Matthew Flinders Anglican College on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland has been named an Excellence Awardee in the ‘Innovation in Curriculum Design’ Award category in the 2024 Australian Education Awards (AEA).
Flinders last year won ‘Primary School of the Year (Non-Government)’ at the 2023 Australian Education Awards and was named one of The Educator’s 5-Star Innovative Schools for 2022 and 2023.
The College is a leading independent co-educational school that provides a quality education for excellence in learning and life for its 1,400 students from Prep to Year 12.
This year’s Excellence Awardee shortlisting recognises the College’s new ‘Year to RISE’ curriculum which was expressly designed to inspire, challenge and engage Year 9 students in their final year of Middle School (Years 7-9).
Launched in January 2023, the Year to RISE guides students on a journey to build Relationships, embrace Inquiry, explore Stewardship and learn Enterprise through authentic real-world opportunities and challenges.
The shortlists across 29 categories are available here:
College Principal Ms Michelle Carroll said it was an honour for the College to be recognised in the Australian Education Awards for designing and delivering one of the most innovative curriculum programs in the K-12 education sector across Australia.
“The Australian Education Awards celebrate future-focused schools and individuals across Australia striving to deliver the best possible education for young people, so we are delighted to be in such impressive company,” Ms Carroll said.
“Our year-long Year to RISE curriculum is groundbreaking in its approach to preparing Middle School students for the rigour of Senior School from Years 10 to 12, so that they can reach their academic potential and work effectively and respectfully with their peers.”
Head of Secondary School, Mrs Anita Gibson said, “In creating our Year to RISE program, which was many years in the making, we sought to address society’s perceived dip in motivation and engagement of students in middle schooling.
“We also wanted to find space to develop the General Capabilities (Learner Traits) and to give real expression to the 6 C’s, which had lain dormant as a driver of curriculum.
“Our program’s vision is to prepare our students for the start of Year 10 as a cohort who are grounded and skilled in disciplinary knowledge, worldly in their ability to see the purposeful application of that knowledge, and sufficiently confident and self-disciplined to be able manage their learning in the Senior context.”
In being named an Excellence Awardee, Flinders was deemed successful across the following award criteria for its Year to RISE program:
- Consultation and engagement to determine the need for innovation
- Stakeholder engagement and school community consultation in the design process
- Strong leadership at all levels to support innovation
- Change management and implementation process
- Evaluation of the impact on student learning
The shortlisted Excellence Awardees for the Australian Education Awards 2024 were announced on Monday, 13 May.
As an Excellence Awardee, Flinders will go on to be judged by an independent panel who will announce the final category winners at the AEA Gala Dinner on Friday, 9 August in Sydney.
The Australian Education Awards, now in their seventh year, recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of the country’s top performing schools, principals, department heads and teachers.
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