Wesley wins innovation award (again!)

Wesley College has been named as one of Australia’s most innovative schools by The Educator, the leading Australian resource for senior educational professionals.

This is the second time Wesley has been presented with the Innovative School award, having taken the title in 2018 and been a finalist in four categories in 2019.

We were recognised among 50 other schools across the country for our response to COVID, the new professional practice model, new mathematician in residence, Wesley NEXT, RAP, Masterplan refresh and our new academic development program in the Senior School.

Deputy Head (Academics and Strategy), Mr Mathew Irving, says: “Throughout 2020, the College has remained agile and responsive to innovation opportunities.

“Wesley has remained heavily invested in innovative learning environment design, has continued to expand our ‘Sport for Life’ program and Long-Term Athletic Development mentorship of elite athletes, and further enhanced our Indigenous Program, the Moorditj Mob, catering for 45 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from across the state.

“We’ve also produced around 38,000 pieces of digital feedback to students and parents to shape future learning. I’m always confident that we’re right on the cutting edge and this generous acknowledgement from The Educator confirms it.”

In the context of innovation, Wesley launched the following initiatives in 2020:

• New Mathematician in Residency Program – In concert with the current Science in Residence program in the Junior School, the College designed a new Mathematician in Residence Program.
• Design of Wesley NEXT Program – we created a new micro-credentialing program for Year 10-12 students which will commence in 2021. The purpose of the program is to promote different pathway opportunities for students, breaking down binary notions of ATAR and VET pathways. This includes a focus on skills acquisition, industry awareness and Wesley’s 7Cs.
• New Strategic Framework 2021 – The new strategic framework was developed through community surveys, community forums and leadership workshops. As such, it has been a shared journey, shaped from the ground up rather than from the top down.
• New Masterplan Refresh – In line with future development of the campus, a masterplan refresh was completed and identified seven planning areas and principles, including future projects for the next 10 years. Planning areas include Reconciliation, Distinctly Wesley, Community Engagement, Learning Community, Connection to Nature, Sports and Recreation, Accessibility and Safety. The design brief for a new Centenary Building Project has now commenced as a consequence of this process.
• New Professional Practice Model – A new annual review process for staff was launched in January to help staff reflect on their practice and provide a strong framework for line managers to provide feedback for individuals to craft meaningful goals. Based on goals, staff were grouped into 12 professional learning groups that have met throughout the year, providing feedback to each other on practice in the classroom and for leaders, providing feedback on leadership practice and projects.
• New Reconciliation Action Plan – To further enhance the College’s journey towards Reconciliation, 18 months of planning and consultation was undertaken to design and launch the College’s first RAP with a focus on ‘truth-telling’, ‘cultural awareness’ and ‘walking together’.
• New Academic Development Program – To further build a strong academic culture, a new academic development program was launched in February including afternoon programs and new evening program for Year 12 students with the support of specialist staff and alumni tutors.