At Trinity Anglican College, we believe that education should foster growth for each child and teenager so that that our students leave the College as mature, responsible, critical, discerning, compassionate citizens, ready to be a dynamic force for good in the adult world.
For this reason we believe in a rounded education that challenges and so develops a child spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, physically and socially.
There are general principles which we believe underpin all good learning. These are:
- Every child can learn.
- Every child needs to grow a positive mindset and positive self-concept.
- Every child needs to learn strategies to support their learning towards independence.
- A robust mindset and set of learning skills must not only be taught and practiced; they must become habits.
- Learning is active: children must be active in their learning, not passive recipients.
We also believe that learning for each student needs to be personalized by being responsive to an individual’s interests, learning skills, aptitude and ability.
In order to support students’ learning and search for meaning, Trinity Anglican College (Senior School) aims to:
- Commence lessons with purpose or an intention for learning.
- Engage students through:
- Fostering respectful and positive relationships with the teacher which engender trust.
- Embedding interesting learning experiences which connect to a student’s world and then extends and broadens their perspective on the world.
- Connecting new learning with prior learning and also future learning.
- Developing critical and creative thinking skills.
- Developing core skills in literacy, numeracy and essential kills in ICT. Vocabulary development is central to conceptual development across the curriculum.
- Reflecting on what has been learnt
- Using humour to foster joy in life and experience.
- Provide scaffolds and other visual aids to assist students to organize and make meaning of their learning experiences.
- Provide opportunities for students to explore, trial and put their learning into practice.
- Provide spoken or written feedback on learning, from the teacher or peers, which provides the motivation and catalyst for continued learning.
The principles and practices which underpin our approach to learning are supported through our Learning Management System: SEQTA.
Critical and Creative Thinking
Learning is fostered by developing imagination and skills in investigation and problem-solving. Students are encouraged to brainstorm ideas, explore, plan, trial, implement, question and evaluate, in readiness to explore and question again. Investigation of real contexts and problems, combined with imagination, form a powerful foundation for effective communication, choice and decision-making, learning from mistakes and solving problems.
Throughout this process, students learn to be responsible for their own learning, and so grow towards independence.
Critical and creative thinking are fine-tuned in Years 10-12 as students apply these skills to increasing complex tasks which challenge them. Perseverance is recognised and encouraged. Students are encouraged to respect and value these thinking processes which will equip them to perform their best in the Higher School Certificate and entrance to the tertiary training of their choice.
Digital Learning
Our Digital Learning Program which is being developed across the Primary and Secondary Schools is a response to students’ need to be equipped with 21st Century skills. At Trinity Anglican College we recognise that students’ understanding of and ability to code, will enable them to have control of and to manipulate the virtual world of the future. It is an additional essential literacy.
Learning and teaching are responsive to students needs and abilities
Sometimes this responsiveness will be through students having choice in their learning, by designing their own learning activities. At other times teachers will assist students to engage with the learning by building diagrams which help students to understand how to think, plan and structure their responses. At other times it will be through particular feedback from a teacher about how a student can improve a piece of work. Therefore, curriculum, instruction or mode of learning is personalised for students.
Curriculum in Years 7-10:
Our Curriculum is the vehicle through which students learn about their world and about how they can interact with it. It also offers opportunity for personal growth as students learn about the subjects they most enjoy and in which they experience most success.
At Trinity Anglican College, we encourage students to engage with the curriculum in purposeful, energised and challenging activities which foster learning through: explicit instruction, individual work, collaboration, problem- solving, project based learning, reflection and evaluation.
Our curriculum is grounded in the core building blocks for learning: literacy, numeracy and information and communication technologies.
Across Years 7-10 (or Stage 4 and 5), students move from a curriculum that has been designed to provide broad educational experiences, to one which allows students to select some subjects of a more specialised nature. In addition, within the mandatory subjects there is a subtle and continuing change of focus from acquiring skills to critical and creative thinking in greater depth.
All students study the following courses in Years 7-8:
- English, Mathematics and Science
- History and Geography
- Personal Development and Physical Education (PDHPE)
- Music, Visual Arts and Drama
- Technology and Applied Studies (TAS)
- Study of a language other than English: French
- Religious and Values Education (RAVE)
During Years 9 and 10, students study core subjects:
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- Mandatory History
- Australian Geography
- Personal Development, Health & Physical Education (PDHPE)
- Religious and Values Education (RAVE)
In addition, students study:
- Three Elective Subjects in Year 9
- Two Elective Subjects in Year 10
Students can study a subject for two years, but there is flexibility to change electives at the end of Year 9. This means that a student can study as many as five elective subjects over two years, or as few as two elective subjects.
Trinity Anglican College is a New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) registered and accredited school. As such, the College offers families the NESA developed curriculum. In addition, a course in Psychology is offered. Psychology is a school designed course which has been endorsed by NESA.
The subjects currently on offer include:
- Agricultural Technology
- Commerce
- Drama
- Food Technology
- French (students must have studied French in Year 9 to continue to study French in Year 10)
- Geography Elective
- History Elective
- Industrial Technology – Timber
- Information and Software Technology (IST
- iSTEM
- Music
- Photographic and Digital Media (PDM)
- Physical Activity and Sport Studies (PASS)
- Psychology (Year 10 only)
- Textiles Technology
- Visual Arts (VA)
Enrichment, Extension and Learning Support:
Students from Kindergarten to Year 12 are encouraged and challenged to aim for their personal best in all that they do at Trinity Anglican College. To address this in their academic studies, students are supported by teachers through engaging growth-focused teaching and learning programs, which are continually informed by quality research.
Every student has the opportunity to access various forms of support for their learning. Some students, based upon identified needs and/or their pathway through school, will also access other provisions available through Extension & Enrichment, VET (Vocational Education & Training) programs and Learning Support through the Tutorial Centre.
In this manner, the personalising of student learning in every classroom and subject is key to ensuring that students at Trinity are building skills and understanding for a bright future.
For students who need additional challenge, we offer a differentiated curriculum in English, Mathematics and Science.
Curriculum: Years 11-12:
At Trinity Anglican College, we provide rich opportunities within the curriculum for students to explore their interests and strengths. The following subjects are offered to Year 11 students each year.
| Year 11 (Preliminary) | Year 12 (HSC) |
|---|---|
| English Board Developed Courses | English Board Developed Courses |
| English Standard | English Standard |
| English Advanced | English Advanced |
| English Extension (1 unit) | English Extension 1 English Extension 2 |
| Mathematics Board Developed Courses | Mathematics Board Developed Courses |
| Mathematics Standard | Mathematics Standard |
| Mathematics Advanced | Mathematics Advanced |
| Mathematics Extension 1 | Mathematics Extension 1 Mathematics Extension 2 |
| Science Board Developed Courses | Science Board Developed Courses |
| Biology | Biology |
| Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Physics | Physics |
| Psychology I (Board Endorsed Course, Non-ATAR, 1 Unit) | Science Extension (1 unit) |
| Psychology II (Board Endorsed Course, Non-ATAR, 2 Units) | Psychology I ((Board Endorsed Course, Non-ATAR, 1 Unit) |
| Technologies Board Developed Courses | Technologies Board Developed Courses |
| Design and Technology | Design and Technology |
| Engineering | Engineering |
| Food Technology | Food Technology |
| Information Processes and Technology | Information Processes and Technology |
| Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) Board Developed Courses | Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) Board Developed Courses |
| Business Studies | Business Studies |
| Geography | Geography |
| Legal Studies | History Extension Legal Studies |
| Modern History | Modern History |
| Studies of Religion 1 | Studies of Religion 1 |
| Studies of Religion 2 | Studies of Religion 2 |
| Creative Arts Board Developed Courses | Creative Arts Board Developed Courses |
| Drama | Drama |
| Music 1 (2 Unit Course) | Music 1 (2 Unit Course) |
| Visual Arts | Visual Arts |
| Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) Board Developed Courses | Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) Board Developed Courses |
| Community and Family Studies | Community and Family Studies |
| PDHPE | PDHPE |
| Languages Board Developed Courses | Languages Board Developed Courses |
| French Continuers | French Continuers |
| Vocational Education and Training (VET) Course | Vocational Education and Training (VET) Course |
| Construction (counts as a Board Developed Course for the HSC and if students elect to sit the HSC exam it will also count towards an ATAR) | Construction (counts as a Board Developed Course for the HSC and if students elect to sit the HSC exam it will also count towards an ATAR) |
Support for Students to Study a TVET Course
Students in Years 11 and 12 are provided with the opportunity to study a TVET course alongside their HSC subjects.
We recognises the benefits of viable, relevant and achievable senior pathways, but understands TVET courses may be a significant additional expense. Ordinarily, the College receives limited funding from the NSW Association of Independent Schools (AIS), which partly reduces the cost of TAFE courses for families; for 2023 this amount will be $625 per student. The College is pleased to advise that, in addition to the AIS funding, further financial support will be provided by the College. Effective 2023, the College will fund 50% of the cost of each TAFE course, up to a maximum of $1,000 per student. Support provided by the College will be reviewed annually in the context of demand for TAFE courses and available funding.