OVERSEAS STUDENT HANDBOOK - Exceptional Education

HANDBOOK OVERSEAS STUDENT

Geelong Grammar School

Admissions Office Mrs Angela Mellier Registrar T +61 3 5273 9307 E [email protected] 50 Biddlecombe Avenue, Corio, Victoria, Australia 3214

www.ggs.vic.edu.au

CRICOS 00143G

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OVERSEAS STUDENT HANDBOOK - GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL

01 OUR PHILOSOPHY

Our Purpose 6

A Heritage of Innovation 9

Australia’s World School 12

Fit for a King 13

Mechai’s Medal 17

02 OUR SCHOOL

Our Campuses 22

Bostock House 23

Corio 23 Toorak Campus 23

Timbertop 23

Our Home 24

Melbourne 25 Geelong 25 Victorian Alps 25

Facilities 27

Pastoral Care 31

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03 ENROLMENT INFORMATION

Enrolment Information 35

Minimum Level English 36

Homestay Providers 38

Orientation Programme 39

04 ACADEMIC PROGRAMME

Academic Programme 43

Our Learning Journey 43

Tertiary Study 45

Australian Qualification Framework 46

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The philosophy that underpins the School’s understanding of Exceptional Education is manifest in our purpose, spirit, focus, character and beliefs

WE BELIEVE

- our rigorous academic programmes create wonder, curiosity and a desire to learn-boarding and co-education provide valuable life skills

- partnerships between our parents, staff and students provide the best learning outcomes- Positive Education enhances wellbeing and enables individuals to flourish- our exceptional staff bring character and richness to the life of the School

- in the power of creative thinking and the courage to try new ideas- in fostering spirituality and celebrating our Anglican tradition

- in serving others and building social responsibility - in nurturing strong relationships

- in growing our heritage through innovation- in the protection of children and a zero tolerance of child abuse

OUR SPIRIT

is making a positive difference

OUR FOCUSis learning to flourish

OUR CHARACTER

is to be authentic, courageous, dedicated, forgiving, inquiring, loving, optimistic, passionate,

resilient and trusting

WE BELIEVE

- our rigorous academic programmes create wonder, curiosity and a desire to learn-boarding and co-education provide valuable life skills

- partnerships between our parents, staff and students provide the best learning outcomes- Positive Education enhances wellbeing and enables individuals to flourish- our exceptional staff bring character and richness to the life of the School

- in the power of creative thinking and the courage to try new ideas- in fostering spirituality and celebrating our Anglican tradition

- in serving others and building social responsibility - in nurturing strong relationships

- in growing our heritage through innovation- in the protection of children and a zero tolerance of child abuse

OUR CHALLENGE

is to develop creative thinking and learning to engage with the complex opportunities

of a changing world

OUR PURPOSE

is to inspire our students and community to flourish and make a positive difference through our unique and transformational

education adventures

A HERITAGE OF INNOVATION

Geelong Grammar School boasts an overseas reputation as a pioneer of modern education. From its origins in 1855, the School has always had a distinctive character. After outgrowing several Geelong locations the School moved to a 245-hectare site on the edge of Corio Bay in 1914, creating the unique learning and living environment that exists today. In 1953 it established Timbertop, a remote campus in the foothills of the Victorian Alps where the School’s Year 9 students spend a full school year living, working and studying in the Australian bush. Timbertop is a unique educational adventure that teaches valuable life skills, building confidence, resilience and independence. The School became co-educational in the early 1970s, preparing students for the dynamic of the modern world through enabling boys and girls to live and learn alongside each other. It introduced its ground-breaking Positive Education programme in 2009. Developed from the science of Positive Psychology in collaboration with Professor Martin Seligman and his team from the University of Pennsylvania, Positive Education focuses on specific skills that assist students to strengthen their relationships, build positive

emotions, enhance personal resilience, promote mindfulness and encourage a healthy lifestyle.

“Geelong Grammar School is the pioneer in the world in taking steps to introduce this type of learning through all aspects of an educational curriculum,” Professor Seligman said. “In doing so, I believe that Geelong Grammar students who go through the programme will be less likely to suffer from depression – which is increasing in epidemic proportions in many western countries, including Australia – and will lead more positive and fulfilling lives.”

“Student wellbeing was always a core objective for us as a school and it is what led us into Positive Psychology in the first place,” Principal, Stephen Meek, explained. “We believed that there were techniques and approaches which students could use that would enable them to cope better with what life had to throw at them. The outcome has been radical and on a scale that we could never have anticipated.”

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9 OVERSEAS HANDBOOK - GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL

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Geelong Grammar School has been attracting overseas students for more than 100 years, initially from New Zealand, followed by students from South East Asia in the 1940s. The School now has overseas students from more than 20 different countries, from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East. It is Australia’s largest co-educational boarding school, spread across four specialist campuses. It has a non-selective enrolment policy and more than 1,500 students, from Early Learning to Year 12, including more than 850 boarders. The School offers both the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and the Overseas Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma for entry into tertiary study. Each year, graduating Geelong Grammar School students gain entry into some of the world’s most prestigious universities, including Harvard, Princeton, Stanford and Yale in the United States, Oxford, Cambridge, Central Saint Martins and Edinburgh in the United Kingdom, Melbourne, Sydney, Monash and the Australian National University (ANU) in Australia.

The School has produced 11 Rhodes Scholars and countless high profile alumni who have been successful in an incredibly wide range of endeavours around the world, including Australian prime minister John Gorton (P’30), artist Russell Drysdale (P’30), Victorian premier Rupert ‘Dick’ Hamer (M’34), philosopher David Armstrong (M’44), geophysicist Alfred ‘Ted’ Ringwood (M’47), Olympic runner John Landy (M’48), media magnate Rupert Murdoch (Cu’49), electrical engineer and Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University Alec Broers (Cu’55), Thai politician and social activist Mechai Viravaidya (P’59), two-time Booker Prize-winning author Peter Carey (FB’60), HRH Prince Charles (T/Cu’66), mountaineer Tim Macartney-Snape (M’73), actress Portia de Rossi (Hi’87), Olympic rower Kate Allen (Cl’88), Grammy Award-winning music producer Franc Tétaz (A’88) and singer/songwriter Missy Higgins (Cl’01).

Geelong Grammar School is one of the six founding members of the World Leading Schools Association (WLSA), established in 2011. The other founding schools are Eton College (UK), Harvard-Westlake School (USA), Groton School (USA), Beijing No.4 High School (China) and the High School Affiliated to Fudan University (China).

AUSTRALIA’S WORLD SCHOOL

FIT FOR A KING

Perhaps the School’s most famous overseas student, HRH Prince Charles, attended Timbertop and Corio in 1966. In 2010, the Prince of Wales reminisced about the experience, which he described as a “formative and vital time”.

“It was also a challenging period and in many ways assisted me greatly in transition from youth to adulthood. Sinking or swimming were probably the thoughts that were uppermost in mind in those days! I remember now with some amusement, and a little pride, many of the difficulties and hardships that were endured and overcome... whether trekking over the Great Australian Divide or tending to the daily needs of life at Timbertop. There were also the compulsory cross country runs and daily regimen of allocated chores – chopping wood for hot water, emptying fly traps, slushie and kitchen duty, to name

but a few. I look back with nostalgia and affection at these experiences which in numerous ways contributed to the whole process of growing up.”

A decade later, the future King of Malaysia and Sultan of Terengganu, Mizan Zainal Abidin, joined the School. After graduating in 1979, Mizan attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and studied overseas relations in London, before being elected to a five-year term as King of Malaysia in 2006.

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Stuart McGregor (P’65), HRH Prince Charles (T/Cu’66) and Singaporean student John Seow (P’69) at Timbertop in 1966

MECHAI’S MEDAL

Thai health and education activist Mechai Viravaidya (P’59) received the inaugural Geelong Grammar School Medal for Service to Society in 2014. The Medal was established to recognise people who have made sustained contributions to the betterment of society. Mechai has devoted the past 40 years to improving the lives of Thailand’s rural poor through promoting the use of the condom, family planning, AIDS awareness and, more recently, education and environmental programmes. He attended the School from 1954-1959, studied Commerce at Melbourne University and worked as an economist for the Thai government before establishing the Population and Community Development Association (PDA) in 1974, recognising that overpopulation was the developing country’s biggest barrier to social and economic progress.

Mechai single-handedly popularized the use of condoms in Thailand and became affectionately known as ‘Mr Condom’, playing a critical role in reducing Thailand’s birth rate from 3.2 to 0.6 per cent, with the average number of children per family falling from seven to under two in the space of 30 years. When Thailand’s

notorious sex trade threatened to spawn a horrific AIDS epidemic in the early 1990s, Mechai stepped up his condom campaign, working with sex workers and community advocates to reduce the spread of HIV. As a member of cabinet, he was the architect of a national HIV/AIDS prevention programme that reduced the number of AIDS cases in Thailand from more than 140,000 a year in 1991, down to 20,000 in 2003. The World Bank estimated that Mechai’s policies over those 12 years alone helped save 7.7 million lives.

More recently, Mechai has turned his attention to education. His revolutionary Bamboo School was established in 2003 to provide no-cost education to the rural poor in Thailand’s north-east. He is still Chairman of PDA, now the largest NGO in Thailand, with more than 800 employees and 12,000 volunteers. In 2007, the organisation received the Bill and Melinda Gates Award for Global Health, which included a $1 million prize, whilst Mechai is internationally acclaimed as a leader in the fields of public health, education and community development.

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OUR CAMPUSES

Geelong Grammar School is Australia’s largest co-educational boarding school, with more than 1,500 students spread across four specialist campuses. We offer a unique educational journey and most students spend time at more than one of our four campuses as they progress through the School. This provides an interesting and refreshing dimension to school life as students take advantage of different opportunities and environments. We believe that learning is life’s greatest adventure and every single step matters.

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MELBOURNE

GEELONG

MANSFIELD

BOSTOCKHOUSE

CORIOCAMPUS

TOORAKCAMPUS

TIMBERTOPVICTORIA

BOSTOCK HOUSE ELC-Year 4, Day students only

A small campus located in the heart of Geelong, Bostock House is a Heritage-listed building in the leafy Geelong suburb of Newtown

CORIO

Middle School Years 5-8, Boarding and Day students

Senior School Years 10-12, Boarding and Day Boarding students

Our Middle School and Senior School are located on a 245-hectare site on the edge of Corio Bay, 15 minutes from Geelong, approximately one hour from Melbourne Airport and about 50 minutes from the Melbourne CBD.

TOORAK CAMPUS ELC-Year 6, Day students only

Toorak Campus is an innovative, state-of-the-art learning environment located in Melbourne’s most prestigious inner city suburb.

TIMBERTOP Year 9, Boarding students only

Nestled in a secluded valley in the foothills of the Victorian Alps, Timbertop is a campus like no other, spread across almost 300 hectares between the country town of Mansfield and the alpine resort of Mount Buller.

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VICTORIA

NEW SOUTH WALES

ACT

QUEENSLAND

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

NORTHERNTERRITORY

TASMANIA

OUR HOME

Australia is one of the world’s leading education destinations, with the third highest number of overseas students, behind only the United Kingdom and the United States despite having a population of only 23 million. It is a stable, culturally and geographically diverse country with a high standard of living. Australian institutions boast some of the world’s best facilities and educators, providing local and overseas students with a range of quality study options, from school to university. Australia has eight out of the top 100 universities in the world and five of the top 30 student cities in the world. It has produced 15 Nobel Prize laureates and is renowned for innovations like penicillin, IVF, ultrasound, Wi-Fi, the Bionic Ear, cervical cancer vaccine and Black Box Flight Recorders.

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MELBOURNE Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria (one of six states and three territories in Australia). It is one of the world’s great cities, renowned for its shopping, arts, sport and world-class education. It has been ranked the world’s most liveable city (2011-2016) based on factors such as safety, healthcare, educational resources, infrastructure and environment. Melbourne is a multicultural society with a diverse range of cultural and sporting activities, often referred to as the “cultural capital” of Australia. It was ranked the world’s friendliest city in 2014. It is also one of seven UNESCO Cities of Literature, hosts a variety of overseas sporting events and is ranked in the top 20 of the Innovation Cities Top 100 Index.

GEELONG Geelong is Victoria’s second largest city. Located less than an hour from Melbourne, it offers the best of both worlds – a safe, relaxed atmosphere in a beautiful environment with easy access to airports, shopping and cultural activities. Geelong is the gateway to the world famous Great Ocean Road, some of Australia’s best surf beaches and the wineries and restaurants of the Bellarine Peninsula. It is a hub of learning, research and innovation, home to the Geelong Technology Precinct at Deakin University, which includes the Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM), Centre for Intelligent Systems Research (CISR), CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering and the Australian Future Fibre Research and Innovation Centre.

VICTORIAN ALPS Situated in the north-east of Victoria, the Victorian Alps form the southern part of Australia’s Great Dividing Range. The high country boasts beautiful alpine topography, from river valleys to majestic mountains, with peaks rising to 6,500 feet above sea level. The area is blanketed in snow during the Winter months (June-August), and is a popular destination for winter sports enthusiasts. The high country is also renowned for its food and wine, with a rich history of producing world-class cool climate wines.

Geelong waterfront

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FACILITIES

Geelong Grammar School boasts world-class facilities that, combined with innovative learning programmes and exceptional staff, enable all of our students to flourish. Spread over 245 hectares, the facilities at our Corio campus features both state-of-the-art and heritage buildings, from lecture theatres, science labs and libraries to our historic Chapel and War Memorial Cloisters. The School of Performing Arts and Creative Education (the SPACE) is a $20 million building for drama, music and dance that also acts as a catalyst for the School’s development of creativity by providing learning environments that stimulate collaboration and innovation. Our Handbury Centre for Wellbeing enables our students to maintain good health, featuring a 10-lane indoor swimming pool, multi-purpose indoor courts, gymnasium and dance/yoga studios. The Centre also houses the Kennedy Medical Centre and is surrounded by immaculately maintained sporting ovals and an all-weather tennis/hockey facility with competition level lighting. Located on the edge of Corio Bay, the campus also boasts sailing and rowing facilities, as well as a world-class indoor equestrian centre. Our Music School is an energetic and creative space alive with the sounds of more than 30 diverse instruments and 42 sessional tutors. There are also performance, exhibition and gallery spaces; recording, photographic and arts studios; language, business and technology centres.

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PASTORAL CARE

Pastoral Care is the essence of Geelong Grammar School’s work with children. It is neither a programme nor a strategy, but a belief that nourishes everything we do. Every child is visible to us; we are prepared to speak and listen, to ask and to understand. At Geelong Grammar School we are proud of our reputation as a school where our students can grow and feel free to express themselves. Understanding and meeting the individual needs of each child is a vital aspect of the School’s Pastoral Care philosophy. The most important source of support and care is the student’s House or Unit. If a student needs to discuss any concern or issue, the Head of House/Unit or House Tutor will be the first point of contact.

The School has developed a number of school policies to guide student behaviour. Full details of all school policies are available on our website. Geelong Grammar School’s approach to relationships is based on moral precepts which value both the individual and the community. Our pastoral principles and behaviour management practice promote wholesome transformative relationships and eschew intimidation, fear or overt exercise of authority. The relationship reparation practices we use to resolve disputes encourage people to rethink, to learn, to appreciate, to understand, value and respect others. Our approach recognises and attends to difference, and is fundamentally educative. Parties

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grow through this approach to recognise mistakes, to understand that mistakes have to be addressed, and so better understand life. Parties recognise that relationships have been disturbed and need repair requiring a co-created positive approach.

The quality of a relationship has many determinants but fundamentally five present as being significant. The determinants are:

1. Trust 2. Forgiveness 3. Integrity 4. Optimism (hope) 5. Compassion

Our Timbertop campus is set on 325 hectares of bush and farming land, nestled in a secluded valley in the foothills of the Victorian Alps. It is a campus like no other, where students live and study in 16 Units with up to 14 others. The Units themselves are rustic in appearance and Spartan in nature. Heating comes from a slow-combustion wood heater and a wood-fuelled boiler provides hot water. If wood is not collected and cut, there is no fire for warmth in the cold winter months. If the boiler is not lit, there are no hot showers. Although simple and often quickly learned, the lessons provided by this environment are rich and significant. Timbertop also boasts modern classrooms, science labs, library, Music School, art and design studios, a working vineyard and farm, as well as the award-winning John Lewis Centre.

Our Toorak Campus is a modern learning environment in the heart of Melbourne’s most exlusive suburb. It features innovative, open-plan classrooms – light-filled and carefully designed to support the Primary Years Programme (PYP) of the overseas Baccalaureate. Bostock House is a Heritage-listed building in the leafy Geelong suburb of Newtown. It is home to the beautiful Austin Library, with purpose-built classrooms bordering the play area, creating a courtyard effect.

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ENROLMENT INFORMATION

If you are applying from outside Australia and do not hold Australian citizenship or permanent residency, you must follow specific enrolment procedures. You must complete a Student Application Form (available from the School website). Prospective students must also sit an approved English language proficiency test with the Australian Education Assessment Service (AEAS), which has testing centres in 26 countries around the world (please visit www.aeas.com.au to find your nearest testing centre). Please complete the Student Application Form online, and provide the fee and associated documents (as outlined in the Student Application Form) to the School.

We encourage all prospective parents and students to arrange to visit Geelong Grammar School. Open Days and campus tours are held during the school year. A tour of the School can be arranged by contacting the Admissions Office. If you are unable to visit the School, the School’s Registrar will conduct an interview with the prospective student via telephone/Skype.

An enrolment offer will be made if a place is available and if the prospective student has reached the required level of English language proficiency, either by passing the AEAS test or by attending an English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS) at Avalon College (www.avaloncollege.vic.edu.au). If the prospective student requires ELICOS to reach the required level of English proficiency, a provisional offer may be made with the condition that he/she successfully completes the ELICOS course to the required level. If this level is not reached the offer may be rescinded, or the prospective student may have to delay their entry until the required level is reached.

You can accept an enrolment offer by paying a non-refundable enrolment fee and obtaining Overseas Student Health Cover (OHSC), which is a requirement of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to assist overseas students meet the costs of medical and hospital care that they may need while in Australia. Later, a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) form and a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare letter (CAAW letter) will be prepared and sent to you by the Admissions Office, (unless the student will reside with a nominated relative nominated by the Australia DHA). The CoE and CAAW letter are necessary to obtain a student visa.

Students in years prep to year 4 are required to enrol as day students at the School. The students must live with a nominated homestay provider approved by DHA, which may include the parents, a person who has legal custody of the student or an eligible relative (aunt, uncle, grandparent or a sibling over 21 years of age).

Students in years 5 and 6 may enrol at the School as day students or as weekly boarders. On weekends, the students must live with a nominated homestay provider approved by DHA, which may include the parents, a person with legal custody of the student, or an eligible relative (aunt, uncle, grandparent or a sibling over 21 years of age).

Overseas students in years 7-12 are generally enrolled as full boarding students. In certain circumstances students may live with a nominated homestay provider approved by DHA,

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which may include the student’s parents, person with legal custody of the student, or an eligible relative (aunt, uncle, grandparent or a sibling over 21 years of age) .In this case the student will enrol as a day student.

Students under 13 years of age must enrol at the school as a day student or as a weekly boarder. These students can enrol as full boarding students after they turn 13 years of age.

Students at the School’s Timbertop campus will enrol as full boarding students. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Overseas students who are at the School pursuant to a CAAW letter must board at the School, except for exeat weekends or when the student is ill or cannot be at the School for a period of time. During these times, the student may stay with a Homestay Provider which has been approved by the School.

If you are applying from within Australia, the prospective student may sit the AEAS English language proficiency test in Australia. Otherwise, the process is the same.

MINIMUM LEVELS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

Prep-Year 4 students’ language is monitored in class on an individual basis. English as a Second Language (ESL) and/or Learning Support teachers can assist with language progression as required.

Students from Year 5 onwards must sit the AEAS English language proficiency test. If prospective students are required to attend an English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS), they must attend Avalon College.

Depending on the year of entry into Geelong Grammar School, the following levels of English language proficiency are required prior to entry:

Australian School Years 6 and 7

(Level 1 and 2 Elementary Level)

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• carry out face-to-face conversations giving their own opinions and ideas

• accurately pronounce commonly used words

• listen to, understand and act on simple directions in the classroom and in everyday situations

• when listening to information ask for help if the meaning is not clear

• in reading show an understanding of the meaning of familiar and unfamiliar texts at this level

• in reading be able to select relevant information from a passage when asked

• in reading understand the overall meaning of texts and information used in Australian schools at the Year 6 and 7 level on familiar topics

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• write in a variety of styles used in Australian schools at this level including personal, narrative, recount, procedural, creative and informative

• use correct word order and grammatical structure in simple sentences

• research a topic and write a report using own words

Australian School Years 8 and 9 (Level 3 and 4 Pre-Intermediate)


• maintain a conversation on everyday topics using correct known grammar

• pronounce known words correctly

• interact in a classroom in the same manner as an Australian student, expressing opinions and working productively in group situations

• listen to lengthy pieces of information or instructions and respond to show understanding

• research a topic from material used in Australian schools at this level, selecting relevant information and presenting this information in own words in different forms and for different purposes

• in reading show understanding of and respond accurately to mainstream texts at the Year 8 or 9 level

• write complex sentences showing correct use of known grammar and spelling

• use drafting to improve the overall quality of their work

• write in a variety of styles used in an Australian school including those listed in Levels 1 and 2 as well as explanatory and persuasive

Australian School Years 10 and 11 (Level 5 and 6 Intermediate)


• maintain conversations with Australian people, expressing their own ideas in an organised manner

• use correct pronunciation, grammar and intonation when speaking

• understand information given by Australian people at their normal speaking speed in different situations and respond appropriately

• take notes from information which is given orally

• research a topic using a wide range of material and summarise and paraphrase key points

• write essays using complex sentences, correct grammar and spelling, paragraphing structure and evidence to support own opinions

• write in a variety of styles used in Australian schools including those listed in Levels 1, 2, 3 and 4 as well as analytical responses and argumentative to text.

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HOMESTAY PROVIDERS

The parents may nominate a Homestay Provider for the student, which is then approved by the school. If parents do not know anyone they wish the school to consider approving, the school must appoint a homestay provider for the student for the duration of their enrolment. The role of the homestay provider is an important one and the School expects all homestay providers to be genuinely interested in the student’s welfare.

Homestay Providers must:

• comply with the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (as amended);

• be over 25 years of age (subject to the exercise of discretion by the Principal, but at least 21 years of age);

• all people over 18 years old at the Homestay Provider’s residence must have a valid Working With Children Check (see https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/ for details on how to apply);

• have a current Australian drivers licence;

• comply with the School’s policies and expectations (detailed in the associated enrolment documents), and is aware of their responsibilities;

• must live in the Melbourne/Greater Geelong area and be easily contactable by the School and/or the student and student’s family;

• must be able to communicate effectively with the School and the student in English, and have empathy with the student’s culture, religion and beliefs; and

• during exeats, holidays and other periods the student is with the Homestay Provider, the Homestay Provider must be prepared to work with the student and the School when required, and particularly with respect to classwork, illness, grievances, behaviour, unhappiness or discipline.

Geelong Grammar School is committed to the safety of children and has a zero tolerance of child abuse. Everyone at the School has a role to play and is responsible for protecting children and upholding the duty of care that GGS owes to all of its students. The School has appointed Child Safety Officers at each Campus who are trained to be the first point of contact and to provide advice and support to students, parents and homestay providers regarding the safety and wellbeing of children within the School. All people engaged in a voluntary capacity to assist with child-connected activities are required to hold a valid Working with Children Check and must provide evidence of this as a condition of their engagement with the School. Homestay providers will receive information and education regarding the School’s Child Safety Policy and their obligations.

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ORIENTATION PROGRAMME

CORIO/TIMBERTOP

The School runs a three-and-a-half day Orientation Programme in the week prior to the start of Term 1 for students attending Corio and Timbertop campuses. The programme is designed to help students settle quickly into the School, nurture strong relationships and make the most of the many opportunities that exist at the School. It is an Australian Government requirement that all overseas students must attend this programme. Any expatriate students who have spent all or most of their life away from Australia are also invited to attend this programme.

Students will spend three-and-a-half days at the Corio campus where they will be:

• introduced to living as a boarder at Geelong Grammar School

• introduced to the academic, pastoral and co-curricular programmes at the School

• given the opportunity to live and study with some current and former students of the School

• introduced to some of the features of the Geelong region, to elements of the Australian culture and more specifically, to life at Geelong Grammar School

The Orientation Programme concludes with a relaxed lunch with parents, friends, homestay providers and siblings. Students leave with their parents or homestay provider to return after a few days to either the Corio or Timbertop campus to begin the School year. This date together with all term and special dates for the year is provided in the information package posted to parents during October/November of the year prior to entry.

TOORAK CAMPUS

Toorak Campus offers an Orientation Session for all new students on the day prior to the first day of Term 1. During this session students will:

• be shown their classroom and meet their classroom teacher

• tour the campus and be introduced to specialist teachers in Art, PE, Drama, LOTE, Library, Science and Music

• participate in interactive games on the sports field with all other new students

At the conclusion of the Orientation Session students will know their class teacher, where their classroom is and will have met other new students.

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ACADEMIC PROGRAMME

OUR LEARNING JOURNEY

Geelong Grammar School’s rigorous academic programmes create wonder, curiosity and a desire to learn. Spread across four specialist campuses and five distinct learning environments, the School offers a dynamic and flexible curriculum from Early Learning to Year 12. Each campus is a vibrant, creative place where the natural flow from one year level to the next enables students to make a smooth transition through their primary and secondary education. Timbertop, the school’s remote Year 9 campus located in the foothills of the Victorian Alps, provides students with a unique opportunity to experience a rigorous academic program alongside a challenging outdoor education stream, whilst Senior School students have the choice of the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or the overseas Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma for entry into tertiary study.

YEARS 11-12

Our Years 11-12 programme provides the opportunities, environment and academic support to enable all of our students to flourish. It offers the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or the overseas Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma for entry into tertiary study. The broad range of academic subjects is complemented by a dynamic co-curricular programme.

• Choice of VCE or IB

• Exceptional staff

• Dynamic co-curricular activities

YEAR 10

Year 10 focusses on consolidating academic skills and preparing our students for the final two years of their secondary education. It provides a very wide range of elective subjects. It builds on the skills and knowledge acquired at Timbertop, further developing resilience and confidence through explicit teaching of Positive Education.

• Consolidation of academic skills

• Very wide range of elective subjects

• Explicit teaching of Positive Education

YEAR 9

Timbertop provides a unique opportunity to experience a rigorous academic programme alongside a challenging outdoor education stream. Whilst hiking, skiing and running dominates weekends, for five days a week our students are engaged in a full Year 9 academic timetable free from the distractions of the modern world.

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• Unique learning environment

• Rigorous academic programme

• Exceptional outdoor education experience

YEARS 7-8

Our Years 7-8 programme provides a more traditional secondary school structure, with a wider range of electives and specialist teachers in all subject areas. Concepts are explored through a series of multi-domain units, fostering inquiry and critical thinking skills. An extensive sport and co-curricular activities programme encourages balance and personal development.

• Wider range of elective subjects

• Extensive sport and co-curricular activities

• Ideal preparation for Timbertop

YEARS 5-6

Our Years 5-6 programme is focussed on the middle years between childhood and early adolescence. Our students learn through practical experience during these crucial growth years. They are stimulated by the use of technology and enriched by the teaching of our transformational Positive Education programme, which promotes self-esteem and confidence.

• Focus on experiential learning


• Introduction of laptops and eLearning

ELC-YEAR 4

Our early years’ programmes provide the building blocks for a love of learning – establishing a strong foundation in numeracy and literacy, whilst nurturing curiosity and creativity. Our Early Learning Centres reflect the Reggio Emilia philosophy whilst our Toorak Campus is committed to the Primary Years Programme (PYP) of the overseas Baccalaureate.

• Strong foundation in numeracy and literacy

• Wide range of specialist subjects

• Emphasis on curiosity and creativity

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TERTIARY STUDY

Each year, graduating Geelong Grammar School students gain entry into some of the world’s most prestigious universities, including Harvard, Princeton, Stanford and Yale in the United States, Oxford, Cambridge, Central Saint Martins and Edinburgh in the United Kingdom, Melbourne, Sydney, Monash and the Australian National University (ANU) in Australia. The School offers both the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and the overseas Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. Both programmes provide an internationally recognised qualification for entry into tertiary education worldwide. Our Careers Office works extensively with students from Year 10 onwards. Old Geelong Grammarians return to the School to mentor Year 10 students as part of the annual Careers Discovery Day, talking to students and parents about their careers since leaving school, providing invaluable ‘real life’ information about deciding subjects, university courses and career paths. Students participate in individual Career Counselling from Years 10-12. Extensive advice on subject selection is available in Year 10 and Year 11 from the Director of Learning, IB Co-ordinator and Head of Careers. All Year 10 and Year 11 students complete Interest Inventories. Year 12 students can choose to complete the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, whilst all Year 12 students are required to attend meetings with the Head of Careers to discuss career options, which will assist them with tertiary study applications, both in Australia and overseas.

Year 12 students are provided with extensive support and guidance when completing tertiary applications. All Year 12 students complete their applications to Australian universities in House groups, under supervision. Assistance is given with organising attendance at SAT exams and with applications to USA and UK universities, including advice on Personal Statements /Essays. Extensive Speakers Programmes are arranged involving representatives from universities, including overseas student sectors, British Council about study in the UK, US Educational Advising Service about study in the USA and GAP programme opportunities, where a student spends a year overseas or within Australia after Year 12 and prior to tertiary education. The University of Melbourne run Faculty Visits where representatives from various Faculties attend to explain more about Melbourne University’s courses, but more particularly, about university life. Overseas students attend the University of Melbourne’s Schools Partnership Overseas(MSPI), which offers special opportunities and assistance to overseas students. Our students attend an MSPI Day at Melbourne University each year, for lectures and activities.

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AUSTRALIAN QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) establishes the quality of Australian qualifications. The AQF is the national policy for regulated qualifications in the Australian education and training system. It incorporates the quality assured qualifications from each education and training sector into a single comprehensive national qualifications framework. AQF qualifications link with each other in a range of learning pathways between schools, VET (Vocational Education and Training) and higher education. This allows students to move easily from one level of study to the next, and from one institution to another, as long as overseas students satisfy visa requirements. It allows for choice and flexibility in career planning.

The AQF aligns with overseas qualifications, so institutions are linked across the country and across the world, which makes it easy to move throughout the education system between courses or institutions. Formal recognition of prior learning and experiences mean that every step of a student’s learning journey will contribute to their future no matter what their study or career goals.

Our early years’ programmes provide the building blocks

for a love of learning – establishing a strong

foundation in numeracy and literacy, whilst nurturing curiosity and creativity.

Our Early Learning Centres reflect the Reggio Emilia

philosophy whilst our Toorak Campus is committed to the Primary Years Programme

(PYP) of the overseas Baccalaureate.

• Strong foundation in numeracy and literacy

• Wide range of specialist subjects

• Emphasis on curiosity and creativity

Our Years 5-6 programme is focussed on the middle years between childhood

and early adolescence. Our students learn through

practical experience during these crucial growth years.

They are stimulated by the use of technology and

enriched by the teaching of our transformational Positive

Education programme, which promotes self-esteem

and confidence.

• Focus on experiential learning


• Introduction of laptops and eLearning

Our Years 7-8 programme provides a more traditional

secondary school structure, with a wider range of

specialist subjects and teachers. Concepts are

explored through a series of multi-domain units, fostering inquiry and critical thinking skills. An extensive sport

and co-curricular activities programme encourages

balance and personal development.

• Wider range of specialist subjects

• Extensive sport and co-curricular activities

• Ideal preparation for Timbertop

SPREAD ACROSS FOUR CAMPUSES, GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL OFFERS A UNIQUE EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY TO MEET THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS. WE BELIEVE THAT LEARNING IS LIFE’S GREATEST ADVENTURE AND EVERY SINGLE STEP MATTERS.

ELC –

YEAR 4YEARS 5 – 6

YEARS 7 – 8

ELC – YEAR 4BOSTOCK HOUSE(Newtown, Geelong)

& TOORAK CAMPUS (Toorak, Melbourne)

YEARS 5 – 6TOORAK CAMPUS (Toorak, Melbourne)

& MIDDLE SCHOOL (Corio, Geelong)

YEARS 7 – 8MIDDLE SCHOOL

(Corio, Geelong)

Timbertop provides a unique opportunity to experience a rigorous academic programme alongside a challenging

outdoor education stream. Whilst hiking, skiing

and running dominates weekends, for five days a week our students are engaged in a full Year 9

academic timetable free from the distractions of

the modern world.

• Unique learning environment

• Rigorous academic programme

• Exceptional outdoor education experience

Year 10 focusses on consolidating academic skills and preparing our

students for the final two years of their secondary education. It provides a wide range of elective

subjects. It builds on the skills and knowledge

acquired at Timbertop, further developing

resilience and confidence through explicit teaching of

Positive Education.

• Consolidation of academic skills

• Wide range of elective subjects


Our Years 11-12 programme provides the opportunities, environment and academic support to enable all of our

students to flourish. It offers the Victorian Certificate

of Education (VCE) or the overseas Baccalaureate

(IB) Diploma for entry into tertiary study. The broad

range of academic subjects is complemented by dynamic

co-curricular and sporting programmes.

• Choice of VCE or IB

• Dynamic co-curricular activities

• World class facilities

YEAR 9

YEAR 10

YEARS 11 – 12

YEARS 11 – 12SENIOR SCHOOL

(Corio, Geelong)

YEAR 9TIMBERTOP

(Near Mansfield)

YEAR 10SENIOR SCHOOL

(Corio, Geelong)

CRICOS 00143G

OVERSEAS STUDENT HANDBOOK - Exceptional Education

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