Unity College seeks to place students first to enhance the intellectual, spiritual, physical, social and emotional growth of each person within a Christ-centred and supportive environment. The community commits itself to the task of equipping each individual for a rich and meaningful life. It is within this context that the Middle School philosophy statement has been developed.
The Middle School at Unity consists of Years 6–9.
OBJECTIVES OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL
In response to the characteristics and needs of adolescents, the Middle School will endeavour to:
- Encourage spiritual growth and Christian faith development
- Provide a safe setting to support social and emotional growth
- Support students through their various stages of learning
- Provide a safe and structured environment while allowing students to be adventurous in developing their learning and knowledge
- Develop independent and collaborative learning skills in all students
- Encourage all students to succeed – whether in the classroom, in extra-curricular activities or within the broader community and workplace
- Provide effective pastoral care
- Foster the development of positive and respectful relationships between students, as maturing adolescents, and their teachers, parents and peers
- Provide students with significant opportunities to develop relationships with staff who have responsibility for their learning and welfare
- Provide for an increasing diversity of subject areas and specialist teaching within the framework of a broad liberal education
- Provide flexible timetabling that supports the requirements and enhances the outcomes of Middle Schooling
- Provide authentic interdisciplinary learning experiences
- Provide a variety of pedagogical methodologies to suit the developmental needs of students
- Provide informative guidelines to students to allow them to understand the connection between assessment and learning
- Use a variety of assessment tools to assess student learning
- Respond to students’ differing needs, aspirations and backgrounds, including those of Indigenous and overseas students
- Provide support for students who have academic, social, spiritual or emotional needs
- Provide support programs such as the Gifted and Talented Program and Outdoor Education
- Encourage students to extend their knowledge, explore attitudes and values, and develop ethics of caring for themselves, others and our world
- Ensure that issues of gender, sexuality, culture, disability, race and socioeconomic status are addressed openly and equitably
- Ensure that clear and coherent behaviour management strategies, which retain a degree of flexibility and which reflect God’s forgiving love, are used
- Encourage students to continue to develop their leadership skills and provide opportunity for meaningful student leadership
- Offer opportunity and encouragement for students to participate in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and community involvement programs to develop independence, responsibility, physical and mental wellbeing and resilience.
