From the Head of Teaching and Learning

‘Well-roundedness’ is a human quality ably sought after in this rapidly evolving world. At Pittwater House, we nurture and celebrate our students ‘well-roundedness’ as an intrinsic element of the balanced education we offer them. We want our students to be academically astute and we are working hard to continuously enrich our learning culture in the pursuit of academic excellence through our Deep Learning model. We know and see our students’ strength inside and outside of the classroom, thus we adopt differentiated teaching and learning strategies that target student growth, whilst meeting the needs of all our students, from our High Potential students to those students who need our additional support. In this way, we can model to our students the importance of reaching their potential in learning, whilst exceeding their personal bests through our richly diverse cocurricular programs. We want our HEROIC learners to prioritise their wellbeing as much as they aspire to excellence. As adults we value a balance between work and play and so too at Pittwater House, our desire is to encourage our students to strive HEROICally every day, to become the best version of themselves - a well-rounded learned individual, who is also beyond the sum of their marks and grades. Michael Fullan, the founder of our Deep Learning pedagogy at Pittwater House insists that by ‘integrating wellbeing and academics we establish learning as something that prepares all students for the ever-complex world we live in.’ (Fullan, Michael 2021)

As teachers we recognise the importance of student agency in learning and thus, we often offer our students a blended approach to learning. Students journal and note-take as well as type and research on laptops. Our feedback and continuous reporting processes embrace formative (informal)and summative (formal) assessments that embrace divergent thinking and with the onset of a rapidly evolving technological landscape of artificial intelligence, we value the way in which it is revolutionising learning, whilst being mindful of the need to balance our enthusiasm for AI in the classroom, as a powerful teaching tool with careful considerations about the ethical implications of AI technology and the privacy and security settings that will be necessary to protect our students and Staff.  It is for these reasons that as a school, we are working diligently, yet carefully toward composing an AI Policy that is well-balanced. 

In the spirit of my previous articles this term It is my pleasure to present the final volume of the five volumes that frame our ‘School for HEROIC Learners’: ‘Well-Rounded Opportunities for a Balanced Education.’

We offer students a broad array of co-curricular opportunities to cater to diverse interests and abilities. This gives every child the opportunity to develop their talents in and out of the classroom to become a well-rounded individual. Participation in co-curricular activities is an important part of what we do, and our twin schooling structure lends itself nicely to a broad selection of all-male, all-female, and mixed team pursuits.

Proven to lead to positive academic outcomes, respectful relationships, and improved social networks, we encourage our students to explore their interests in a supportive environment. Most of our activities take place on campus before or after school and are led by qualified staff or external professionals who have excelled in their relevant field. Whether it be performing arts disciplines, sporting pursuits, cadets, or our bespoke HEROIC Thinkers and Problem Solvers clubs or youth development programs, Pittwater House offers your child the opportunity to discover new things or develop their talents, interests, and passions across a broad range of activities. Please refer to our website for the full range of co-curricular opportunities available. 

Perhaps this weekend, you may take a quiet moment to encourage your child to look to 2024 as an opportunity to embrace our cocurricular pathway at Pittwater House, to contribute to their overall well-being and support their well-balanced education.