Senior School
Head of Senior School - Jessica Zwarts
Acting Head Of Senior School - Neil LaRocca
Overnewton Anglican Community College
Year 11 Goal Setting Initiative Builds Skills for Success
Article by Nathan Cutajar, Year 11 Leader
Throughout Term 2, our Year 11 students have been engaged in an ongoing pastoral care project focused on goal setting. This initiative is designed to support both academic progress and student wellbeing, encouraging a structured and reflective approach to personal growth.
Students have approached goal setting as a continuous process, similar to a scientific method. They set clear, realistic goals, track their progress, reflect on outcomes, and adjust their strategies over time. This cycle helps students better understand how their habits and decisions influence their results.
This approach is supported by current research from the University of Melbourne, which highlights the strong relationship between student wellbeing, engagement, and academic success around goal setting. Research shows that educational experiences and structured approaches to learning can significantly influence students’ mental health, motivation, and achievement outcomes. In addition, ongoing studies into student wellbeing emphasise the importance of developing skills that help students manage challenges, build resilience, and maintain a sense of purpose in their learning.
There have been many positive outcomes from this initiative so far. Students are demonstrating improved organisation, increased motivation, and a clearer sense of direction in their studies. Many are also becoming more confident in reflecting on their progress and responding to feedback from teachers.
At the same time, students have explored the challenges that come with goal setting. These include setting unrealistic expectations, struggling with consistency, and managing setbacks when goals are not immediately achieved. Importantly, these challenges are being reframed as valuable learning opportunities, helping students build resilience and adaptability.
By embedding goal setting into pastoral care, we are supporting students to develop lifelong skills that extend beyond the classroom. We are encouraged by the maturity and engagement shown by our Year 11 cohort and look forward to seeing their continued growth throughout the year. If you would like additional information in the positive that is Goal setting in education, I encourage you to read the two articles bellow for more information that explores this and other concepts that have been one of the inspirations to our approach in Year 11.
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Senior School Pastoral Care Presentation – IDAHOBIT
As part of our ongoing commitment to student wellbeing and respectful relationships, our Senior School students will have the opportunity to participate in a 20 minute pastoral care presentation on Wednesday the 13th of May recognising IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia).
This session is designed to celebrate diversity and reinforce the importance of respect for all people, while also acknowledging the discrimination that LGBTIQA+ individuals can still experience in today’s society. Our College has proudly recognised IDAHOBIT for over 10 years, and this work continues to support and strengthen our Respectful Relationships curriculum.
Students will hear from guest speaker Archie Bettle, Founder and CEO of Queer Town, who will share insights on why days like IDAHOBIT matter and how we, as individuals and as a community, can contribute to creating a safe, inclusive environment for everyone.
Research, including findings from the Writing Themselves In national study, highlights the positive impact that education and awareness initiatives like this can have in fostering safer, more supportive school environments.
Each fortnight, the College Careers Team publishes a newsletter providing students and parents with the most up-to-date career information, events and opportunities.
Please access via the following link.