The Thistle - An E-Newsletter of Scotch College, Perth, Western Australia

Finishing Well

Engaging with boys across the entire P-12 years, offerings of education at Scotch is one of the joys of my role. As we head into the final weeks of the school year we have seen some excellent displays of the potential within all of the boys at Scotch College and I encourage them to maintain the momentum until the end of the year.

PYP Exhibition - preparing to move to the middle

I was fortunate last week to witness the PYP exhibition as part of the culminating experience for our Year 5 boys in the PYP. I was so very impressed by the way these young men articulated the learning that had occurred throughout Junior School. As I sat and looked at the class photos of these boys across their five year experience, I could not help but be drawn to look at the teachers standing at the side of the class. On the day of exhibition, it was the boys front and centre, as it should be, yet as I saw the teachers of these boys and the way which they took such pride in their development, it is easy to recognise that we are very fortunate with the staff we have, supporting our boys.

Whilst the exhibition is the final product of an eight week experience, it was clear when talking to the boys that much more had occurred as part of the process. Looking at boys who had researched the development of robotic arms, 3D printed, and coded without much assistance, it was hard not to be impressed.

Congratulations to the boys, the Year 5 teachers, Mr Wells and Miss Cirillo, the mentors, and the very reliable Mrs Ritchie and Mr Norman, all ably supported by Mr John Stewart; this event keeps improving year on year.

Good luck to the boys as they prepare to move from Junior School to Middle School.

End of the Year in Middle School - keep running to the finish line

Boys in Years 6, 7 and 8 are moving toward a transition of their own, be it moving from Year 6 into Year 7 or Year 7 into Year 8 or even concluding Middle School and moving into Year 9, the message remains the same. I encourage the boys to maximise the opportunities with their current teachers, who have guided them for nearly a year now. They should seek feedback on how to improve and to take this into consideration as they prepare to make the step into the next academic year.

For the parents of Year 8 students, work is well underway to consider how we can support the boys pastorally and academically as they enter into the Senior School. Over the coming weeks we will consider class allocations, academic support, enrichment as well as any further needs each individual has as they prepare to enter the Senior School.

Senior School - Finish exams and starting a new year

Spare a thought for our Year 12s over these weeks in November as they file into the Dickinson Centre for their WACE and IB Diploma Examinations. On speaking to the boys, they report that the papers seem to be fair and reasonable and they are well prepared by their teachers. As each examination passes, it will become easier to focus on what remains of those still to come. Eventually, there will be none, I encourage the boys to savour that moment when they walk out of their final examination and they reach the closure of their academic journey at Scotch College.

For the remaining boys in the Senior School all have now commenced classes in Years 10, 11 and 12 as part of the early change over of academic year. This advantage needs to be maximised by the boys and it is important that they maintain their motivation right until the close of term. Each boy will sit a number of assessments in each subject prior to Christmas. This will allow a point of reflection, to seek feedback from their teachers and even consult further with the academic support services should they be feeling overwhelmed.

Mr Peter Allen
Director of Teaching and Learning