New Ambitions and Innovation

At Chevalier College, our commitment to future-facing education is unwavering, with a focus on placing the learner at the centre of everything we do. To that end, the College aims to equip students with essential complex competencies that will enable them to thrive in their post-school lives. These competencies include Collaboration, Communication, Acting Ethically, Personal Development, Agency in Learning, Quality Thinking, and Active Citizenship. 

 Chevalier College is implementing a new and innovative educational approach that empowers students and redefines learning. Future Facing will change the way Chevalier students learn, creating a contemporary educational experience with Knowledge, Capabilities & Self-development at its core.  

Excerpt from Chevalier College’s website 

This approach is quite timely as a recently agreed-upon national goal for Australian education is to ensure that every young person graduates with the skills needed to become confident, creative individuals committed to lifelong learning and active, informed participation in society. These skills should enable them to thrive in work, family, and community life. However, current evidence suggests that the Australian education system is struggling or even regressing in delivering the necessary learning outcomes for every student. 

A recent article by Learning Creates Australia highlights the importance of recognising a more diverse range of learning achievements, which align closely with our goals. The report emphasises the need for educational systems to value a broader range of skills and competencies, ensuring that all students' successes are acknowledged and celebrated. It underscores the importance of moving beyond traditional measures of success to include capabilities that prepare students for life in a rapidly changing world. We encourage you to read the full article here to gain further insights into this shift in thinking. 

In response, The College’s professional learning initiatives are centred on teaching strategies that provide multiple opportunities for our students to demonstrate the above competencies in meaningful ways. These strategies ensure that our learners are not only prepared for academic success but also for the complexities of life beyond school. Our Capabilities Team comprising Matt Heard, Alyssa McDonald, John Hargreaves, Cam Cowan, and Jo Kirby, support our staff in integrating these competencies into everyday teaching practices. 

The Capabilities Team works closely with Partnership schools across Australia who are also part of the University of Melbourne’s New Metrics project. Over the past four to five years, the New Metrics project has grown exponentially, with research collaboration from University of Sydney, Newcastle University, and Melbourne University. More recently, New Metrics has confirmed partnerships with NSW UAC, Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre, Tasmanian Government, South Australian Certificate of Education, and South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre. 

The New Metrics team also has keen interest from Early Childhood Education, Council for International Schools, International Baccalaureate, Australian Principals Association, Cambridge Assessment, as well as other Australian universities. This is wonderful news for our students, regardless of their chosen pathway, as systems and processes are now being implemented whereby a broader recognition system of what they know and can do, is being widely accepted.