Edmund Rice Education Australia Touchstone

Inclusive Community

As a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice tradition, we acknowledge the traditional ownership and cultural heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia and welcomes them into its community.

Reconciliation Week

The National Reconciliation Week theme for 2024, Now More Than Ever, is a reminder to all of us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will – and must – continue. The St Edward’s College community vision for reconciliation aligns with the EREA Touchstones. We strive for a united and respectful understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights, culture and its peoples. At its heart, our vision for reconciliation is to further develop the teaching and understanding of Australia’s true history and ensure an educationally authentic and inclusive College, which strengthens its relationships with all community members. We embrace walking alongside all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with an open mind and heart to establish a respect and kindness for ourselves and others that will nurture a school culture that promotes equality for all Australians.

Students at the Coast Shelter Reconciliation Gathering

We continue to provide opportunities for our boys to engage in critical inquiry across all key learning areas regarding the issues associated with reconciliation. In particular throughout Reconciliation Week (May 27- June 3) we devoted time in class to explore the concept of Reconciliation in Australia today. We have a responsibility as teachers, parents and carers to engage in open dialogue about Aboriginal Reconciliation, to promote deep thinking about how we can work with our Aboriginal brothers and sisters to bring about change in defending and upholding the rights of First Nations peoples. To call out racism wherever we experience it and commit to becoming a nation in which all Australians can experience positive outcomes.

The powerful message below promoted by Reconciliation Australia, in celebrating Reconciliation week this year is very clear:

“Now more than ever, the work continues. In treaty making, in truth-telling, in understanding our history, in education, and in tackling racism. We need connection. We need respect. We need action. And we need change”.

Year 10 Exams and HSC Subject Preferences

Year 10 students are currently participating in a week of examinations. These examinations provide valuable feedback regarding student learning and assist in the determination of the Semester One Report and contribute to the ROSA grade reported to NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) at the end of Year 10. These examinations also provide students with a formal examination experience, to assist them in preparation for the Preliminary and HSC years in which they will also sit formal examinations.

Throughout this term we will commence work with students in Year 10 in preparation for selecting subjects’ preferences to be included in their pattern of study in the HSC years. Information is currently be prepared in the form of an information booklet which will be made available to boys and their families via the College website early next week.  The College Director of Curriculum Mr Lachlan Butt will meet with students in the coming weeks to explain the process for selecting preferences as well as outline how information about each course on offer will be provided. An information evening is scheduled for Thursday June 20 in the Edmund Rice Centre commencing at 6.00pm and I encourage all parents to mark this on their calendar, as essential information regarding individual courses, HSC patterns of study, ATAR eligibility and advice on how to choose subjects will be shared.

Further information regarding the information session will be provided via a letter to all Year 10 families in the coming weeks. It is strongly recommended that parents play and active role in supporting their sons in this important decision-making process. Our experience over many years indicates that students who choose their pattern of study wisely, based on interest, individual gifts, personal capabilities and future aspirations are the students that are most successful in their final years of education.

We look forward to guiding students in this process and supporting them on achieving their best possible outcome in their senior years.

Years 9 and 10 Visual Art

Year 10 Commerce

Year 10 English

Accurate Parent Contact Details

It is crucial for the efficient operations of the school that family contact details on record at the College are accurate so that we can ensure that you are receiving all relevant information from the College and that we are able to contact you in the event of an emergency. If your details have changed and you have not notified the College, I ask that you email our Enrolments Administrator, Mrs Kellie Atkinson on katkinson@stedwards.nsw.edu.au to update your contact details.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on Students with Disability

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about support provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

• Year of schooling.
• Category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
• Level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

This information assists schools to:

• Formally recognise the support and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools.
• Consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools.
• Develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.

The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information.

Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal.

If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact our Leader of Diverse Learning, Katie Neilly kneilly@stedwards.nsw.edu.au