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Discover Beaconhills webinar – register now

Here’s the chance to discover everything you need to know about Beaconhills College from the comfort of your own home.

Beaconhills will hold a free Discover Beaconhills webinar on Thursday 16 September and anyone is invited to attend.

It’s the next best thing to a school tour, with College leaders Tony Sheumack (Headmaster), Sarah Rudiger (Pakenham Campus Principal) and Sam Watson (Berwick Campus Principal) online to answer all your questions.

With an extensive academic program from Prep to Year 12, extraordinary co-curricular opportunities and superior grounds and facilities, there’s plenty to talk about.

The College ran a similar webinar series last year and it was highly successful.

You can register now for the webinar and read some of the answers below to some Frequently Asked Questions.

(Please note that Little Beacons Learning Centres at Pakenham and Berwick will run a separate Early Years webinar at the start of term 4).

FAQs

Answered by Campus Principals Sam Watson and Sarah Rudiger

Describe the online learning program

The College has been incredibly proud of its capacity to support students online, tailored to every age group.

Junior School students have a daily learning grid where they complete work outcomes at their own pace. The students Zoom with their teachers twice a day to discuss the day’s learning outcomes and check on student wellbeing.

Middle School and Senior School are taught remotely via Zoom. Students have a timetable that balances screen time learning and non-screen time learning. Students follow their normal school timetable for the online learning program.

As the wellbeing of our students is our priority, we have also developed a number of ways we are able to monitor and support student wellbeing remotely. There are extra wellbeing resources for students and families during this period.

Are there many subject choices?

Yes! Students have access to a huge variety of subjects across their entire time at the College, which aligns with our focus on holistic education and personalising learning. On average the College offers over 35 VCE subjects each year from 12 different faculty areas. From Year 5, students have technology classes (Textiles, Food Studies, Product Design, Systems Engineering), Performing Arts, Visual Arts and Health and PE run from Prep to Year 12.

Junior School students learn both French and Japanese and choose one language to continue studying when they start Middle School.

What sort of sporting opportunities does your school offer? Is there interschool competition?

The school has a strong focus on wellbeing and understands the importance of maintaining and practising good physical health. Students take part in sports classes, intra-school and inter-school sporting competitions.

Intra-school sport lets students enjoy a variety of sports, while earning House points. The pinnacle of this competition is the House swimming, athletics and cross-country carnivals, progressing through to inter-school sports teams.

The College competes in three main inter-school sports competitions; School Sports Victoria (SSV) Years 3–6, SEISA (South Eastern Independent Schools Association) Years 7-12 and ACS (Association of Co-Educational Schools) Years 7-12.

Sports include athletics, swimming, cross-country, cricket, tennis, softball, basketball, hockey, football, soccer, volleyball, table tennis, badminton, Human Powered Vehicles and equestrian. The College also supports many students in their own individual sporting pursuits.

There are many other interschool opportunities for students including debating, public speaking, dance, music, chess, theatre sports, leadership and visual arts.

What about religious education? What’s that program like?

Students in Prep to Year 8 take part in Religion and Values Education as a part of the learning curriculum.

The classes focus on the spiritual nurture of our students, acknowledging that our school is an open-entry school, for all faith backgrounds, founded on Christianity and the values of respect, compassion and integrity.

Lessons and fortnightly chapel services encourage students to reflect on their own beliefs and values, and how their actions can contribute to others.

Students in Years 5 to 8 have weekly Religion and Values Education (RAVE) classes. The program focus endeavours to develop awareness of different perspectives, different religions and understandings in the Christian tradition. Often links are made cross-curricular with other aspects of the Middle School Program.

Beyond these year levels students explore faith and religion in a variety of different subjects such as ‘6 pillars’ in Year 9 and 10 Ethics. Each year the College also offers VCE Religion and Society for Year 11 and 12s.