Greetings from the College

Greetings from St Bede's

The holiday yesterday meant a broken week, and the boys had an enjoyable finish to the week as we staged the swimming sports today. On Wednesday we had our first full school assembly, where we badged the prefects, introduced new staff and took the opportunity to relay some beginning of school messages.The Perfect Team is as follows:  Angus Grant - Head Boy, Jack Ryan - Deputy Head Boy, Zeke De Gouw- Deputy Head Boy, Harry Smith (Head Boarder), Olly Plunkett (Deputy Head Boarder), George Baker, Rhys Balchin, Ben Fleming, Nathan Fronda, Cian Hallissey, Sam Lawry, Andrew Lee, George Methven, Nick O'Connor, Luke Pickering, Iuvale Pulega, Zephr Quartly, Owen Templeton, Lachie Williams, Mac Williams.

The completion of the building projects at least in the meantime, has meant we have an opportunity to think about spaces on the campus and how best to use them.

The previous library space has been converted into the Centre of Enhancement(CoE), and under one roof are now many areas of the College, with specific needs that previously operated in isolation. So Learning Support, International students, Careers and Gateway, Gifted Students, High Performance Sport and Culture are now combined in one new faculty under the leadership of Mr Burnside.

Student and staff welfare is an area for updating as well, and Mr Gray and Mr Williams,our counsellors are in the process of setting up a newly established Centre of Well being (COW). They are also setting up a programme that will involve all of the students, to learn skills to better equip boys to cope with the challenges of modern day life. Mr Gray spoke to the assembly on Wednesday encouraging boys to come forward and air any concerns they have rather than bottle them up.

We conveyed a message about learning as well. I asked the boys to think of their five years here as a pathway. Importantly it is a place where boys grow into good men, but also it is a pathway to discover what each boys strengths and interests are. As they progress through the school that will influence subject choice, selecting also the path of tertiary study they may follow or their future career option.

Our aim is that every boy is on a pathway to tertiary education if they choose or desire. St Bede's aim is at very least every boys should attain Level 2. Depending on the ability of each cohort we think 75-80 percent should attain level 3, and we are aiming for a similar percentage to get University Entrance.

So our job together, students and staff is to create an environment every year, where every student can achieve his personal goals. I made it quite clear to the boys that if the students don’t buy into that and prevent others learning then we will intervene earlier. The boys were reminded that to represent the College in sporting and cultural activities is a privilege and not a right. Their first job is what happens in the classroom. If that is in order then they earn the right to represent us out of the classroom.

Until next week

J.G. Boyle