welcome to our dynamic senior college in 2019 · the ib diploma programme is a two-year curriculum...
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Welcome to our dynamic Senior College in 2019
Head of School welcome
Head of School
Dr John Collier
St Andrew’s Cathedral School is a unique
learning community in the heart of
Sydney’s CBD. We strive to develop the
whole child – their heart, mind and life.
We aim to develop their character through
our wellbeing program which nurtures
specific character strengths based upon
our foundational Christian values.
Our Senior College, defined as Years 10,
11 and 12, offers an incredible breadth of
opportunities, lead by highly experienced
and specialist teachers.
The manner in which students perform
over these years will determine university
or TAFE course entry, career path, eventual
salary projection and lifestyle. In this respect
the years are formative and vital. The
school offers plentiful assistance and advice
to students and parents for negotiating
this age and stage of development. After
all, young people are our core business, in
which we have considerable experience!
Students and parents are encouraged to
utilise our specialist staff, who strive to
meet the needs of every student.
The College’s highly relational environment
ensures every student is valued, known
and supported.
The tertiary style of campus allows students
to move freely within the city precinct
between classes and during breaks. The
school encourages students to rise to the
challenge of being mature and
responsible citizens within the Senior
College community, preparing them
for the world beyond the classroom.
As a very large Senior College, students
can study an enormous array of subjects
and courses, which include the Higher
School Certificate or International
Baccalaureate Diploma in Years 11 and 12.
The school provides rich co-curricular,
cultural and sporting opportunities:
a vast range of genres and styles
of music, drama, international tours,
outdoor education hikes, camps and
expeditions, a tremendous diversity of
team and individual sports, and structured
opportunities to grow in service.
As a Christian school, St Andrew’s Cathedral
School invites students to actively reflect
on Christian faith, as their education equips
them to critique various philosophies and
world views.
Students in our Senior College are in very
good hands. Mr David Lindsay, Head of
Senior College, has close to 20 years’
experience in this role in two schools.
As a former engineer and as an experienced
teacher of Mathematics, and as someone
who has parented three children into
adulthood, he brings a great deal to the
table in this role.
Also available to students and parents
will be our eight excellent Heads of
House, our school counsellors and our
very fine Careers Advisor.
SACS - Senior College 2019 | 1
Character strengths sit at the centre of our student wellbeing framework, with all students from Kindergarten through to Year 12 being involved in age-specific wellbeing programs. Our school’s overarching theme is to develop in our students hearts that love, minds that grow and lives that give.
Below are the key attributes of learners at St Andrew’s Cathedral School.
In the light of Christ, we strive for students to have:
• Hearts that love,• Minds that grow and• Lives that give.
HeartMindLife
Grateful
ServantHearted
CaringPrincipled
Courageous
Open
Minded
Knowledgeable
InquiringThinking
Reflective
Persistent
Balanced
Hopeful
Communicative
SelfControlled
| SACS - Senior College 20192
Student wellbeing and pastoral care
Tutor Groups and the House system
Student wellbeing at St Andrew’s provides a comprehensive approach built on the premise that young people learn best when they are healthy, safe and happy. Our structures and programs are delivered
by staff who genuinely care for students
and seek to develop in students a strong
sense of identity, resilience and
connectedness in all areas of school life –
from the classroom to the playing fields.
We believe that each student is entitled
to individual care and attention and that
continuity of that care throughout the
student’s time at the school will help to
achieve this sense of identity, resilience
and connectedness.
Every Senior College student is a member
of a House and Year-level based tutor
group. Students meet as a tutor group in
tutorial periods twice a week for one
pastoral tutorial and one academic. The
Houses meet on a regular basis and sit
together during Chapel and Cathedral
gatherings each week. These regular
gatherings allow tutors and the Head of
House to develop a sound relationship
with the students in their care.
In most cases, tutors remain with the
students through to Year 12 and follow
their progress through the senior years.
The tutorial program incorporates study
skills, social and community education,
leadership and life skills. As such, sessions
are structured and planned, based on the
age, experience and knowledge of students.
The House system enables students at
St Andrew’s to participate in and contribute
to a comprehensive range of activities.
Students are awarded House points for
both participation and success in the
swimming and athletics carnivals,
Inter-House debating, SACSFactor (talent
show), Big City Bake Off (themed cup cake
competition fundraiser) and Gala Day
(sports/team activities). Points go towards
The Dean Pitt Shield, which is awarded to
the winning House at the end-of-year
Evening of Celebration and Prize-giving.
Classroom teachers, tutors, Heads of
House, Heads of Divisions and Directors
of Learning monitor the academic progress
and wellbeing of all students. This ensures
that every student is known and cared for
throughout the school.
The Senior College also has two dedicated
counsellors who are experienced in
providing advice and support on pastoral
and academic issues affecting students.
SACS - Senior College 2019 | 3
Years 7 - 10The curriculum at St Andrew’s is organised
according to the guidelines laid down by
the NSW Education Standards Authority
(NESA). The MYP framework for Years 7-10
sits over these guidelines and is also shaped
by our SACS Learning Model.
Our aim is that learning will be significant,
challenging, networked and future
focussed, with students engaged and
growing every day.
The courses at SACS fall within
the Key Learning Areas:
• Christian Development
• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Human Society and Its Environment
• Technology and Applied Studies
• Languages Other Than English
• Creative Arts
• Personal Development,
Health and Physical Education
The formulation and implementation of
teaching programs at St Andrew’s aims to
foster a passion for learning that will stay
with our students throughout their lifetime.
They aim to develop in individuals an
understanding of themselves as valued
children of God, with personal gifts to be
nurtured, developed and engaged with in
such a way that the students are well
prepared for life, able to enjoy it and able
to contribute effectively to our own school
and the wider community. Our city location
is a significant asset in our planning and
development of learning opportunities.
All Senior College classrooms are
coeducational.
To further the development of the whole
person, St Andrew’s Cathedral School also
runs an Outdoor Education program that
includes a specific program for students in
Year 10.
Student progress is regularly monitored
using a variety of strategies appropriate to
the activity and the stage of development
of the student within the subject.
There are a number of additional services for students with a particular need. They include:
• The Enrichment and Learning Department
for support and extension activities
• Gifted and Talented Education programs
• School counsellors
• English as a Second Language tuition
as required
Years 11 - 12Students in Years 11 and 12 can choose to
study either the Higher School Certificate
curriculum or the International
Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
The Higher School Certificate (HSC)The HSC is awarded by the NSW Education
Standards Authority to eligible students
at the end of Year 12. In Year 11, students
must study a minimum of 12 units, including
2 units of English. In Year 12 students must
study a minimum of 10 units, including
2 units of English.
HSC subjects offered at the school include:
• English (Advanced, Standard,
EAL/D, Extension 1 and Extension 2
[Year 12])
• Ancient History
• Biology
• Business Studies
• Chemistry
• Design and Technology
• Drama
• Earth and Environmental Studies
• Economics
• French (Continuers)
• Geography
• German (Continuers)
• History Extension [Year 12]
• Japanese (Continuers and
Extension [Year 12])
• Legal Studies
• Mathematics (Standard, Advanced,
Extension 1 and Extension 2 [Year 12])
• Modern History
• Music (1, 2 and Extension [Year 12])
• Personal Development,
Health and Physical Education
• Physics
• Society and Culture
• Software Design and Development
• Spanish Beginners
• Studies of Religion I and II
• Textiles and Design
• Visual Arts
All Year 11 and 12 students also take part
in Christian Development classes.
Students are also able to study courses at
TAFE, Sydney Distance Education
Highschool, Saturday School of
Community Languages and the NSW
School of Languages.
Curriculum: courses and subjects offered
| SACS - Senior College 20194
The International Baccalaureate Diploma ProgrammeThe IB Diploma Programme is a two-year
curriculum for Year 11 and 12 students.
It is an internationally recognised exit
credential, which provides a broad,
challenging curriculum for students.
All students complete six subjects,
plus the Extended Essay (EE), Theory of
Knowledge (TOK) and Creativity, Activity
and Service (CAS).
Students must choose three subjects at
Higher Level (HL) and three subjects at
Standard Level (SL). Students must also
choose one subject from Groups 1 to 5.
The sixth subject required may be chosen
from Group 6 or, alternatively, students
may elect to choose a second subject
from Groups 2 to 4.
If students choose Environmental Systems
and Societies, which covers Groups 3 and
4, they can then choose two more subjects
from Groups 2, 3, 4, or 6.
Subjects offered to Year 11 IB Diploma students in 2019 include:
Group 1: Studies in Language and
Literature: English Literature, English
Language & Literature
Group 2: Language Acquisition:
French B SL, Spanish B SL, Chinese B SL,
Spanish ab initio (Beginners),
Japanese ab initio (Beginners)
Group 3: Individuals and Societies:
Business Management, Environmental
Systems and Societies (Groups 3 and 4),
History, Global Politics, Philosophy,
and Psychology
Group 4: Experimental Sciences: Biology,
Chemistry, Computer Science, Design
Technology, Environmental Systems
and Societies (Groups 3 and 4), Sports
Exercise Health Science, and Physics
Group 5: Mathematics: Mathematics
HL and SL and Mathematical Studies SL
Group 6: The Arts: Music, Theatre, and
Visual Arts
All Year 11 and 12 students also take part
in Christian Development classes.
SACS - Senior College 2019 | 5
Learning and support services
Further education and career developmentA comprehensive program consisting of
over 25 distinct areas relating to further
education and career development is
delivered to students according to their
year level. This commences in Year 10
with the all-important career assessment
program early in the year, followed by the
individual assessment report consultations
a few weeks later.
This is a valuable way of commencing the
further education and career development
exploration process for the student, as
well as providing guidance in relation to
the selection of HSC or IB subjects later
in the year.
Seminars and presentations are delivered
to students in Years 10, 11 and 12 throughout
the year during tutorials, year level meetings,
other designated periods and lunch-times.
Individual student and parent consultations
with the Head of Careers, Pathways and
Partnerships Mr Des Sinovich form the
largest part of the program. These are
arranged with Mr Sinovich (please see
key contacts for contact information).
The annual Sydney CBD Schools Careers
Convention (largely organised by Mr Sinovich)
takes place in Term 2. All Year 12 students
are expected to attend. Students in other
year levels and their parents are encouraged
to attend this comprehensive event.
Mr Sinovich also takes charge of the TVET
and Distance Education programs as well.
Information is sent to parents by
means of email newsletters.
Senior Research CentreThe Senior Research Centre houses
a collection of physical resources that are
tailored to the needs of students in Years
10 to 12. Students are also able to meet
throughout the day with members of the
Library Team to access support with
research tasks.
The Senior Research Centre is open
Monday to Thursday from 8am until 5.15pm.
| SACS - Senior College 20196
Specialised LearningIt is the role of the Specialised Learning
team to work closely with teachers,
students, parents and outside
professionals to cater for the individual
needs of students. We also work closely
with the Careers Counsellor and our
school psychologists.
This collaborative approach ensures
communication and sharing where
parents and professionals work together,
supporting each other to provide a
learning environment that is differentiated
and accessible. At St Andrew’s, teachers
are mindful of students’ social, emotional,
spiritual and academic development.
We aim to create a learning environment
where students are able to access the
curriculum, have opportunities to
contribute to class discussions and
participate in class activities.
Services provided by the Specialised
Learning Team in Senior College include:
• In-class support
• SACSAchieve – after school homework
and study support
• Diagnostic assessment
• The development of Individual Learning
Plans and the creation of Student
Learning Profiles
• 1:1 or small group academic
organisational support where appropriate
• Parent information sessions
• Professional development sessions to
enhance teacher skills and understanding
• Assistance with the modification of
curriculum, assessment and exams
• Transition programs
• Collaborative planning with teachers,
students, parents and outside
professionals.
• Disability Provisions Applications for
the Higher School Certificate.
• Determining appropriate adjustments
for students with a disability.
• Collection of data to access
Commonwealth funding (NCCDSWD)
Please contact Mrs Eleni Tatsis with
any questions, concerns or to provide
additional information that will assist the
school in meeting your child’s individual
learning needs.
Chapel and Christian studiesChapel services are held weekly, providing
a communal expression of the school’s
Anglican foundation. They go hand-in-hand
with the Christian Development course,
taught in the classroom. The course
introduces students to the Christian faith
and provides them with the opportunity
to engage in healthy discussion on both
its theory and practice.
ReportingSt Andrew’s Cathedral School has three
formal methods of reporting on student
progress. They are:
• The Interim Report – issued towards
the end of Terms 1 and 3 for students in
Years 7 to 10. This provides a general
overview of how students are performing.
It covers both work habits and academic
progress. For academic progress, students
are awarded grades of Excellent,
Satisfactory or Needs Improvement.
• Academic Reports – provide a
comprehensive summary of student
progress. These are issued towards the
end of Terms 2 and 4 for Years 7 to 11. Year
12 students receive these reports towards
the end of Terms 1 and 3.
• Parent/Teacher interviews – held at
various times throughout the year for
each year level – provide an opportunity
for parents to meet with individual
teachers to discuss their child’s progress.
As well as this, there are informal
opportunities for parents to discuss their
child’s progress through conversations with
individual class teachers.
Laptops and technology Students entering Years 10-12 are
to bring a lightweight laptop for classroom
use. New desktop computers can be
accessed in the Senior Research Centre.
A Digital Citizenship program runs
throughout the school, helping to fulfil
the important responsibility of assisting in
the development of mature and positive
practices in the use of technology.
Uniform expectationsSt Andrew’s has a high standard of uniform
presentation and all students are expected
to travel to and from school and move
around the city precinct wearing the
appropriate uniform. All uniform items are
available from the on-site Foundation
Uniform Store.
SACS - Senior College 2019 | 7
Students at St Andrew’s are
encouraged to participate in
co-curricular activities to
help develop a variety of skills,
build personal confidence
and foster friendships within
the school community.
Co-curricular activities include
sport; music ensembles
and choirs; creative arts and
drama activities; debating
and public speaking; and
overseas trips and camps.
Sport St Andrew’s believes that young people
who are physically fit and enthusiastically
challenged in a fun and safe sporting
environment perform better academically.
St Andrew’s provides sport and co-curricular
activities for individuals across a vast range
of ability levels and all students are
encouraged to participate.
The enjoyment and support gained through
team participation, improved physical
fitness, skills for dealing with success
and failure, as well as the ability to interact
within various social environments, are all
positive attributes gained through participation
in the sporting and co-curricular programs
St Andrew’s offers.
The school participates in the Independent
Sports Association (ISA) secondary schools
competition and offers more than a dozen
competitive sport options (see the list of
co-curricular activites on page 9). Many of
our students represent the school in the
ISA competition, which provides pathways
to NSW All Schools and Australian teams.
The school has its own state-of-the art
strength and conditioning facility,
basketball courts, a professional dance
studio and several outdoor recreation
areas. Most training and competition for
team sports occurs at nearby facilities at
Sydney University and Wentworth Park.
The winter sports program is mostly
conducted on Saturdays in terms two and
three and is compulsory for all Year 10 and
Year 11 students.
Music Music contributes immensely to the
general tone and fabric of the Senior
College – as it does throughout the school.
Our senior musicians are the musical
leaders of the school as we continue the
great tradition upon which St Andrew’s
Cathedral School is built – the education of
our musicians.
There are many performance opportunities provided by the school:
• Public lunch-time concerts in the
Cathedral on Mondays
• Performances at every assembly
• Maestros concerts on
Thursdays at 3.30pm
• Soirées presented by instrumental and
singing teachers once a year
• Showcase concert held annually
• Performances (gigs) around the
city for various charities and business
functions
• End of year Evening of Celebration
and Prize-giving and special award
assemblies
• School events
The Music Department engages a large
number of visiting instrumental teaching
staff, covering a wide range of vocal, string,
wind, brass, keyboard, guitar, music craft
and percussion instruments. Private and
group lessons are delivered weekly during
term time. Lessons are timetabled on a
rotating schedule to minimise impact on
any one subject throughout the term. Each
student who is learning privately is
encouraged to participate in an ensemble.
These ensembles are graded so that each
student can be placed into a group
appropriate to their level of proficiency.
Senior College ensembles • Secondary School Choir
• Chamber Choir
• Boys Vocal Ensemble
• Girls Vocal Ensemble
• Symphony Orchestra
• Chamber Orchestra
• Wind Symphony
• Jazz Orchestra
• Chamber Music
• Chapel and Rock Bands
Outdoor education The aim of SACS Outdoor Education is to
foster a love of the outdoors, to provide the
opportunity to live simply in community
with others and to challenge students’
personal boundaries. We provide amazing
experiences in amazing places, developing
leadership, initiative, self-esteem and
resilience, all within a Christian context.
St Andrew’s Year 10 Outdoor Education
program is the culmination of an extensive
program begun in the junior years.
Each expedition focuses on the students
being self-sufficient, carrying all the
equipment and food necessary for their
time away. Those students who have not
previously had experience in Outdoor
Co-curricular activities
| SACS - Senior College 20198
Education need not be concerned as the
Year 10 options are designed to assist them
in achieving the set goals and are within
student ability levels. Each group consists
of between 12 and 15 students, with a
minimum of two staff.
Expeditions (for seven to eight days
duration) cover a range of disciplines and
locations. Hiking options include the
Snowy Mountains, Fraser Island Great Walk
and Larapinta Trail in the Northern Territory.
The other fantastic programs are horse
riding in the Victorian high country, sea
kayaking at Myall Lakes, a backcountry
snow tour in the Kosciuszko National Park
and an Australian wilderness cycle tour.
Our longer option is our pinnacle program
– the 20-day ‘Kosi to Coast’ trip involving
hiking and whitewater canoeing. Students
who attend the 20-day program also have
the option to complete a Certificate II in
Outdoor Recreation as part of the trip.
Duke of Edinburgh award This prestigious, physically challenging
program is offered to 14- 18-year-olds
who wish to complete the four sections
involved (service, skill, physical recreation
and adventurous journey) for each award
– bronze, silver and gold.
International tours A range of overseas excursions are
offered each year to secondary students
to further their experience and understanding
in a particular field of study. Tours are
offered by various departments, including
languages, sport, science, history, music,
outdoor education and geography.
Summer activities (Terms 1 and 4)
Basketball (boys and girls)
Cricket (boys)
Debating (boys and girls)
Fencing (boys and girls)
Summer Football (boys and girls)
Term 4 only
Mountain Biking (boys and girls)
Summer Hockey (boys and girls)
Term 4 only
Softball (girls)
Swimming (boys and girls)
Touch Football (boys and girls)
Theatresports (boys and girls)
Water Polo (boys and girls)
Dance (boys and girls)
Tennis (boys and girls)
Mindful Movement (boys and girls)
Maker Space (boys and girls)
Ultimate Frisbee (boys and girls)
Winter activities (Terms 2 and 3)
Athletics (boys and girls)
Dance (boys and girls)
Cross country running (boys and girls)
Fit for Life (boys and girls)
Fencing (boys and girls)
Football (girls and boys)
Hockey (girls)
Netball (girls)
Rugby (boys)
Tennis (boys and girls)
Mock trial (boys and girls)
Debating (boys and girls)
Theatresports (boys and girls)
Water Polo (boys and girls)
Maker Space (boys and girls)
Mindful Movement (boys and girls)
Astronomy club (boys and girls)
Cross country skiing (boys and girls)
Winter Basketball (boys and girls)
Squash (boys and girls)
Club Hockey (boys and girls)
Chess
The following Senior College co-curricular activities are offered
St Andrew’s:
St Andrew’s Cathedral School is a coeducational K-12 Anglican school, located in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.
St Andrew’s Cathedral School Sydney Square, Sydney NSW 2000 ABN 34 429 367 893
phone +61 2 9286 9500 fax +61 2 9286 9550 email [email protected]
CRICOS Registration: The Council of St Andrew’s Cathedral School 02276M
www.sacs.nsw.edu.au