Principal

Exciting Changes In 2024

Over the last two weeks, the Leadership Team has been synthesising the responses to the AISNSW surveys (Your School in Focus) that all students and parents were invited to participate in. Overall, we are very pleased that the areas of school life that we had targeted for improvement have indeed improved. For instance, we changed our induction days for Year 5 and Year 7 and those cohorts have reported a more settled and productive entry in the College and secondary education respectively.

As the College grows, with the seventh stream moving into Year 7 for the first time in 2024, we have been keen to meet our stated strategic goals:

Every student is well cared for, understood, and responding to well-defined expectations; and
Every student will be helped to achieve his own academic potential.

In particular, our students in Years 5 to 8, our middle school lads or “tweens”, are students who we wish to target so that they are even more engaged in their learning. In these two stages of schooling (Stages 3 and 4), the middle schooler has unique needs. He is generally more worried about his peers and wanting to fit in, and with the natural course of puberty, he is self-conscious about his appearance, and he craves more independence but has not yet fully developed his executive functioning (impulse control, academic planning to name two).

We currently operate with a Junior School (Stage 3) and a Secondary School (Stages 4 to 6), and by 2029, the College will have reached its enrolment ceiling of 1740 students from Years 5 to 12. If we maintained our current structure, there would be 434 students in the Junior School and approximately 1300 in the Secondary School. We want to ensure that in the transition to secondary schooling, we are meeting the needs of the students in a more purposeful way.

From the start of 2024, St Patrick’s College, Strathfield will restructure our current two school structure to better cater for the specific learning and development needs of boys through their stages of schooling.

The College will have a:

Middle School (Years 5 to 8) with a Director of Middle School (Mr Stephenson)
Senior School (Years 9 to 12) with a Director of Senior School (Mr Simpson).

Middle School

Philosophy

To help each student develop a deep connection to all aspects of College life with their peers.
To promote the development of supportive and meaningful relationships between students, parents, teachers, coaches, and homeroom teachers.
To help students develop their sense of personal identity and character formation.
To enable each boy to engage and flourish within a comprehensive academic and co-curricular program.

Features of the Middle School

Bespoke transition programs upon entry to Year 5 and Year 7 which supports students as they adjust and engage in all aspects of College life.
An experienced, professional and supportive staff team led by the Director of Middle School (5-8), the Director of Curriculum and Year Coordinators in each of Years 5, 6, 7 and 8. Their main focus will be on the wellbeing of each student and working with them to adapt to College life and make a smoother transition to secondary schooling.
In Year 7, we will also be appointing an Assistant Year 7 Coordinator. This will further enhance our support and guidance of the students in an important transition year in addition to building the confidence of emerging teacher leaders in the area of wellbeing.
Technology-rich classrooms with committed staff delivering inspiring, challenging and accessible learning for 21st century students.
Dedicated Makerspace/STEM room for boys in Years 5 and 6 to undertake the practical aspects of the Stage 3 Science and Technology course.
A professional team dedicated to the tracking of all students’ academic and wellbeing progress with the provision for intervention support where needs are identified.
Intervention literacy and numeracy programs for students who are identified as needing more support.
The Robson Auditorium, a dedicated lecture-style theatre, for meetings and seminars.
A dedicated Primary School Library, Westcourt and a Secondary School Library, McGlade Library.
The Middle School Cafeteria serving breakfast, recess and lunch (where the existing Canteen is now).
Residential and Camping Experiences in each year (5 Orientation, 6 Canberra, 7 Camping, 9 Camping)

Senior School

Philosophy

To encourage each student to take a journey of discovery and exploration through embracing the academic and co-curricular opportunities on offer.
To build the confidence and character of our students through wide and varied experiences that encourage self-responsibility, challenge thinking, and celebrate success.
To foster within the students a sense of connectedness to the College, their peers, and the community through Shining our Light Service learning.
To place the student at the centre of the education journey and equip them with the tools and skills required to successfully navigate their senior years and life beyond.
Through a culture of academic excellence, to enable each Year 12 boy to reach his full academic potential offering an HSC via three pathways: Academic ATAR, Blend of ATAR and Vocational and Non-ATAR Vocational.

Features of the Senior School

Vera Wilson Study Centre for Year 12 students.
A dedicated Senior School Library, McGlade that offers a quiet and productive place to study until 4:45 PM each evening.
Technology-rich classrooms and new, flexible science labs with operable walls to allow team teaching.
The Senior School Cafeteria in the Scientia Building serving breakfast, recess and lunch.
The Robson Auditorium, a lecture-style theatre, for meetings and seminars.
Interstate and International excursion and immersion experiences.
Flexible timetable arrangements for Year 12 students who have study in Period 1 or Period 5 to encourage the boys’ growth in executive functioning skills (time management, forward planning, research and rest when needed)

The students from Years 5 to 12 will still come together for major school events such as the Opening Mass, High Achievers’ Assembly, Founder’s Day, and Speech Night in addition to our special celebrations for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

In Memoriam

We keep in our prayers James Breen (Year 9) on the loss of his grandfather in New Zealand.

We also pray for the Christian Brothers community on the recent loss of Old Boy Br Ted Walker cfc.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Dr Vittoria Lavorato

Principal

SPC boys can do anything!

**except divide by zero