Senior Years

Academic Care

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Our aim in the Secondary Years is to provide a well-rounded education and to develop learners who are confident and equipped with the academic and personal skills needed to achieve their personal best and to thrive in an ever changing world.

Overview 
In particular, we want our students to be resilient, critical thinkers, aware of their strengths, who have a strong sense of purpose and meaning, self-efficacy and are other people centred.
Students' experiences in the Secondary school encapsulates striving for academic and personal excellence and a pursuit of individual goals across a range of areas - including spiritual, physical, cultural, and practical domains.
With a focus on our Guiding Principals of Excellence, Respect, Optimism, Courage and Compassion, students are encouraged to engage in learning that is meaningful, stimulating and challenging. From academic achievements to sporting excellence, creative pursuits and community involvement, the aim is for students to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to reach their individual potential.
Students are nurtured and challenged throughout their learning journey in a school community that is well equipped and yet small enough to care, offering a warm, inclusive atmosphere, one that fosters connectedness.
We pride ourselves on our ability to engage and develop the strengths of each individual students in our care, equipping them for the future. We seek to embed Positive Education and Visible Wellbeing principles and approaches in our teaching practice.  

Teaching and Learning at Ravenswood
At Ravenswood, effective teaching practices are well defined and are vital to improving student learning outcomes and promoting sustained engagement in learning. With an overall aim to ensure students develop the necessary disciplinary knowledge to construct meaning and develop skills, a relentless focus on ways to maximise learning opportunities ensures that students are equipped and inspired.
Students are encouraged to identify and utilise their strengths in pursuit of their learning goals. There is an expectation that students take increasing responsibility for their own learning. They are encouraged to be resilient in responding to and accommodating feedback, understanding the merits of perseverance and hard work in achievement to academic outcomes. Strong teacher/ student relationships help to meet the needs of each student and provide thriving learning environments.
As students approach the conclusion of their Secondary School Education, academic support is focused on students reaching their potential in their choice of exit credential, Higher School Certificate or International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Ravenswood offers a range of programs to assist student in a successful transition to life beyond school.
Year Coordinators, supported by the Assistant Stage Coordinators, oversee each Year group and track, monitor and support students. They confer regularly with the Head of Senior School, Head of Learning Innovation, Director of Student Analytics, Coordinator of Academic Studies, IB Coordinator, teachers, and parents about student learning. In addition, they provide wellbeing support to students in consultation with the Head of Senior School, Head of Psychological Services, school psychologists and Chaplain. Students are also supported by Mentors, who have the responsibility of a small number of students and monitor their academic progress and wellbeing.
Student progress is tracked by staff with a diverse range of data being analysed, including assessment performance, external testing, such as NAPLAN, involvement in co-curricular activities, absenteeism and other sources to assist students to reach their potential. Ravenswood's Learning enrichment teachers also provide support for students requiring support or extension.
All students are offered a rigorous and successful learning experience, one which enhances their critical and creative thinking, provides an appropriate level of challenge whilst supporting emotional engagement, a strong sense of connection and building a sense of meaning and purpose, ultimately equipping students to take their place in the world as confident young women.