Principal's Address

Dear Parents and Carers,

Curriculum, Capabilities and Complex Competencies 

For much of the past century, the industrial model of education has supported its goals; that being, to equip young individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary for workforce success. However, with the rapid advancement of technology, especially artificial intelligence, the pillars of this 'knowledge economy' are quickly crumbling. 

LinkedIn’s Chief Economic Opportunity Officer, Aneesh Raman, suggests that we are now transitioning into the era of the innovation economy. In this new world, human abilities such as curiosity, creativity, communication, critical thinking, and agility are becoming more crucial than simply recalling information or automating tasks. 

The pressing issue now is not whether young people require these skills, but how schools such as Chevalier can effectively ensure they are part of the learning process. 

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, Nicole Dyson and her team from Future Anything led a two-day workshop with Year 8 students called ‘Spark’. It proved to be an engaging time for Year 8 as they responded to prompts of curiosity, were challenged to identify and solve problems, and driven to collaborate with others on solutions that make a difference. 

Interestingly, and only very recently, Nicole launched Future Anything’s new Capability Framework. As the world shifts to an innovation economy, Nicole and many others would argue that young people need to develop the capabilities such as the ability to think critically, collaborate, and ethically engage with artificial intelligence. 

The focus of developing capabilities for school-aged students is not new. The General Capabilities within the Australian Curriculum brought this to the attention of educators some 15 years ago. For the last 10 years, Professor Sandra Milligan has led a team of people who have partnered with innovative schools to develop and measure the growth of ‘competencies’ required for a world of work and further learning which is rapidly changing. For more insights about the work of the University of Melbourne’s New Metrics research project, click here (3 minute video). 

But, as industries shift, education today demands a far more explicit focus on capabilities. Employers globally are identifying these essential skills and capabilities as critical for long-term contentment and fulfilment in life and work.  

The World Economic Forum's "The Future of Jobs Report 2025" (January 2025) underscores the growing importance of soft skills in the workforce. Analytical thinking remains the top core skill for employers, with seven out of ten companies considering it essential. Resilience, flexibility, agility, leadership, and social influence are also highlighted as critical skills, reflecting the need for adaptability and collaboration in the modern economy. The OECD's "Trends Shaping Education 2025" Report (February 2025) emphasises the necessity of equipping students with skills such as analytical thinking and leadership to navigate and thrive amidst these changes. Also, UNESCO's "Global Education Monitoring Report 2024/5: Leadership in Education" (October 2024) underscores the importance of leadership skills in fostering environments where soft skills are integral to the educational experience. 

These reports collectively advocate for the integration of soft skills into educational frameworks, highlighting their significance in equipping students for a rapidly changing world. However, the term ‘soft skills’ undervalues their importance and underestimates the work required to develop them; hence why we follow the example of the University of Melbourne calling such skills, ‘complex competencies’. 

With the above in mind, and further to ‘date claimers’ in recent Need to Knows, all parents and carers of Chevalier College are invited to attend a community forum on Monday 28 April 2025 with Professor Sandra Milligan. Commencing at 7.00pm, Sandra will share her insights and research highlighting the need for competency-rich learning. 

House Shields 

Last week, we introduced new House Shields to students and staff as part of our usual fortnightly assembly. It proved to be a wonderfully upbeat occasion where we were reminded that there are many layers of belonging for each student at Chev. That ‘sense of belonging’ to a House at Chev has been elevated based on a process which has seen new shields (the previous shields were retired about fifteen years ago) developed for each House. Feel free to watch the video below which succinctly explains the process, and creatively shows how each House Shield came together, providing an insight into the key values and traits of each House Patron. Furthermore, you can read here my address given to staff and students last Wednesday. Over time, that assembly will prove to be an historic moment in the life of Chevalier College. 

In conclusion, my best wishes to all Chevalier families as we conclude the first term of 2025. It has been another great term of learning for individuals and the community. I trust students will enjoy a break from routine, and will return on Tuesday 29 April rejuvenated and ready for another ten weeks of challenge and growth through the many opportunities they can access at the College. 

Greg Miller 

Principal