A distinctive phase in a child’s education, Middle School provides a stimulating learning environment, where students are challenged to become the best people they can be.

In a world full of disruption, uncertainty and breathtaking change, we aim to educate creative, lateral thinkers who value relationships and are calculated risk takers, with the critical thinking skills to understand diversity. Breadth of program, wide co-curricular offerings and a rigorous curriculum embody a learning program that at its core, values relationships and wellbeing.

Global mindedness, innovation and cultural awareness are critical skills for 21st Century citizens. The years in the Scotch Middle School are about recognising what happens in the world and giving our students the skills they need to work effectively in the senior years.

Our aim is to make our students 21st Century ready.

Living Well

In Years 5-9, the Live Well program enhances each learner’s wellbeing encompassing Sustainable Living, Nutrition and Food Technology, Physical Education, Wellbeing and Values Education, Service Learning and Global Responsibility. This contemporary program equips students with the knowledge to evaluate and maintain their own health and wellbeing, with a view to making a positive contribution to the global community.

9@Scotch

A hallmark experience of Middle School is 9@Scotch; a program designed specifically to meet the needs of developing adolescents. Based on the key themes of Creative and Critical Thinking, Entrepreneurship, Intercultural Understandings and Personal and Social Capability & Sustainability. Students explore these themes across the year, making this program unique to Scotch. 

The 9@Scotch curriculum challenges students to think critically and globally about real world issues. Students have to debate, research, identify their own and others’ inherent bias, work individually and in groups, use online collaboration tools and demonstrate resilience. 9@Scotch has an off-site residential experience, Scotch Odyssey, where all students attend a 12-night program.

The skills that students learn through this program will hold them in great stead for their transition to senior school, as well as their transition to post-school pathways.

Wellbeing

Wellbeing is integral to our offering, it is an approach and an attitude that is embedded in the interactions in the classroom, the way students and staff greet each other in the yard and the opportunities for development provided throughout our co-curricular programs. Our vision is to develop connected and engaged learners with the knowledge, passion and commitment to enhance their own and others’ lives.

We believe that it is only when we are at our best, that we can help others to be theirs.

Beyond the Classroom

A broad range of Co-curricular offerings ensure that your child’s learning does not end at 3:30pm. A commitment to sport is expected of students in the Middle School, fostering individual growth, teamwork and physical wellbeing. The scope of sports on offer caters for a range of interests as well as skill levels, with interschool competitions and representative opportunities available across most domains.

Opportunities for Enrichment and Enhancement are also available in domains such as STEM, Creative and Performing Arts, Critical Thinking and Global Communities, with each eld offering activities both within and outside of the traditional school day.

Outdoor Education

Learning outside of the classroom takes place through Outdoor Expeditions, excursions and participation in a range of other forums that value students learning through experience.

Being in the great outdoors is not only an opportunity to engage with our natural environment and the inherent conversations around sustainability. It is also about each child experiencing what it is to be great through challenging themselves with often new and exciting opportunities that develop confidence, relationships and resilience when overcoming challenges.

Differentiated Learning

Differentiated learning programs ensure that all students are appropriately challenged. In all Middle School classrooms, each student is able to achieve success through our teachers use of:

• flexible grouping strategies
• continuous feedback and assessment
• positive and strengths focussed learning environments
• the provision of appropriate support and clear learning objectives are principles applied in each lesson.

All specialist subject learning takes place in our well-equipped settings across the campus including the Agricultural facility attached to our farm, Science labs, Visual Arts studios, Design and Technology workshops, Drama theatre and Food and Hospitality kitchens.

The Importance of Transitions

We know adolescents experience significant growth and change emotionally, physically, psychologically and socially during the Middle Years. The journey of Middle School starts with transition. To support this important learning juncture, our Year 7 classes reflect a hybrid between a traditional primary and senior school model of learning. Homegroup classes, with a core teacher for about half of the day, provide the structure for supporting new expectations.

At each point in the student’s journey through Middle School, there are regular opportunities provided for parents to become engaged in the Scotch community. It takes a village to raise a child and at Scotch, we value the strength and opportunities that our community provides.