Our Learning Philosophy
Dream Bigger
Learning at Mernda Hills
We are an outstanding school, where our staff and students are both leaders and learners who share a passion for solving problems and growing capacity. Every educational activity at Mernda Hills is designed to provide opportunities for all student to achieve their maximum development intellectually, spiritually, socially and physically. We are committed to advancing the growth and development of all teaching and support staff, to enable them to flourish as professionals for their personal benefit and for the benefit of our students.
Mernda Hills Christian College acknowledges our Creator God as the essential source of all wisdom and virtue. We also recognise and respect the place of the Australian Curriculum (AC) and the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) learning areas and studies and it endorses their study as part of the formal curriculum of the school.
“Our priority, as Christian educators, is to know your child, to tailor their experience and support them as an individual. This individualised care and support is at the core of what we do and is supported by a range of flagship learning programs designed to enhance and support each student's learning experience.”
The Very Best
Our Flagship Programs
Australian Curriculum
Our teachers use the ACARA Australian Curriculum frameworks to develop, plan for and deliver learning and teaching from Foundation to Year 10 in each of the eight Learning Areas released by ACARA:
- English;
- Mathematics;
- Science;
- Humanities and Social Sciences: History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship,
- Economics and Business;
- Health and Physical Education;
- The Arts: Music, Visual Art, Drama (7-9), Media Arts (7-9);
- Technologies: Design and Technology, and Digital Technology;
- Languages: French.
For further information on the Australian Curriculum, click here
Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)
Our VCE program offers a broad range of subject choices that allows students to pursue their interests, and at the same time provide opportunities and learning pathways to continue with their choices of tertiary education. Subjects offered for VCE may vary slightly from year to year and is dependent on student choices. Subjects are offered from mathematics, sciences, humanities, arts, technologies and languages.
The Encounter Curriculum
To develop an appreciation for Christian heritage, Seventh-day Adventist heritage, community building, citizenship, social justice, and stewardship of the environment and resources, Biblical Studies are delivered through the Adventist Encounter Curriculum from Foundation to Year 10, and through the VCE study design: Religion and Society.
‘Transformational Teaching - Learning Area’ frameworks
The College uses the ASA ‘Transformational Teaching - Learning Area’ values frameworks to embed Christian Values in curriculum and learning and teaching practices.
Learning for life
At Year 9 students enter the College Learning for Life (L4L) program which enables them to develop greater responsibility, independence and leadership by providing challenges that increase their level of flexibility, tolerance and cooperation, enhancing self-understanding and developing a greater appreciation for, and understanding of, the outdoor environment created for them to inhabit and preserve, and the needs of the wider community.
Learning 4 Life is the College's experiential education program that includes outdoor activities and experiences as well as completing modified expectations of the traditional curriculum. It is made up of three components as follows:
- Bushwalking – dealing with the individual and self-concept
- Urban studies – familiarising students with city life through group activities
- Service – taking students beyond themselves into the community through service
These components develop many skills such as confidence, persistence, flexibility, resilience, organisation, and getting along.
The building of relationships is central to the Learning4Life program and it is this that is so vital in our spiritual developmental connection with God. Our program is based on the three elements of Special Character
- Belonging (caring for the individual),
- Believing (in self, group, and God) and
- Being (a contributing member of the community)
It has become clear that this program has positive outcomes and a positive impact on most students. Many teachers and parents have indicated positive developmental changes in their students as a direct result of the program. This includes self-confidence, independence, maturity, resilience, English expression, focus on class work, attitudes and values.
Excursions and Camps
All students at all year levels participate in excursions and incursions to enrich their learning experiences.
Year 5 and 6 students have overnight camps that alternate between Sovereign Hill and Canberra.
This year, Year 7 and 8 students participate in a team-building adventure camp and Valley Homestead.
Year 9 - see the Learning 4 Life tab for more details about the Year 9 Program.
Year 10 students participate in the Mount Buffalo Adventure Sports camp in the Victorian Alps.
Year 11 participate in a major interstate trip to visit a Christian tertiary institution in NSW called Avondale University.
Year 12 students have a senior retreat to start the year in regional Victoria - the location is a surprise for them!
The Invictus Wellbeing Program
The Invictus program is a specially designed wellbeing program, targeted at created capacity in secondary students. The program includes service elements and directed learning on social, emotional, spiritual, physical and mental health.
Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum:
The Mernda Hills Curriculum suite also includes the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum. The Victorian Government has introduced child safe standards to improve the way organisations that provide services for children to prevent and respond to child abuse that may occur within their organisation. The standards are compulsory for all organisations providing services to children, and aim to drive cultural change in organisations so that protecting children from abuse is embedded in the everyday thinking and practice of leaders, staff and volunteers. This assists organisations to:
- prevent child abuse
- encourage reporting of any abuse that does occur
- improve responses to any allegations of child abuse.
Mernda Hills Christian College acknowledges its responsibilities under Ministerial Order 870 and the VCAA Child Protection Standards and will deliver the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum, through training and professional learning, with the goal to embed in relevant teaching and learning practice by the end of 2018.
The two topics of KS: CPC:
1. We all have the right to be safe
2. We can help ourselves to be safe by talking to people we trust
The four focus areas:
1. The Right to be Safe
2. Relationships
3. Recognising and Reporting Abuse
4. Protective Strategies
