Inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals and critical thinkers continues to be a priority at Matthew Flinders Anglican College on the Sunshine Coast, with Science the largest subject department and close to half of the Year 12 graduates choosing science-related tertiary pathways.
This year, 20% of new Flinders graduates are commencing courses in Health, 12% in Engineering and 14% in Science/Maths at universities across Australia.
And the 2024 College Dux, Aidan Chumbley, who achieved the highest possible ATAR of 99.95, has secured coveted opportunities to study Physics in two top university institutions in the UK.
Principal Michelle Carroll said Flinders was proud to prepare its students across the Primary and Secondary Schools for diverse and exciting science and innovation careers.
“Many of our students at Flinders have their sights set on meeting the increasing demand for skilled professionals in STEM-related careers, such as Engineering and Medicine,” Ms Carroll said.
“As the future workforce, our students will need to solve complex 21st century challenges, so it’s vital we develop their curiosity, creativity and critical thinking through science instruction from a young age.
“This year, to equip our students with a solid foundation in scientific knowledge and critical thinking, we have created a purpose-built Science Lab in the Primary School.
“The Lab will be run by a specialist Science Teacher, Mr Gary Brimblecome, who will inspire our Primary students from Years 3-6 while providing tailored support to our Prep–Year 2 teachers.”
The College also opened the newly refurbished Secondary School Science Precinct as part of the next phase of the Flinders Master Plan from 2025-2029.
The Precinct responds to students’ sustained, strong interest in Science subjects by providing state-of-the-art facilities in each of the science disciplines.
The College’s Secondary Science Precinct brings together the Marine Biology, Biology, Physics and Psychology laboratories into one facility.
This purpose-built Precinct enhances both practical and theoretical learning by providing specialised spaces tailored to each discipline, ensuring students have access to the best possible resources for scientific study and discovery.
Year 9 students can also choose the College’s Agricultural Science course and a new Agri-Business Fusion course—two innovative and popular curriculum programs delivered through the award-winning Flinders Farm on campus, which provides an authentic real-world science learning context.
Ms Carroll said, “Building our students’ science literacy is vital to prepare them to engage and contribute with confidence in a future of unprecedented technological change.”
Flinders’ commitment to providing an innovative curriculum has been recognised with a 5-Star Innovative School Award for the third year in a row.
The Educator applauded the 5-Star Innovative Schools of 2024 for “shaping the future of education by breaking the mould of traditional teaching and enabling their students to flourish with cutting-edge initiatives”.
