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The 10 excellent schools in Australia 2021
1. 2021 | VOL-05 | ISSUE-04
THE 10
EXCELLENT
SCHOOLS
SCHOOLS
SCHOOLS IN
IN
IN AUSTRALIA 2021
2.
3.
4. EDITOR’S
NOTE
Australia reminds one of surfing, kangaroos,
forests, mountains, deserts, warm climate, and
warm people. It is also known for its rich culture
and history and world-recognised education. It is one
of the countries with highest literacy rate.
In addition, the diverse culture promotes tolerance,
inclusion, and equality naturally in students. Schools
also ingrain these philosophies deeply into the young
impressionable minds which help them become future
global citizens with ease. School education in Australia
provides the necessary skills for future study.
Australia is also ranked third largest education provider
to international students in the world. The country has
great employment opportunities.
It is home to a large number of world-class universities
and colleges and is known for its effective teaching
and research. Education from Australia is recognised
and respected around the world. It is one of the global
ACCELERATING
THE NEED FOR
WORLD CLASS
EDUCATION
5. leaders for education, a reputation it has retained for
decades.
An excellent education system in a country that is
friendly and safe are all that parents would want for
their children.
To provide all these to its students, schools in Australia
had to evolve along with the ever-evolving education
st
system, to meet the demands of 21 century.
From the old school of thought – ‘one size fits all’, to a
personalised approach, the education field has evolved
beyond anyone’s imagination. From teaching
methodologies to curriculum, different flavours of
pedagogy have come to the fore. The education
system is more learner-centric and has transcended
beyond the language-math-science studies. Parents
today want much more than classroom teaching and
are not willing to settle for anything less. No wonder
every educational institute is branding itself with the
holistic development of its students.
This also increases the challenge for educational
institutions to provide the best and stay on the top.
Teachers must constantly keep brushing up their skills
and knowledge to adapt to the new pedagogy styles.
Excellent curriculum today extends beyond the
physical classroom. For creating global citizens there
needs to be global awareness among teachers, which is
strikingly visible in schools in Australia.
Digitalisation is another challenge that needs constant
attention. Earlier, it simply meant computer education
and LCD screens. Today, it has gone beyond computer
education with EdTech platforms making waves in the
field. And Australia has quickly adapted to the
changing times.
Schools in Australia are constantly on their heels to
deliver world-class education, thereby accelerating
learning for all.
Few such schools in Australia that surpassed the rest
caught our attention and we chose to feature them in
our latest edition of The Knowledge Review,
titled - The 10 Excellent Schools in Australia 2021.
Have an insightful read! T R
Sumita Sarkar
sumita@theknowledgereview.com
6. Tamborine Mountain State School
Building Characters, Skills and Providing Excellence in Education
08
Cover
Story
What ts the bill?
A Perspective on the Different
Teaching Models
26
Change for Better
A Rise of Innovation Imperative
in Education
38
CXO
7. 22
Caroline Chisholm
Catholic College
The Ongoing Legacy
of Faith, Acceptance,
Compassion and
Excellence
30
The Knox School
Training Creators,
Innovators, Thinkers
and Visionaries!
16
Vivisection – Learning in Lockdowns
A year of digital learning and the
losses students faced
Articles 34
Grades v/s skills
Is the number-crazy world ready for
skills with or without grades?
C O N T E N T S
9. URL
Name of the Institution Brief
Caboolture Montessori
School
cms.qld.edu.au
Located on a 10-acre rural site ve minutes north of the
Caboolture CBD, the Caboolture Montessori School
offers a Montessori education program for children
from age 15 months through to Year 6, placing students
at the centre of their education.
Caroline Chisholm Catholic
College (CCCC) cccc.vic.edu.au
Caroline Chisholm Catholic College is a Roman Catholic
co-educational day school for years 7-12 and is
dedicated to learning excellence in a faith-lled,
engaged, and supportive environment.
Ghilgai School ghilgai.com.au
Hymba Yumba
Independent School hymbayumba.qld.edu.au
Ravenswood School
for Girls
ravenswood.nsw.edu.au
Ravenswood is dedicated to excellence in education
for girls and the realisation of each child's potential,
providing a balanced curriculum encompassing
spiritual, academic, cultural, physical, and practical
areas of learning.
St Luke's Anglican School stlukes.qld.edu.au
Tamborine Mountain
State School (TMSS)
tamborinemountainss.eq.edu.au
The Knox School (TKS) knox.vic.edu.au
St Stephen's School ststephens.wa.edu.au
The Scots College
Preparatory School
tsc.nsw.edu.au
Ghilgai School, at the foot of the Dandenong Ranges,
provides Rudolf Steiner education for children from
playgroups through to class 6. The school's secluded
bush setting is a sanctuary for childhood.
Hymba Yumba is an innovative education and
community-building initiative which prides itself in
offering jarjums (kids) a prep-Year 12 education
grounded in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
cultures with a strong focus on excellence in Arts and
Science.
St Luke's Anglican School is an independent
Anglican co-educational school whose staff are
committed to providing the best opportunity for
your children to reach their highest potential.
St Stephen's School is one of Western Australia's
largest independent schools which is a Christ-centred,
student-focused and community-based school
founded with a vision to nurture, and aiming to
inspire learning that transforms lives.
TMSS, comprising of exceptional staff, wonderful
students, dedicated parents, and a supportive
community, is focused on providing values-based
education with an objective to promote academic,
cultural, physical, and social development of each
child.
TKS is an independent, co-educational school that
aims to deliver innovative education with dynamic
teachers at its heart who connect, shape, provoke,
and position their students to thrive in an adaptive
global environment, encourage engaging,
demanding and rewarding learning.
The Scots College is one of Australia's oldest and
most respected Presbyterian boys' schools that
defends the honourable traditions, adventures and
learning of boys, inspiring them to learn, lead, and
serve as they strive for excellence together.
THE
10
10
10
EXCELLENT
SCHOOLS
IN
AUSTRALIA
2021
T R
12. social activities and fostering strong
community relationships.
Curriculum Shaping @ TMSS
Teachers of TMSS design and shape a
fully integrated guaranteed and viable
curriculum to engage, challenge and
motivate students. The school’s
innovative curriculum shaping journey
commenced in 2016. TMSS’s
Principal, Jason Smith and his
curriculum leaders used the Art and
Science of Teaching Framework as a
guide to deconstruct the Australian
Curriculum and contextualise tasks to
their students’ needs and interests. This
approach resulted in a flexible scope
and sequence in all learning areas that
cohorts use to plan engaging student-
centered units of work. Cohorts receive
one full day of planning each school
term. Teachers and education leaders
from neighbouring schools and early
childhood providers are invited to
participate in the school’s planning and
moderation cycle. Curriculum leaders
regularly conference with staff to
monitor pace, student engagement,
learning intentions, differentiation
strategies implementations and
maintaining high expectations.
through focusing on STEAM subjects,
fostering critical and creative thinking,
problem-solving, innovative
curriculum delivery that creates depth
of understanding, prioritising well-
being and emotional health,
compacting the curriculum to enrich,
extend and accelerate learning in
meaningful, real-life contexts,
implementing Feuerstein cognitive
strategies, using online learning
platforms: Online Learning at TMSS -
anytime - anywhere - any pace.
TMSS’s Motto is - ‘Strive for the
Highest’. The school exemplifies this
in every action and interaction it
makes. TMSS promotes a values-based
education, which can strengthen
students’ self-esteem, optimism and
commitment to personal fulfilment and
help students exercise ethical
judgement and social responsibility.
There is a true sense of community,
which permeates through the school.
TMSS’s Parents and Citizens’
Association is a supportive and
inclusive organisation that supports its
students through positive leadership
and behaviour, supplying additional
classroom resources, assisting with
Tamborine Mountain State
School (TMSS) is a fully
inclusive and diverse school,
dedicated to the holistic personalised
education of each student and
underpinned by multiple layers of
community support and local business
partnerships.
The primary school uses innovative
and creative teaching pedagogies to
engage students with the curriculum by
linking the school’s teachings to the
real-world context. TMSS embraces
Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts
and Math (STEAM)-based learning
opportunities such as robotics, coding,
specialist science, math, dance, drama,
music and multimedia.
TMSS has developed a unilateral
partnership named Tamborine
Mountain Learning Academy (TMLA)
with Tamborine Mountain State High
School (TMSHS), Griffith University
and Swinburne University. TMLA has
established a Young Scholars’ Program
(YSP), which allows students to learn
at their ability level, rather than
chronological age. Director General of
Education Jim Watterston said this
program is a “game changer” for
TMSS students and demonstrates
innovative thinking from the school’s
leadership team.
TMSS has been recognised as a leader
in forging strong partnerships with
local indigenous communities and
elders. TMSS is proudly embedding
ATSI Indigenous Perspectives across
all learning areas in real world
contexts, with specialist indigenous
community instructors and elders in
the school’s Bush Tucker Garden and
Yarning Circle outdoor teaching areas.
TMSS’s Vision statement is ‘Creating
Sustainable Communities of Learners
for the Future’. This is demonstrated
13. The school’s creative and extensive
planning cycle follows a process to
allow for teacher and student voice to
drive the outcome:
• Reflect – Review – Update
• High yield questioning (How could
this be improved? Which part
engaged students the most? How do
you know? Did you learn enough
about what your students know,
understand and can do to make a
judgement against the Achievement
Standards? Was the teaching and
learning powerful?)
• Feedback from students about their
learning.
• Unpacking the curriculum intent,
demands and priorities of the next
learning cycle.
• Backward mapping the teaching
sequence from planned assessment.
• Sharing of effective practices and
resourcing.
I will ensure
every child in
every classroom
feels safe and is
learning every
day. My staff and
I are committed
to knowing each
student as an
individual Holistic Development
Flexible seating was introduced to
TMSS in 2018 to provide students with
opportunities to learn in a student-
centered environment – desks, chairs,
bean bags, standing workstations,
outdoor learning spaces and expanded
environment and sustainability
gardens.
Students enjoy a wide range of extra-
curricular programs to support their
academic performance as well as to
strengthen and develop their interests,
talents and aspirations. From attending
excursions and camps to consolidate
learning, to undertaking online courses
or participating in after school
programs, the school offers its students
a range of exciting programs to
enhance learning. TMSS was the first
and only state primary school in
Queensland to have partnership with
Swinburne University and roll out their
suite of emotional intelligence
techniques and strategies in classrooms
across the school.
The 10 Excellent Schools in Australia 2021
14. Dynamic Leadership
Principal, Jason Smith is an award-
winning principal who has been the
leader of TMSS since 2012. His
objective is to promote the academic,
cultural, physical and social
development of each child. He
encourages and teaches students to
become self-motivated learners who
can work independently, co-operatively
and happily to gain the skills they need
to make choices about their lives, now,
and in the future. He places a
significant emphasis on every student’s
creativity and achievement. He
ambitiously leads Tamborine Mountain
State School to embrace a whole
school focus on achievement and
success in academic, sporting, arts and
cultural programs. He is extremely
passionate about celebrating the
successes of his young people and
staff.
Personal and professional values are
extremely important to Mr Smith.
Tamborine Mountain State School staff
acknowledge that education is as much
about building character as it is about
equipping students with specific skills
to become a well-rounded citizen. For
some students their skill or talent is
immediately apparent, for others it
takes a little time to be revealed. Smith
enjoys working with staff and parents
to nurture and showcase their talents.
He has an unrelenting focus on student
improvement through a student-
centered learning approach. He is a
dynamic principal who promotes a
value-based education to strengthen
students’ self-esteem, optimism and
commitment to personal fulfilment.
Every child is
unique and has
something to
contribute to our
school and
community
15. Smith spends a great deal of time
around the school grounds and in the
classroom asking students what they
are learning and why they are learning
it. He also asks them about their
personal interests and achievements
outside of school. He regularly asks the
staff how he can better assist them in
their pursuit of delivering a world-class
education to his students.
Mr Smith is extremely proud of his
staff. To acknowledge the amazing
work they do, he lobbied the
Queensland Department of Education
for $200,00 AUD to convert an old
grounds’ maintenance shed into a new
staff lounge, known as “The
Basement”. He worked with the
contractors to ensure the project was
built to his specific needs – a space
where staff could go and unwind
during the day, as well as before and
after school. He made a commitment
that the room would be a sanctuary for
his staff. He then equipped the room
with air conditioners, a massage chair,
soft furnishings, microwaves,
dishwasher, fridge, freezer, stereo,
smart television, a café style
technology hub, reading book-swap
nook, board games, vending machine,
hot drink vending café, lounge chairs
and couches.
Apart from the Herd
At Tamborine Mountain State School,
the emphasis is on every student’s
creativity and achievement. Students
get many opportunities to participate in
an extensive range of diverse extra-
curricular activities. It has a whole
school focus on achievement and
success in academics, sports, arts and
cultural programs, which can only be
achieved by students attending school
every day, and the school and broader
communities working with it to ensure
that the school is continually ‘Striving
for the Highest’!
16. My teachers will
be explicit with
their teaching,
caring and
compassionate,
and responsive to
the needs of
every child
17. • TMSS Principal, Jason Smith named in the “The 10
Most Inspiring Educational Leaders in Australia” in
The Education Review (International Publication)
• Australian Narragunnawali Awards – Finalist 2019
• Australian Education Awards – Innovation in
Curriculum Design – Finalist 2019
• Australian Education Awards - Primary Principal of
the Year (Government) – Finalist 2019
• Australian Education Awards - Primary School of
the Year (Government) – Finalist 2019
• Australian Education Awards – Primary School of
the Year (Government) – Winner 2018
• Principal, Jason Smith – Australian Educator “Hot
List” – 2018 and 2020
• Qld Reconciliation Awards – state finalist 2018
• South East Region NAIDOC Awards for Inclusivity –
Winner 2018
• Silkstone Eisteddfod –Band ensemble – Concert
Band – Winner 2018
• Gold Coast Eisteddfod – Chorale – Winner 2018
• South East Region STEM Challenge – Winner 2018
• State Showcase Award – Regional winners 2014,
2016
• HP National technology – winner $10 000
• ABC Radio 'Grab a Goanna' – winner $40 000
mini-grand piano
Awards, Accolades,
Achievements
TMSS is proud to be a member of the
Happy School program, which focuses on
mindfulness and staff wellbeing. Mr Smith
explicates that staff morale and well-being
have a huge impact on student achievement,
relationships within the school and the
successful implementation of change.
Looking Ahead
Tamborine Mountain State School is
currently expanding its suite of technology
devices to become change agents for a new
innovative and creative way of teaching and
learning through online platforms to
complement and enhance its current
educational practices. TMSS is also leading
change with Indigenous education and
language by being awarded a $15 000 to
work with the Queensland State Library and
author Gregg Dreise to produce a series of
online Indigenous resources for TMSS and
other schools across Australia to implement
into their curriculum.
19. and the losses faced
students
A year of
MAY 2021 | 17
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20. ccording to Nelson Mandela,
Aeducation is the most powerful
weapon that can change the
world. Lessons learned in classrooms
with peers across different regions and
religions induce inclusivity and nurture
children as global citizens from an
early age.
However, these academic learnings
were abruptly halted due to lockdown.
When the Covid-19 pandemic was
announced in March 2020, before
restaurants and religious places were
shut down, schools stopped their
academic operations. Amidst the spring
season of the academic learning,
University of Washington shut down
its campus operations and over 250
universities and colleges in the U.S.
followed the suit, more so across the
world.
Although students and teachers soon
began classes through digital
classrooms to make up for the loss of
learning, the virtual settings robbed
students of real-life experiences.
According to the recent findings of the
McKinsey survey, most teachers agree
that computers are no match for
classrooms.
No doubt that many parents, students,
and teachers are reluctant to return to
the physical classrooms due to the high
risk of Covid-19 infection, many
teachers believe that digital learning is
a poor replacement for physical
classrooms. We have seen the major
impact of which during the year
pandemic in terms of student
depression and anxiety of uncertain
future more so in high school and
college students.
While depression was the only major
sign the world has experienced across
homes and classrooms devoid of
students. Let’s look at more such major
losses lingering in empty classrooms.
Lack of access to technology
Technological advancements and
digital learning made sure that students
would face no loss of learning. As the
classes resumed through digital
platforms both children and parents felt
less anxiety towards their loss of the
academic year. However, what about
the students who didn’t have access to
computers and mobile phones?
According to a Statista survey done in
February 2019, 74% of Americans own
computers. This percentage differs
across the world with much lesser
access to computers in developing
18 | MAY 2021 www.theknowledgereview.com
21. countries and poorer nations. For
students with no access to computers
or proper network connection, there
was no alternative way to continue
their studies from home.
Loss of logical learning and language
skills
As the schools and colleges remained
shut throughout the year, parents,
students, and teachers focused more on
the losses high school and college
students had to incur. Surely, it would
affect their educational goals, higher
studies, and career ahead. However, the
field studies in education by the
research group at Azim Premji
Foundation observed a major effect of
school closure on foundation years of
class 2 and class 3 students.
According to the survey, 92% of class
2 and class 3 students have lost at least
one language ability including orally
describing their experiences, writing
simple sentences based on a picture,
reading familiar words, and reading
with comprehension.
Loss of social skills
‘Sharing is caring,’ we all learned this
fundamental life lesson during the
early days of our school. From sharing
your desk and pencil to tiffin box, these
small sharing habits taught children to
be inclusive towards others barring the
differences in language, region, and
religion.
Playing sports during the P.T. period
nurtured team spirit and collaboration
in early childhood. It also helped shy
students come out of their bubble and
mingle in groups and make friends.
This further helped improve their
social skills.
Now with the digital classrooms,
children have been missing these
beautiful lessons and classroom
experiences. Loss of contact with peers
in and outside school has affected
children of all ages in many ways, one
from playing time to group studies.
Today, children are inducing more
impatience while having to sit in front
of the computers throughout the day.
This has increased their screen time as
well as irritation and impatience in
their behaviour.
Lack of physical activity
When was the last time you observed
playgrounds and local parks packed
with children playing and running
around? Since the lockdown was
imposed last year in 2020, both adults
and children were confined at home.
While lockdown removal and lesser
restrictions in some areas allowed
adults to step for work and running
essential errands, parents have still
been anxious for children to send out
to play due to the risk of infection.
Lack of physical activity has severely
impacted children’s health increasing
the risk of obesity and diabetes.
Furthermore, restrictions on their
outings like school trips and field
visits, and social mingling which was a
regular part of their lives, have also
affected mental health and well-being
of children.
Seeing digital classrooms in a new
light
Digital classrooms have their perks.
Children have become familiar with
technology which is much needed for
individuals today to survive in the
digital era. Moreover, as most of the
lectures can be recorded, students have
access to these resources 24/7. Self-
study is another major habit
reintroduced during the lockdown in
students’ lives, mentally and habitually
preparing them for the competitive
exams in the future.
As online learning is the new normal in
the post-pandemic era, this calls for
seeing digital classrooms in a new
light. Governments in collaboration
with educational institutes and parents
should introduce a robust digital
educational model that includes regular
physical activity, development of
logical reasoning, language learning,
and social skills in the post-pandemic
era.
Children are the future of families,
nations, and humanity. We have been
fighting to save our children from the
pandemic. Together, let’s try more to
make their future bright and help them
be stronger to face personal,
professional, and social pandemics
ahead. And whatever the medium,
digital or physical, this can be only
possible through holistic education and
overall personality development.
By Vrushali Rakhunde
MAY 2021 | 19
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22.
23. Check should be drawn in favor of
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24. he Catholic school system is 'different' and, being a
Tfaith community, an integral part of the church.
Catholic schools deliver the Australian curriculum
as do all other schools, with the added 'learning area of
religious education', which discusses important moral
values, ethos, and complex metaphysical concepts, which is
also integrated into the life and fabric of the schools.
Caroline Chisholm Catholic College has been a role
model for schools and colleges which aspire to be a good
catholic school that nurtures the intellectual, physical,
emotional, and mental development of its students and the
community as a whole.
Caroline Chisholm Catholic College was established in
1997 and is dedicated to learning excellence in a faith-
filled, engaged, and supportive environment. At this
illustrious school, students enjoy a single-sex education in
their formative years at separate all-girls and all-boys
campuses for years 7 to 9, before moving to the senior co-
ed campus for years 10 to 12. At Caroline Chisholm
Catholic College, the values of faith, acceptance,
compassion, and excellence (FACE) are practised and
contribute to building the college legacy.
Mission:
The college's mission is to educate and prepare their
students to be the best they can be in a faith-filled and
inclusive community.
Caroline Chisholm Catholic
College
The Ongoing Legacy of Faith, Acceptance,
Compassion and Excellence
The 10 Excellent Schools in Australia 2021
22 | MAY 2021 www.theknowledgereview.com
25. Vision:
The college envisions to be the leader
in learning excellence in their
community.
Enthralling Campus
The infrastructure of Caroline
Chisholm Catholic College, as
remarked below, is designed
specifically for the holistic
development of their students.
Christ the King (all-girls campus)
caters for year 7 to 9 girls in an
inclusive, focused learning
environment. The facilities at Christ
the King include a state-of-the-art food
technology area, dedicated Arts Centre,
a new science wing, technology
spaces, as well as bright, welcoming
classrooms with a focus on engaged
and active learning.
St John's (all-boys campus) caters for
year 7 to 9 boys. Here, students are
challenged and encouraged to be the
best they are called to be. The facilities
at St John's include a modern and well-
equipped library, with a range of break
out spaces for use by students in and
out of class, newly refurbished and
welcoming classrooms with access to
data projectors as well as a number of
specialised classrooms for art and
technology subjects, and the modern-
science labs.
The college also has a new performing
and visual arts building, St Madeleine
Centre which opened in 2019 and
houses music, drama, dance, and other
subjects. Students are well-supported
by the dedicated staff in and out of the
classroom, via a breakfast club,
homework club and free after school
tutoring, as well as through a range of
co-curricular activities.
Sacred Heart is an inclusive senior co-
educational campus educating year 10,
11 and 12 students in a focused
learning environment. It offers a range
of learning opportunities and pathways
including VCE, VCAL and VET,
where each student is valued and
encouraged to aspire for excellence.
Garema-Dumont is Caroline Chisholm
Catholic College's 56-acre outdoor and
environmental education facility
located in a native bushland setting on
the Moorabool river near Steiglitz in
the Brisbane Ranges. The Moorabool
river provides opportunities for
canoeing, kayaking, rafting, and
swimming. The property also has high
and low ropes courses, a rock-climbing
tower, archery field, bush tucker
garden as well as a range of mountain
biking tracks. On-site facilities include
a dining hall and kitchen, amenities
with toilets and hot showers as well as
a barbeque and campfire area.
The college is a perfect offering of
single-sex and co-education. The early
years of secondary school in their
single-sex environments allow students
to focus on establishing study routines,
while building their learning
confidence and addressing their
personalised development needs. The
adjustment to the co-ed pattern later is
seamless in many ways because the
students have experienced some co-
education classes whilst in years 7-9.
They will have also grown in
confidence and their resilience will
have developed. This allows them the
opportunity to build on skills taught in
the younger year levels.
Well-planned study groups support a
rich learning environment with a focus
on engagement of all students, with
regular lunchtime activities delivered
by passionate and dedicated staff.
Here at Caroline
Chisholm Catholic
College, we live
out Caroline
Chisholm's legacy
through our
values of Faith,
Acceptance,
Compassion and
Excellence
(FACE).”
“
“
MAY 2021 | 23
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26. Standing Apart
The wellbeing of students is central to
their experience at the college. All
programs of the college are well
resourced and represent a high priority
to promote the personal, psychological,
and emotional growth of their young
people. The Wellbeing Team includes
three full-time counsellors, bilingual
support, refugee and outreach
coordinators, parent liaison and
primary school links officer, as well as
partnerships with local and state
organisations to support the students
across all years.
The college has a proud tradition of
offering a robust number of learning
programs, in addition to a core
curriculum and co-curriculum options.
Motivational Force
Anne Maire Cairns, Deputy
Principal Staff, has been
the motivating force behind
retaining standard of the
school along with her
dedicated fleet of staff.
She has been committed to
Catholic education for 25+
years and counts it as a
privilege to have worked in
a variety of Catholic
schools, including her
current school, Caroline
Chisholm Catholic College,
Braybrook. “I believe the
driving focus in schools
should always be about
improving student learning
and experiences. Student
learning, growth and
improvement are central
motivators every day I
come to work. Engaging
and connecting with
students, staff and our
wider community are
critical to the success of the
young people we journey
with daily,” she shared.
Students in year 7 study a broad range
of subjects including music (keyboard
and guitar), science, textiles, food
technology, drama, visual arts, design
and technologies and languages (Italian
and Japanese). Students are given
increasing opportunities to make
personalised choices at years 9 and
beyond.
Among its many achievements, the
Caroline Chisholm Catholic College
was recently awarded an 'Employer of
Choice' award, the first and only to be
awarded to a Catholic school.
Educators that Care
In the interest of aiding students, the
college has a 'Learner Mentor' Program
to assist students in the setting
24 | MAY 2021 www.theknowledgereview.com
27. The wellbeing of our students is
central to their experience at the
College. All our programs are well
resourced and represent a high
priority to promote the personal,
psychological and emotional growth
of our young people.
of personal and academic goals, keep a
close eye on their progress in all
subject areas, and are a first point of
contact for students. The 'Learner
Mentor' Program means they are the
first point of influence and contact in
the wellbeing of students and fosters
personal responsibility for learning and
provide each student with the
necessary balance of support and
challenge to allow for personal growth
as a learner. Students maintain the
same 'Learner Mentor' for three years.
The Learner Mentor Program acts as
the foundation for facilitating
relationships between students, staff,
and parents/carers. Learner Mentors
serve as coaches, mentors, guides and
role models. They facilitate an open
relationship with the aim of assisting
the student holistically and
academically.
Prospects
The college provides a wide variety of
opportunities across the academic
curriculum, including VCE, VET and
VCAL programs, as well as a
comprehensive co-curricular program,
spanning sport, music, visual and
performing art, drama, technology,
maths, languages, and faith in action.
The students' academic results are
strong; 95% of year 12 students have
gone onto tertiary education, and in
2020, the College DUX achieved an
ATAR score of 98.7 and the Proximate
Accessit 98.5. Several students were
successful in achieving scholarships to
leading universities.
The college's leadership is constantly
seeking out innovative ways to deliver
a robust curriculum to prepare the
students for the future.
“
“
T R
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28. Teaching can be done in a
variety of ways: through
Socratic enquiry, direct
instruction, collaborative work,
project-based learning and more. Each
model satisfies particular skillsets and
strategies.
The needs of students should guide the
educator about the choice of teaching
model and all should be introduced to
offer opportunities for students to find
the best methodology suited to their
style of learning.
Teaching should always be linked to
individualised student learning for
optimal outcomes.
Within a Montessori context, there are
many models adopted by educators and
always the deciding factor is the
student needs. Often the students
themselves become the teachers and
peer teaching demonstrates high yield
with positive learning outcomes.
Montessori is based on developmental
needs and planned instruction as well
as maintaining the understanding that
students are constructivists, hence
knowledge is acquired and sought, to
widen personal understanding. Student
participation and engagement is very
high when they are agents in their own
learning. Children naturally seek
different models of how they are
taught. Explicit instruction may be the
first step when building a foundation of
a new concept; the next step could be
collaborative learning (teaching) or
project-based learning.
A Montessori educator is cognisant of
each teaching model and asked to
identify the appropriate model for
expected outcomes as well as for the
student's best learning modality.
A model seldom used in a Montessori
class is the 'expert model'. We want
students to question and never feel that
one person holds all the answers; this
promotes responsibility on behalf of
students to share their own knowledge
and understanding without the sense of
being judged.
An enquiry-based research project
yields the most positive outcomes
when the educator scaffolds
expectations and provides criteria to be
included in student work. Generally, a
student will produce far more than
required, when allowed to drive his/her
own project.
A Perspective
on the
Different Teaching Models
About the Author
Yvonne Rinaldi is the Principal
of Caboolture Montessori
School, Australia. She was born
in Italy and completed primary
and secondary education
there. She qualified as a
medical technologist in
Haematology from South
Africa and worked at the South
African Institute for Medical
Research, completing a
research in 'Child protein-
calorie Malnutrition' within the
African sector of the
population. Working with
children highlighted her
interest in education and
learning. Teaching became her
next profession and she
worked with children between
the ages of 3 to 17. She is in
education field for 40 years.
She also helped her husband
run five companies within the
engineering field and
continued studying. She has
two educational degrees and a
Masters in Guidance and
Counselling. She believes, “We
can do whatever we put our
minds to.”
26 | MAY 2021 www.theknowledgereview.com
32. Training Creators, Innovators, Thinkers and Visionaries!
engaging educational environment.
Today, to be well educated no longer
refers solely to an education in
mathematics, science and the arts; it
demands the infusion of the 6Cs –
creativity, critical thinking,
communication, collaboration,
character and contribution – at age and
context-appropriate opportunities that
combine to nurture the successful self-
regulated learner and promote self-
efficacy.
The world that the next
generation of learners will
inherit is one of complexity
and ever-changing innovation. A world
where it is insufficient to have
knowledge and ideas without the skills
and attitudes to apply the knowledge
and implement them. And the
inculcation of these attributes begins at
the school level itself, where the new
generation of learners may have the
optimal opportunities to nurture their
thought, creativity and curiosity in an
To thrive in the ever-changing world,
this next generation of learners need a
school committed to fostering the
cultivation of an adaptive set of skills
and values that, together with
knowledge from the traditional
disciplines, will equip students to
embrace change as an opportunity. A
school in east Melbourne embodies all
the values mentioned above and is a
training ground for the visionaries of
tomorrow. Welcome to The Knox
School!
30 | MAY 2021 www.theknowledgereview.com
33. The students who
graduate from The
Knox School are
remarkable young
people who take the
values of
achievement,
respect,
responsibility,
resilience, care and
empathy, into the
world and make a
difference
The Knox School is an independent,
co-educational school located in an
outer metropolitan environment east of
Melbourne, which aims to deliver
innovative education with dynamic
teachers at its heart. Teachers who
connect, shape, provoke and position
their students to thrive in an adaptive
global environment, encourage
engaging, demanding and rewarding
learning, and support students to
advocate for themselves, contribute to
their communities and thrive as
challenge becomes opportunity.
In the classroom, in the sports field and
in life, you can always tell a Knox
student. They are remarkable young
people who take these values into the
world and make a difference. They are
confident, connected and focused on
learning. Whatever path in life they
choose, if they are a Knox student,
they will be the best they can possibly
be, and the school is immensely proud
of them.
Vision
The Knox School envisions to be
recognised as a centre of excellence,
focused on designing and
implementing a model of personalised
learning that is achievable and
attainable within the current
educational context.
The Knox School will grow and
stimulate young people's learning and
wellbeing to equip them to thrive and
contribute in a complex and changing
world.
The Knox School will grow a culture
of excellence and accomplishment.
This will be an environment where to
strive, experiment, fail and strive again
is valued and rewarded and to
accomplish outcomes beyond
expectation is the norm.
Exceptional Academic Results
The school's VCE (Victorian
Certificate of Education) and
NAPLAN (National Assessment
Program – Literacy and Numeracy)
results show that it is a school that
cares. The Year 3 and 5 NAPLAN
results position it in the top 2% of the
nation.
Small classes enable students to get the
personal attention they deserve, and the
teachers are always available to
provide extra help in any subject. The
afterschool 'academic tutoring' is just
another way the staff go the extra mile
to make sure their students are not left
behind.
There are endless opportunities here
for pupils at any level; sport, music,
performing arts, science, coding,
robotics – the list goes on. Each child
from Year 2 to Year 7 receives free
music tuition on a rotation of orchestral
instruments with opportunities to
become part of musical ensembles.
And most importantly, the child’s
social and emotional wellbeing is just
The 10 Excellent Schools in Australia 2021
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34. as important to the school as their
academic outcome.
Continuous online reporting from
Years 7-12 allows timely feedback on
your child's progress and allows the
teacher, parent and student to identify,
intervene and improve. A Year 7 Centre
is specially designed to ease students
into secondary school life. It caters to
the critical needs of the adolescent with
an emphasis on health and wellbeing.
Elaborating on the incredible
experience of studying at The Knox
School, the Deputy Principal and
Principal Elect – Nikki Kirkup,
explained: “We are only limited by our
imagination. If students suggest an
activity or excursion, we will do our
best to accommodate. Past suggestions
have been trips to Cairns to view a
solar eclipse; hiking and skiing in New
Zealand; abseiling in the Grampians
and much more. We don't do the same
things year in year out – we’re
adaptable and the students love it.”
The Innovative Leader
With over 20 years of experience in
education, Nikki Kirkup, originally
from the UK, came to Australia from
St George's International School in
Switzerland where she held the role of
Head of the English and Drama faculty
for seven years. She implemented the
International Baccalaureate Diploma
and redesigned the ‘Middle Years
English’ program in this role.
Before joining The Knox School at the
start of 2020, Nikki held the role of
Director of Senior Years at Melbourne
Girls Grammar (MGGS) and Acting
Deputy Principal and was instrumental
in leading various projects and teams
in the middle and senior school.
Student agency and ‘leadership beyond
the badge’ are both areas that Nikki has
championed, working closely with
students to develop a range of
philanthropic and enterprise initiatives.
With her passion for collaborative
leadership, student-centred approaches,
community engagement and
innovation in education, Nikki is
excited about her role at The Knox
School, especially a return to co-
education and a significant role in
furthering the four pillars of the school
strategy.
Aspire to Make a Difference
The Knox School approach is centred
around four key principles-
Connect: real learning is relational
Nikki Kirkup
Deputy Principal
32 | MAY 2021 www.theknowledgereview.com
35. • Small classes, specialist groups and individual attention
• A secure urban environment
• Career guidance and personal counselling advice
• State-of-the-art multimedia and presentation resources
• Access to the latest teaching methods in modern
facilities supported by Digital Technology resources
• Counselling for course selection for VCE and University
entrance
• A community dedicated to multiculturalism and the
growth of international understanding
• Care and proper supervision of students to provide a
safe learning and living environment
• The VCE– An internationally recognised qualification
• Health Services – A registered nurse available every
school day
• Dedicated counsellors for the needs of students
• Special classes in English as an additional language (EAL)
• Additional programs in oral and written English
• The celebration of major cultural events at school
• A five-weekly reporting cycle for parents
Shape: real learning requires expert
teaching
Provoke: real learning is challenging
Position: real learning must be
purposeful
Situated in an awe-inspiring
environment with clean air, an
abundance of space, outstanding
facilities, and proximity to public
transport – The Knox School’s size is
perfect to allow teachers and staff to
get to know children parents
personally. It is a values-driven school,
celebrating each person's unique spirit
without any religious affiliation.
“We have a commitment to academic
excellence and to maintaining our
position as a high achieving school,”
stated Deputy Principal Nikki. “Our
excellent NAPLAN results and strong
VCE results reflect a school rich in
personal attention. Every child and
their family are known personally by
the principal and teaching staff. Our
excellent facilities are available to all
students,” she added.
The school does not have compulsory
Saturday sport allowing pupils more
time with their families or to pursue
their own weekend activities. Junior
students can take advantage of a
variety of co-curricular activities such
as coding, film-making and young
engineers. The school facilitates a full-
time registered nurse, counsellor and
career counsellor on staff to assist
students and their families.
The Knox School is only 500 metres
from the East Link freeway, making it
easily reachable from Melbourne’s
southern and eastern suburbs. The
Knox School is a place where learning
and excelling is celebrated by all.
The Knox School provides...
Core Values
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36. ?
Tell me if these situations sound familiar to you:
Students skipping to the last page of their essay to
see the score rather than going through the
comments; Parents emailing about their children’s scores
rather than their growth; Government launching initiatives
which focus on test scores but paying very little attention to
skills.
For many students across the globe, the emphasis on grades
in education is frustrating at best and damaging at worst.
The fundamental purpose for the development of grades in
the nineteenth and twentieth centuries was to facilitate
communication across institutions. Schools and instructors
required a mechanism to convey student preparation and
success as new universities were formed and those that
already existed got larger.
As Schinske and Tanner remarked: neither the
establishment of a grading system nor the consequent
revisions of that system were done for the benefit of student
learning per se; historically, grades have existed primarily
for institutions.
Then why do students today value grades more than
learning?
Every grade contributes to the overall GPA of students, and
GPAs matter for internships, college admissions, and job
applications. In fact, some colleges admit students
automatically who are in the top 10% of their class, and
some employers don’t even bother with the applicants who
have lower than a certain GPA.
Inevitably, parents also start putting more emphasis on
GPAs, which increases the stakes for students too. A 2014
survey conducted by Rick Weissbourd at the Harvard
Graduate School of Education found that 80% of kids
thought that parents cared more about their achievements
than their happiness or kindness. Particularly in high-
achieving and high-pressure schools, many parents often go
directly to professors to try to raise their children’s grades.
Anne Marie Cairns, the Deputy Principal at Caroline
Chisholm Catholic College, explained that, “Grades,
scores, results are always on the minds of students,
teachers, parents, and the external world, but skills,
particularly soft skills are not only essential, but they are
critical to success in various walks of life.”
A 2002 psychology study discovered that more than 80% of
college freshmen based their self-worth on academic
Is the
number-
crazy
world
ready for
skills
with or
grades?
without
34 | MAY 2021 www.theknowledgereview.com
38. competence – more than any other single factor be it family
support, appearance, or life goals. This is an alarming
statistic. Self-worth based on external sources is correlated
with more stress, anger, academic problems, and
relationship conflicts. Additionally, self-worth is also a
factor of consideration when it comes to drug or alcohol use
and symptoms of eating disorders.
Negative effects of grades on students
Anne Marie Cairns spoke about the negative effect of
grades by stating, “The negative impact on learning when
the sole focus is on grades is not only detrimental to the
student’s learning capabilities, but potentially quite
damaging to their mental health and wellbeing.”
Education researchers, Anastasia A. Lipnevich and Jeffrey
K. Smith, concluded in 2008 that grades depressed
creativity, fostered fear of failure, and weakened students’
interest. These effects are only amplified in low achievers
who experienced ‘dramatic declines’ in academic pursuit
upon receiving low grades.
Another convincing theory as to why students are affected
negatively due to grades is the ‘feedback intervention
theory’, which describes how receiving feedback leads to
changes in attention. Feedback should ideally focus
students' attention on the task at hand and the learning
required to perform the task more effectively; grades, on the
other hand, focus students' attention on themselves instead,
resulting in poor academic performance.
How to prioritize learning skills
There are many methods that teachers can implement to
encourage learning for students, such as:
• Evolving Assignments
Giving ‘evolving assignments’ such as papers written in
instalments with descriptive feedback but no grades until
the very end, only regular descriptive feedbacks. This
kind of process emphasizes that learning is never finished
and work can always be improved.
• Learning Reflections
Other suggested exercises include learning reflections,
which help students to connect current tasks to the
abilities they'll need for their preferred careers in the
future. This concept is more externally oriented than it
might be, but the emphasis is on the advantages that
skills-based knowledge may provide rather than on
grades.
• Diction modification
When presenting any form of task, teachers might aid to
emphasize learning by making modest changes in their
diction. Teachers might state, "This is what this task will
teach you," rather than "This is what I need you to
complete." After all, learning is about what students get
out of it, not what teachers want out of it.
• Encourage Intrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic motivation appears to be aided by two factors:
interest and control, according to research. That is, the
information must pique students' attention, and they must
believe they have influence over the learning process. To
pique students' attention, teachers should demonstrate
their own enthusiasm for the subject; dull lectures can
turn off even the most engaged pupils, while fascinating
ones can entice even the most indifferent.
As student stress levels grow and companies place a higher
value on skills and experience than GPA, it is critical that
grades do not take precedence over learning as the ultimate
purpose of school. We can assist kids to develop a love for
learning that will serve them throughout their lives by
giving them high-quality, constructive feedback.
“The teaching and development of soft skill, such as
problem solving, collaboration, teamwork and critical
thinking are lifelong skills that are necessary in all areas of
life, way beyond school. It is obvious that the world of work
demands these skills and fostering and enhancing them
builds grit, resilience and improves health and wellbeing,”
concluded Anne Marie Cairns.
By Aditya Umale
36 | MAY 2021 www.theknowledgereview.com
39.
40. • E-learning
Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the
technology-based education has been implemented in many
institutes; the success of which mainly resides in the digital
literacy of the teachers. ICT as a tool is used to create,
communicate, manage, store and impart information. Some
of the revolutions brought in by ICT include replacement of
blackboard with integrative digital white board,
encouraging learners to use their own digital devices, shift
from the normal classrooms to flipped classrooms.
Education 4.0: A modern approach to learning that is in
line with the fourth industrial revolution, merging
technology and teaching together. Internet of things, big
data, Smart technology, artificial intelligence and robotics
are all part of this industrial revolution 4.0, having an effect
on our daily lives. The five 'I's of the learning in Education
4.0 are:
• Imbibing the basic concepts
• Iterating the fundamental skills
• Interest in the subject to learn more
• Interpreting the study results and applying them
• Innovating concepts and build ideas, products and
services
Some of the applications of Education 4.0 include
personalized learning, project-based learning, availability of
educational tools, time management and organizational
skills and change in the assessment pattern. The main
purpose of Education 4.0 is to shift the focus from teacher
centric to student-centric approach embedded with
technology-centred approach placing the students at the
foremost spot of the education process.
Recent innovations in higher education include: 3D
printing, virtual reality, video streaming, digital text books,
learner faculty forms, changing revenue sources, open
It has been more than a decade that we have not met a
better change in the teaching learning process. We are
still working on the amendments of old education
policies. The new policies are to be framed based on the
current need of the society, upgrading our nation to be
escalated in the Education System. The author has risen to
the present need of the hour, to have innovation imperative
change in the field of education.
Education for Empowerment: Education is a milestone in
the development of a nation. It is a mandatory requirement
for developing a country's economy and society. The twenty
first century has seen revolutions in many sectors; be it
health and pharma, agriculture or industrial sector;
including education sector which has started undergoing a
major transformation.
Need for Innovation in Education:
• Learning outcomes and the quality of education can be
improved
• Equity and equality can be enhanced
• The efficiency can be improved by minimizing the costs
and maximizing the “bang for the buck”
• The results in numeracy and literacy can be improved
Evolution of Digital Technology: There is a paradigm shift
from 'chalk and talk classroom' to 'learning outside the class
room'; from 'sage on stage' to 'on demand' type of
education. Here comes the digital technology aiding in
transforming the teaching learning process, accelerating:
• Novel pedagogic models – enhancing students' creativity,
imagination and problem solving skills
• Virtual simulations – stimulating experimental learning
• International collaborations
• Real-time assessments
A Rise of
Innovation
Imperative inEducation
38 | MAY 2021 www.theknowledgereview.com
41. curriculum and courseware, new degree forms and
certifications and improved learning management systems.
Conclusion: The current pandemic era prevailing from
2020 has changed the entire portfolio, forcing the
implementation of these innovations in education in a day-
to-day basis. It has provided the best platform for the
teaching fraternity to understand the emergency for
transferring and transforming the methodology of content
presentation to the younger generation for a better future.
Whereby the teachers are pushed to their limit to come out
of the comfort zone to learn the new technology, upgrade
themselves and cater to the needs of the learners. They have
started upgrading to the alternative way of delivering the
content and making use of technology-oriented teaching
aids rather than traditional ones. This has paved an
imperative way to understand not only the teaching learning
process but also to undergo a drastic shift in evaluation of
the same.
Change for Better
Dr. C. Ananda Vayaravel
Professor and Principal
Srivenkateshwaraa College
of Paramedical Sciences
Dr. C. Ananda Vayaravel is a passionate
teacher for the students of Medical and Allied
Health Sciences, enlightening them with his
innovative teaching for the past 20 years. He
possesses more than 15 national and
international publications together with two
patents to his credit. Top 10 Principal of the
Year and the Best Academician 2020 are his
accolades, being appreciated for empowering
the students nationally. Currently, he is the
Professor and Principal of Srivenkateshwaraa
College of Paramedical Sciences
(www.svcpms.ac.in), Puducherry.
About the Author
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