Reconnecting with our Northholm community
Transition is a complex , dynamic process and in 2021 , the COVID-19 pandemic again has brought about unprecedented change across the nation for everyone . As we begin to enact our school community plan for a return of students and staff to classroom-based learning , good practice in relation to planning transitions , supporting wellbeing and identifying individual needs is paramount .
Self-determination theory forms the basis of Northholm Grammar ’ s approach in meeting our educational philosophy based on ‘ academic intentionality with pastoral attentiveness ’. All individuals are deemed to have innate psychological needs .
In order to achieve healthy functioning and foster wellbeing , each of these needs should be satisfied :
• Competence : The need to feel effective in dealing with our environment .
• Autonomy : The need to control the course of our own lives .
• Relatedness : The need to have close , affectionate relationships and social identity .
Due to the pandemic and actions taken to mitigate its impact , these three basic psychological needs have been compromised in a very short space of time , even though Northholm moved rapidly to ensure that our students remained connected each day to their key adults in schools and to learning .
COVID-19 has led to the loss of routine , structure , friendship , opportunities and freedom , and this can trigger the emergence of anxiety , trauma and bereavement in any child . The impact of this cannot be overestimated . At the heart of our return is a commitment to upholding the social fabric of school and community which is crucial for children and families at this time .
At Northholm , an effective transition will be one that includes returning to the physical environment safely , focusing on wellbeing , staying connected and having a sense of belonging . This focus is necessary for both the learners within our school and our staff . The provision of time to acknowledge children ’ s experiences of COVID-19 is a vital starting point and classrooms serve as a great environment for this dialogue .
Our students will respond differently to the return to school and Northholm will work closely with our parents so that school and home remain closely connected as strong communication and connection continues to pave the way for each child to flourish .
There will be a lot of excitement and energy in the coming weeks and rightfully so . A return to school is truly necessary for the wellbeing of our children and Northholm Grammar is very much looking forward to welcoming our students back to the classrooms .
New structure for secondary students to encourage deep learning
Secondary students at William Clarke College ( a P-12 , Anglican School in the Hills District ) will soon attend three extended learning blocks , rather than the traditional six period day , providing more time for rich learning experiences to occur . Mr Dan Miller , Head of Curriculum at William Clarke College , said the new , unique structure would be introduced in 2022 and was part of the college ’ s approach to learning which promoted student agency , voice and choice , called Deep Learning .
“ We strongly believe this new structure will provide students with more time to dive deeply into rich concepts and opportunities to engage in authentic , real-world problems .” Mr Miller said .
“ It also creates a platform for students to develop Christ-like character and enterprise skills such as collaboration and critical thinking .”
While students in Years 7 to 10 will study key subjects like maths and English throughout the year , courses such as science , history and visual arts will be studied more intensely for half the year .
“ By reducing the number of classes students have at one time , their daily organisational demands are cut down and they are able to build stronger relationships through more frequent
contact with their teachers ,” Mr Miller explained .
“ In addition to these changes , the college is also introducing a unique character mentoring program for all secondary students to support them on their learning journey .
“ Each student will be assigned a mentor who will travel alongside them throughout their time at the college .
We believe these changes will help students not only make great progress at school but thrive beyond the school gates .”
For more information about William Clarke College please visit wcc . nsw . edu . au .
To watch an animation on the Secondary School curriculum , visit the Secondary School page on the William Clarke College website by scanning the QR code .
28 ISSUE 77 // NOVEMBER 2021 theindependentmagazine . com . au THE HILLS INDEPENDENT