Ravenswood’s Senior Learning Enrichment team is dedicated to fostering an inclusive educational environment where every student has the opportunity to excel.
We inspire each student and nurture their individual potential by understanding their unique academic and cognitive profiles and developing the best pathways for them to master skills, achieve performance results, enhance psychological wellbeing and pursue lifelong learning.
Of course, students’ cognitive abilities and academic achievement levels vary: our role is to understand this variability and provide necessary supports, programs, and opportunities to ensure every student’s learning is optimised.
All teachers at Ravenswood are encouraged to embrace the diverse learning needs of their students. They are supported through various professional learning opportunities, access to individual learning profiles and plans, in-class support, collaborative planning and co-teaching with Learning Enrichment teachers. This collaborative approach ensures that students receive the best possible educational experience.
Ravenswood offers students an extensive range of learning opportunities to develop their individual talents.
In Senior School, extension activities include the da Vinci Decathlon, Ethics Olympiads, Future Scholars Challenge and the Future Problem Solving Program, which encompasses Community Problem Solving, Scenario Writing, and Scenario Performance.
Ravenswood also offers students various Mathematics, Science, History, robotics and writing competitions and challenges. These programs provide valuable opportunities for students to collaborate with like-minded peers.
Gifted and High-Potential Program
The Ravenswood Gifted and High-Potential Program provides differentiated instruction school-wide, utilising diverse teaching strategies to meet the needs of all students in the classroom.
Teachers employ various assessment tools in identifying gifted and high-potential students, including standardised tests, off-level testing, and results from external providers.
The Gifted and High-Potential Program promotes child-centred, divergent learning that is both challenging and fast-paced.
Specialist teachers tailor the curriculum to offer relevant and engaging learning experiences that cater to the individual needs and interests of students in the program.
Supported by the Learning Enrichment Department, the program is delivered through small withdrawal groups in class settings, and in regular classroom settings for students in Years 7 to 10, with a focus on English (Literacy), Geography and History. Students are presented with a wide array of learning opportunities geared towards nurturing their individual potential.
Some students participate in competitions and challenges, receiving individualised guidance from specialist teachers.
At the da Vinci Decathlon, inspired by the polymath Leonardo da Vinci, thousands of students in years 5 to 11 compete across 10 disciplines.
Participating schools enter one team of eight students per year group. At Ravenswood, students must apply for selection first. The process is rigorous, involving activities emphasising higher-order thinking skills, problem-solving, creativity and general knowledge. Once selected, students train together to develop teamwork and to learn to respect the strengths and contributions of others.
Over three Decathlon days, hundreds of teams from local and regional schools compete in various tasks shaped by a particular theme. Recent themes have included ‘Utopia’, ‘Flight’, ‘Colour’ and ‘Place’. Brimming with enthusiasm and creativity, students tackle challenges in the 10 disciplines: engineering, mathematics, code-breaking, art and poetry, Science, English, ideation, creative producers, cartography and legacy.
During more than ten years of involvement, Ravenswood students have achieved first, second and third place in various Decathlon disciplines. They have also learned much about their strengths and the importance of effective teamwork.
Future Problem Solving (FPS) is an international educational program that hones creative-thinking skills, with a focus on identifying problems and developing positive solutions. It aims to cultivate critical, creative and futuristic thinking skills, challenging students to design positive solutions for significant issues facing the world today and in the future.
Senior School students engage in three program facets: Community Problem Solving, Scenario Writing, and Scenario Performance.
In Community Problem Solving, students address real-life community issues, researching, identifying underlying problems, and devising strategies for effective solutions. Teams work collaboratively for about five months before submitting a qualifying report to FPS evaluators.
Selected students also participate in Scenario Writing or Scenario Performance, choosing from five topics each year. They craft future-set scenarios or deliver oral storytelling performances, competing nationally with winners representing Australia at the International FPS Conference in the United States.
The Ethics Olympiad aims to ignite critical thinking and ethical exploration among Senior School students. Through open and supportive discourse, teams receive points for: acknowledging the appropriateness of the opposition’s response, agreement, and generally demonstrating an ethical approach to discourse. Participants tackle real-world ethical dilemmas, spanning topics from environmental sustainability to social justice.
Students delve into philosophical principles, honing their empathy, communication, and problem-solving skills along the way. The competition encourages collaboration and respectful dialogue, promoting ethical awareness and responsible decision-making.
Schools across the globe embrace the Ethics Olympiad, recognising its value in cultivating ethical leaders and informed citizens. Students emerge with a deeper appreciation for ethical considerations in their lives and communities.
Learning Support
Our commitment to learning support aligns with the principles outlined in the Mparntwe Education Declaration and the Commonwealth’s Disability Discrimination Act and Disability Standards for Education, to ensure that all students have equitable access to education and opportunities for success.
Utilising a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and underpinned by educational neuroscience, Mind Brain Education and the science of teaching and wellbeing, we strive to inform and transform our educational practices to support all students effectively.
We build understanding in students about their learning processes to de-mystify the strengths and challenges of learning difficulties associated with ADHD, Autism Spectrum and Specific Learning Difficulties, as well as other cognitive, sensory, physical and social-emotional disabilities.
Providing small group programs such as Applied Learning Theory, Learning and Literacy and STUDYX supports executive functioning and metacognition in a prosocial environment.
These programs help students develop a range of learning strategies along with a strong sense of self-efficacy, academic buoyancy, motivation, and engagement.
We emphasise the importance of partnership with parents and external specialists, especially for individualised supports and programs. Provisions and assessment support are also crucial components of our program, helping to tailor learning experiences to each student’s needs and abilities. By working together, we aim to create a supportive and enriching environment where every student can thrive, develop essential dispositions, and achieve their full potential.
English as a Second Language
English as a Second Language (ESL) is offered as a course of study in Years 11 to 12 for students who have received five years or less of education instruction in English.
The course aims to expose students to English through various texts and enhance their confidence in critical and creative writing. Students engage in an area of study focused on the theme of Discovery, with support provided to develop writing, listening, speaking and reading skills.
Ravenswood also provides ESL support to students in Years 7 to 10. The English Department’s goal is to identify ESL students and offer them immediate strategies and support, as appropriate, throughout their learning journey.
In Years 7 to 8, trained ESL teachers provide in-class support to students. In Years 9 to 10, students can enrol in Language and Literacy classes to enhance their understanding of applying knowledge across subjects in focused responses. These students receive guidance and instructional lessons in English fundamentals.