Welcome to our dynamic Senior College in 2019

Head of School welcome

Head of School

Dr John Collier

St Andrew’s Cathedral School is a unique

learning community in the heart of

Sydney’s CBD. We strive to develop the

whole child – their heart, mind and life.

We aim to develop their character through

our wellbeing program which nurtures

specific character strengths based upon

our foundational Christian values.

Our Senior College, defined as Years 10,

11 and 12, offers an incredible breadth of

opportunities, lead by highly experienced

and specialist teachers.

The manner in which students perform

over these years will determine university

or TAFE course entry, career path, eventual

salary projection and lifestyle. In this respect

the years are formative and vital. The

school offers plentiful assistance and advice

to students and parents for negotiating

this age and stage of development. After

all, young people are our core business, in

which we have considerable experience!

Students and parents are encouraged to

utilise our specialist staff, who strive to

meet the needs of every student.

The College’s highly relational environment

ensures every student is valued, known

and supported.

The tertiary style of campus allows students

to move freely within the city precinct

between classes and during breaks. The

school encourages students to rise to the

challenge of being mature and

responsible citizens within the Senior

College community, preparing them

for the world beyond the classroom.

As a very large Senior College, students

can study an enormous array of subjects

and courses, which include the Higher

School Certificate or International

Baccalaureate Diploma in Years 11 and 12.

The school provides rich co-curricular,

cultural and sporting opportunities:

a vast range of genres and styles

of music, drama, international tours,

outdoor education hikes, camps and

expeditions, a tremendous diversity of

team and individual sports, and structured

opportunities to grow in service.

As a Christian school, St Andrew’s Cathedral

School invites students to actively reflect

on Christian faith, as their education equips

them to critique various philosophies and

world views.

Students in our Senior College are in very

good hands. Mr David Lindsay, Head of

Senior College, has close to 20 years’

experience in this role in two schools.

As a former engineer and as an experienced

teacher of Mathematics, and as someone

who has parented three children into

adulthood, he brings a great deal to the

table in this role.

Also available to students and parents

will be our eight excellent Heads of

House, our school counsellors and our

very fine Careers Advisor.

SACS - Senior College 2019 | 1

Character strengths sit at the centre of our student wellbeing framework, with all students from Kindergarten through to Year 12 being involved in age-specific wellbeing programs. Our school’s overarching theme is to develop in our students hearts that love, minds that grow and lives that give.

Below are the key attributes of learners at St Andrew’s Cathedral School.

In the light of Christ, we strive for students to have:

• Hearts that love,• Minds that grow and• Lives that give.

HeartMindLife

Grateful

ServantHearted

CaringPrincipled

Courageous

Open

Minded

Knowledgeable

InquiringThinking

Reflective

Persistent

Balanced

Hopeful

Communicative

SelfControlled

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Student wellbeing and pastoral care

Tutor Groups and the House system

Student wellbeing at St Andrew’s provides a comprehensive approach built on the premise that young people learn best when they are healthy, safe and happy. Our structures and programs are delivered

by staff who genuinely care for students

and seek to develop in students a strong

sense of identity, resilience and

connectedness in all areas of school life –

from the classroom to the playing fields.

We believe that each student is entitled

to individual care and attention and that

continuity of that care throughout the

student’s time at the school will help to

achieve this sense of identity, resilience

and connectedness.

Every Senior College student is a member

of a House and Year-level based tutor

group. Students meet as a tutor group in

tutorial periods twice a week for one

pastoral tutorial and one academic. The

Houses meet on a regular basis and sit

together during Chapel and Cathedral

gatherings each week. These regular

gatherings allow tutors and the Head of

House to develop a sound relationship

with the students in their care.

In most cases, tutors remain with the

students through to Year 12 and follow

their progress through the senior years.

The tutorial program incorporates study

skills, social and community education,

leadership and life skills. As such, sessions

are structured and planned, based on the

age, experience and knowledge of students.

The House system enables students at

St Andrew’s to participate in and contribute

to a comprehensive range of activities.

Students are awarded House points for

both participation and success in the

swimming and athletics carnivals,

Inter-House debating, SACSFactor (talent

show), Big City Bake Off (themed cup cake

competition fundraiser) and Gala Day

(sports/team activities). Points go towards

The Dean Pitt Shield, which is awarded to

the winning House at the end-of-year

Evening of Celebration and Prize-giving.

Classroom teachers, tutors, Heads of

House, Heads of Divisions and Directors

of Learning monitor the academic progress

and wellbeing of all students. This ensures

that every student is known and cared for

throughout the school.

The Senior College also has two dedicated

counsellors who are experienced in

providing advice and support on pastoral

and academic issues affecting students.

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Years 7 - 10The curriculum at St Andrew’s is organised

according to the guidelines laid down by

the NSW Education Standards Authority

(NESA). The MYP framework for Years 7-10

sits over these guidelines and is also shaped

by our SACS Learning Model.

Our aim is that learning will be significant,

challenging, networked and future

focussed, with students engaged and

growing every day.

The courses at SACS fall within

the Key Learning Areas:

• Christian Development

• English

• Mathematics

• Science

• Human Society and Its Environment

• Technology and Applied Studies

• Languages Other Than English

• Creative Arts

• Personal Development,

Health and Physical Education

The formulation and implementation of

teaching programs at St Andrew’s aims to

foster a passion for learning that will stay

with our students throughout their lifetime.

They aim to develop in individuals an

understanding of themselves as valued

children of God, with personal gifts to be

nurtured, developed and engaged with in

such a way that the students are well

prepared for life, able to enjoy it and able

to contribute effectively to our own school

and the wider community. Our city location

is a significant asset in our planning and

development of learning opportunities.

All Senior College classrooms are

coeducational.

To further the development of the whole

person, St Andrew’s Cathedral School also

runs an Outdoor Education program that

includes a specific program for students in

Year 10.

Student progress is regularly monitored

using a variety of strategies appropriate to

the activity and the stage of development

of the student within the subject.

There are a number of additional services for students with a particular need. They include:

• The Enrichment and Learning Department

for support and extension activities

• Gifted and Talented Education programs

• School counsellors

• English as a Second Language tuition

as required

Years 11 - 12Students in Years 11 and 12 can choose to

study either the Higher School Certificate

curriculum or the International

Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

The Higher School Certificate (HSC)The HSC is awarded by the NSW Education

Standards Authority to eligible students

at the end of Year 12. In Year 11, students

must study a minimum of 12 units, including

2 units of English. In Year 12 students must

study a minimum of 10 units, including

2 units of English.

HSC subjects offered at the school include:

• English (Advanced, Standard,

EAL/D, Extension 1 and Extension 2

[Year 12])

• Ancient History

• Biology

• Business Studies

• Chemistry

• Design and Technology

• Drama

• Earth and Environmental Studies

• Economics

• French (Continuers)

• Geography

• German (Continuers)

• History Extension [Year 12]

• Japanese (Continuers and

Extension [Year 12])

• Legal Studies

• Mathematics (Standard, Advanced,

Extension 1 and Extension 2 [Year 12])

• Modern History

• Music (1, 2 and Extension [Year 12])

• Personal Development,

Health and Physical Education

• Physics

• Society and Culture

• Software Design and Development

• Spanish Beginners

• Studies of Religion I and II

• Textiles and Design

• Visual Arts

All Year 11 and 12 students also take part

in Christian Development classes.

Students are also able to study courses at

TAFE, Sydney Distance Education

Highschool, Saturday School of

Community Languages and the NSW

School of Languages.

Curriculum: courses and subjects offered

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The International Baccalaureate Diploma ProgrammeThe IB Diploma Programme is a two-year

curriculum for Year 11 and 12 students.

It is an internationally recognised exit

credential, which provides a broad,

challenging curriculum for students.

All students complete six subjects,

plus the Extended Essay (EE), Theory of

Knowledge (TOK) and Creativity, Activity

and Service (CAS).

Students must choose three subjects at

Higher Level (HL) and three subjects at

Standard Level (SL). Students must also

choose one subject from Groups 1 to 5.

The sixth subject required may be chosen

from Group 6 or, alternatively, students

may elect to choose a second subject

from Groups 2 to 4.

If students choose Environmental Systems

and Societies, which covers Groups 3 and

4, they can then choose two more subjects

from Groups 2, 3, 4, or 6.

Subjects offered to Year 11 IB Diploma students in 2019 include:

Group 1: Studies in Language and

Literature: English Literature, English

Language & Literature

Group 2: Language Acquisition:

French B SL, Spanish B SL, Chinese B SL,

Spanish ab initio (Beginners),

Japanese ab initio (Beginners)

Group 3: Individuals and Societies:

Business Management, Environmental

Systems and Societies (Groups 3 and 4),

History, Global Politics, Philosophy,

and Psychology

Group 4: Experimental Sciences: Biology,

Chemistry, Computer Science, Design

Technology, Environmental Systems

and Societies (Groups 3 and 4), Sports

Exercise Health Science, and Physics

Group 5: Mathematics: Mathematics

HL and SL and Mathematical Studies SL

Group 6: The Arts: Music, Theatre, and

Visual Arts

All Year 11 and 12 students also take part

in Christian Development classes.

SACS - Senior College 2019 | 5

Learning and support services

Further education and career developmentA comprehensive program consisting of

over 25 distinct areas relating to further

education and career development is

delivered to students according to their

year level. This commences in Year 10

with the all-important career assessment

program early in the year, followed by the

individual assessment report consultations

a few weeks later.

This is a valuable way of commencing the

further education and career development

exploration process for the student, as

well as providing guidance in relation to

the selection of HSC or IB subjects later

in the year.

Seminars and presentations are delivered

to students in Years 10, 11 and 12 throughout

the year during tutorials, year level meetings,

other designated periods and lunch-times.

Individual student and parent consultations

with the Head of Careers, Pathways and

Partnerships Mr Des Sinovich form the

largest part of the program. These are

arranged with Mr Sinovich (please see

key contacts for contact information).

The annual Sydney CBD Schools Careers

Convention (largely organised by Mr Sinovich)

takes place in Term 2. All Year 12 students

are expected to attend. Students in other

year levels and their parents are encouraged

to attend this comprehensive event.

Mr Sinovich also takes charge of the TVET

and Distance Education programs as well.

Information is sent to parents by

means of email newsletters.

Senior Research CentreThe Senior Research Centre houses

a collection of physical resources that are

tailored to the needs of students in Years

10 to 12. Students are also able to meet

throughout the day with members of the

Library Team to access support with

research tasks.

The Senior Research Centre is open

Monday to Thursday from 8am until 5.15pm.

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Specialised LearningIt is the role of the Specialised Learning

team to work closely with teachers,

students, parents and outside

professionals to cater for the individual

needs of students. We also work closely

with the Careers Counsellor and our

school psychologists.

This collaborative approach ensures

communication and sharing where

parents and professionals work together,

supporting each other to provide a

learning environment that is differentiated

and accessible. At St Andrew’s, teachers

are mindful of students’ social, emotional,

spiritual and academic development.

We aim to create a learning environment

where students are able to access the

curriculum, have opportunities to

contribute to class discussions and

participate in class activities.

Services provided by the Specialised

Learning Team in Senior College include:

• In-class support

• SACSAchieve – after school homework

and study support

• Diagnostic assessment

• The development of Individual Learning

Plans and the creation of Student

Learning Profiles

• 1:1 or small group academic

organisational support where appropriate

• Parent information sessions

• Professional development sessions to

enhance teacher skills and understanding

• Assistance with the modification of

curriculum, assessment and exams

• Transition programs

• Collaborative planning with teachers,

students, parents and outside

professionals.

• Disability Provisions Applications for

the Higher School Certificate.

• Determining appropriate adjustments

for students with a disability.

• Collection of data to access

Commonwealth funding (NCCDSWD)

Please contact Mrs Eleni Tatsis with

any questions, concerns or to provide

additional information that will assist the

school in meeting your child’s individual

learning needs.

Chapel and Christian studiesChapel services are held weekly, providing

a communal expression of the school’s

Anglican foundation. They go hand-in-hand

with the Christian Development course,

taught in the classroom. The course

introduces students to the Christian faith

and provides them with the opportunity

to engage in healthy discussion on both

its theory and practice.

ReportingSt Andrew’s Cathedral School has three

formal methods of reporting on student

progress. They are:

• The Interim Report – issued towards

the end of Terms 1 and 3 for students in

Years 7 to 10. This provides a general

overview of how students are performing.

It covers both work habits and academic

progress. For academic progress, students

are awarded grades of Excellent,

Satisfactory or Needs Improvement.

• Academic Reports – provide a

comprehensive summary of student

progress. These are issued towards the

end of Terms 2 and 4 for Years 7 to 11. Year

12 students receive these reports towards

the end of Terms 1 and 3.

• Parent/Teacher interviews – held at

various times throughout the year for

each year level – provide an opportunity

for parents to meet with individual

teachers to discuss their child’s progress.

As well as this, there are informal

opportunities for parents to discuss their

child’s progress through conversations with

individual class teachers.

Laptops and technology Students entering Years 10-12 are

to bring a lightweight laptop for classroom

use. New desktop computers can be

accessed in the Senior Research Centre.

A Digital Citizenship program runs

throughout the school, helping to fulfil

the important responsibility of assisting in

the development of mature and positive

practices in the use of technology.

Uniform expectationsSt Andrew’s has a high standard of uniform

presentation and all students are expected

to travel to and from school and move

around the city precinct wearing the

appropriate uniform. All uniform items are

available from the on-site Foundation

Uniform Store.

SACS - Senior College 2019 | 7

Students at St Andrew’s are

encouraged to participate in

co-curricular activities to

help develop a variety of skills,

build personal confidence

and foster friendships within

the school community.

Co-curricular activities include

sport; music ensembles

and choirs; creative arts and

drama activities; debating

and public speaking; and

overseas trips and camps.

Sport St Andrew’s believes that young people

who are physically fit and enthusiastically

challenged in a fun and safe sporting

environment perform better academically.

St Andrew’s provides sport and co-curricular

activities for individuals across a vast range

of ability levels and all students are

encouraged to participate.

The enjoyment and support gained through

team participation, improved physical

fitness, skills for dealing with success

and failure, as well as the ability to interact

within various social environments, are all

positive attributes gained through participation

in the sporting and co-curricular programs

St Andrew’s offers.

The school participates in the Independent

Sports Association (ISA) secondary schools

competition and offers more than a dozen

competitive sport options (see the list of

co-curricular activites on page 9). Many of

our students represent the school in the

ISA competition, which provides pathways

to NSW All Schools and Australian teams.

The school has its own state-of-the art

strength and conditioning facility,

basketball courts, a professional dance

studio and several outdoor recreation

areas. Most training and competition for

team sports occurs at nearby facilities at

Sydney University and Wentworth Park.

The winter sports program is mostly

conducted on Saturdays in terms two and

three and is compulsory for all Year 10 and

Year 11 students.

Music Music contributes immensely to the

general tone and fabric of the Senior

College – as it does throughout the school.

Our senior musicians are the musical

leaders of the school as we continue the

great tradition upon which St Andrew’s

Cathedral School is built – the education of

our musicians.

There are many performance opportunities provided by the school:

• Public lunch-time concerts in the

Cathedral on Mondays

• Performances at every assembly

• Maestros concerts on

Thursdays at 3.30pm

• Soirées presented by instrumental and

singing teachers once a year

• Showcase concert held annually

• Performances (gigs) around the

city for various charities and business

functions

• End of year Evening of Celebration

and Prize-giving and special award

assemblies

• School events

The Music Department engages a large

number of visiting instrumental teaching

staff, covering a wide range of vocal, string,

wind, brass, keyboard, guitar, music craft

and percussion instruments. Private and

group lessons are delivered weekly during

term time. Lessons are timetabled on a

rotating schedule to minimise impact on

any one subject throughout the term. Each

student who is learning privately is

encouraged to participate in an ensemble.

These ensembles are graded so that each

student can be placed into a group

appropriate to their level of proficiency.

Senior College ensembles • Secondary School Choir

• Chamber Choir

• Boys Vocal Ensemble

• Girls Vocal Ensemble

• Symphony Orchestra

• Chamber Orchestra

• Wind Symphony

• Jazz Orchestra

• Chamber Music

• Chapel and Rock Bands

Outdoor education The aim of SACS Outdoor Education is to

foster a love of the outdoors, to provide the

opportunity to live simply in community

with others and to challenge students’

personal boundaries. We provide amazing

experiences in amazing places, developing

leadership, initiative, self-esteem and

resilience, all within a Christian context.

St Andrew’s Year 10 Outdoor Education

program is the culmination of an extensive

program begun in the junior years.

Each expedition focuses on the students

being self-sufficient, carrying all the

equipment and food necessary for their

time away. Those students who have not

previously had experience in Outdoor

Co-curricular activities

| SACS - Senior College 20198

Education need not be concerned as the

Year 10 options are designed to assist them

in achieving the set goals and are within

student ability levels. Each group consists

of between 12 and 15 students, with a

minimum of two staff.

Expeditions (for seven to eight days

duration) cover a range of disciplines and

locations. Hiking options include the

Snowy Mountains, Fraser Island Great Walk

and Larapinta Trail in the Northern Territory.

The other fantastic programs are horse

riding in the Victorian high country, sea

kayaking at Myall Lakes, a backcountry

snow tour in the Kosciuszko National Park

and an Australian wilderness cycle tour.

Our longer option is our pinnacle program

– the 20-day ‘Kosi to Coast’ trip involving

hiking and whitewater canoeing. Students

who attend the 20-day program also have

the option to complete a Certificate II in

Outdoor Recreation as part of the trip.

Duke of Edinburgh award This prestigious, physically challenging

program is offered to 14- 18-year-olds

who wish to complete the four sections

involved (service, skill, physical recreation

and adventurous journey) for each award

– bronze, silver and gold.

International tours A range of overseas excursions are

offered each year to secondary students

to further their experience and understanding

in a particular field of study. Tours are

offered by various departments, including

languages, sport, science, history, music,

outdoor education and geography.

Summer activities (Terms 1 and 4)

Basketball (boys and girls)

Cricket (boys)

Debating (boys and girls)

Fencing (boys and girls)

Summer Football (boys and girls)

Term 4 only

Mountain Biking (boys and girls)

Summer Hockey (boys and girls)

Term 4 only

Softball (girls)

Swimming (boys and girls)

Touch Football (boys and girls)

Theatresports (boys and girls)

Water Polo (boys and girls)

Dance (boys and girls)

Tennis (boys and girls)

Mindful Movement (boys and girls)

Maker Space (boys and girls)

Ultimate Frisbee (boys and girls)

Winter activities (Terms 2 and 3)

Athletics (boys and girls)

Dance (boys and girls)

Cross country running (boys and girls)

Fit for Life (boys and girls)

Fencing (boys and girls)

Football (girls and boys)

Hockey (girls)

Netball (girls)

Rugby (boys)

Tennis (boys and girls)

Mock trial (boys and girls)

Debating (boys and girls)

Theatresports (boys and girls)

Water Polo (boys and girls)

Maker Space (boys and girls)

Mindful Movement (boys and girls)

Astronomy club (boys and girls)

Cross country skiing (boys and girls)

Winter Basketball (boys and girls)

Squash (boys and girls)

Club Hockey (boys and girls)

Chess

The following Senior College co-curricular activities are offered

St Andrew’s:

St Andrew’s Cathedral School is a coeducational K-12 Anglican school, located in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.

St Andrew’s Cathedral School Sydney Square, Sydney NSW 2000 ABN 34 429 367 893

phone +61 2 9286 9500 fax +61 2 9286 9550 email info@sacs.nsw.edu.au

CRICOS Registration: The Council of St Andrew’s Cathedral School 02276M

www.sacs.nsw.edu.au