passionate and effective global contributors in the evolving landscape. The answer to this challenge is innovation. Our organisation-wide innovation strategy provides the blueprint for developing the characteristics of risk-taking, flexibility, creativity and continual improvement in our approach to our core business of teaching and learning. Innovation initiatives will correlate to the strategic goals and targets while providing opportunities to learn through exploration, experimentation, success, and failure. This practice will support improved outcomes for teaching and learning while further developing the quality of our educational service.