Curriculum

At St Francis Xavier College our curriculum is our road map for the implementation of our mission for creating young people who have the knowledge, skills and confidence to successfully navigate the joys and complexities of work, life and leisure in the 21st Century. We believe that success in education is about building curiosity, compassion, and mobilising the cognitive, social and emotional resources of our learners to take action now and in the future, and we offer a breadth and depth of curriculum through which this occurs.

At St Francis Xavier, we aim to provide excellence in teaching and learning through a challenging and inclusive curriculum. We encourage our students to embrace scholarship as a response to God’s gift of intellect. We teach our students to respond authentically to a culture of critical thought, creative thinking, reflection and independent work.

Our emphasis is on celebrating difference and diversity and see this as a core component of teaching and learning. We support a collaborative approach to learning and curriculum design, aligning and working closely with external partners and professionals to support the needs of all students.

Our courses are designed to show students that Design and Technologies subjects are not only fun and engaging topics that allow them to practically apply their unique interests and skills, but as meaningful life pursuits with important applications in our community, both now and into the future.

Through the study of Digital Technology, students present, validate, and evaluate their solutions. In doing so, they develop and extend their understanding of designing and programming, including fundamental computer science principles such as algorithm selection and complexity, structuring data for processing and problem-solving.

Students may explore a single technology deeply or may consider many different technologies in pursuit of a solution.

Our hope is that students at SFX gain a full understanding of how literary texts shape and are shaped by the society for which they are created.

Sport is an important part of the co-curricular life of the school. Teams are entered in all major zone competitions. St Francis Xavier students regularly participate in the following sports:

• Australian Rules
• Netball
• Basketball
• Softball
• Rugby League
• Hockey
• Rugby Union
• Indoor Soccer
• Cricket
• Swimming
• Soccer
• Athletics
• Volleyball
• Cross Country

The HPE faculty prides itself on extending opportunities to students to explore further pathways through our elective and senior subject offerings of Sport and Recreation, Physical Education Studies, Exercise Science, and Outdoor and Environmental Education. Through their education at SFX, students and staff endeavour to walk together through holistic practices to influence and create lifelong contributors to their own health and wellbeing.

Sport and Recreation (Year 9 only or Year 10 only)

This Sport and Recreation elective is a one-year course. Students have the opportunity to participate in the recreation-based course in either Year 9 or Year 10 (not both).  This subject provides students with the opportunity to participate in more Physical Education lessons throughout the year of study.  The Sport and Recreation course will give students the opportunity to participate in the following units:

• Safe Surfing
• First Aid and Community Sports
• Micro Teaching
• Urban Challenge

The Physical Education Department offers both accredited and tertiary courses within the Senior School. The courses offered in the Physical Education Department are designed to prepare students for University and other educational institutions as well as vocational opportunities.

Courses include:

• The Exercise Science (T)
• The Physical Education (A)
• Outdoor Education (A)
• The Sports Development (T/A)

For more information please see course handbooks.

Our Language teachers are passionate about teaching students to challenge and transform how they interpret the world and their place in it. Through linguistic and intercultural exploration, students learn how to decentre and connect effectively and respectfully with diversity.

We currently offer two languages: Japanese and Spanish.

Additional support

We also offer additional support to students who struggle with Mathematics or would like to extend their understanding at Maths tutorials. Maths tutorials are currently offered Tuesday and Thursday during recess in D7 and Monday afternoon at 3-4pm in the Resource Centre.

Music Tuition at SFX

Here at St Francis Xavier College, we have a number of experienced Music Tutors available during the school day for individual and small group lessons in:

• Flute
• Clarinet
• Saxophone
• Trumpet
• French Horn
• Trombone
• Violin
• Voice
• Piano
• Guitar
• Bass Guitar
• Drums
• Percussion
• Electronic music
• Music composition and production

Lessons provide students with the opportunity to develop and refine their vocal and/or instrumental skills through customised instruction. Music tuition is encouraged for all students participating in a Music Elective or those students wishing to be a part of our SFX bands.

Students have the opportunity to participate in the following extra curricular ensembles:

• Concert Band
• Junior Band
• String Ensemble
• Guitar Ensemble
• Percussion Ensemble
• Choir
• Dance Ensemble
• Drama Club

Contact Hannah Carey, Head of Performing Arts (Hannah.Carey@sfx.act.edu.au) for more information.

Students also explore a variety of religious, philosophical and spiritual worldviews, which attempt to understand how other people practise their faith in multicultural Australia.

As human beings, created in the image and love of God, students are encouraged to remain open to the possibilities of an ever present God, who loves us unconditionally and calls us to love one another.

Our goal at SFX is to cultivate curiosity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills in our students. We encourage them to ask questions, seek answers and make connections between scientific concepts and real-world phenomena. We aim to foster a love for Science that will stay with our students throughout their lives—whether they choose to pursue careers in Science or not. Ultimately, our hope is that students will emerge from our Science program as informed, engaged and responsible citizens who understand the importance of Science in a dynamic and evolving world.

HASS provides students with a broad range of opportunities to develop vital skills such as research, analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of information. Students are encouraged to investigate, inquire and critically examine a range of social and environmental issues, including globalisation, sustainability, democracy and cultural diversity. Through a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach, students are provided with the tools to analyse complex social and environmental issues, develop evidence-based arguments and take an active role in shaping the future of their society.

At SFX students study visual arts for a semester in Years 7 or 8, then they can complete electives in Years 9 to 12. Students can undertake courses in Visual Arts, Media or Photography. In Visual Arts, students learn techniques in painting, printmaking, sculpture, drawing, media, and photography. Using these techniques, students are encouraged to create works that engage the audience using unexpected innovative imagery and practices to communicate their ideas. In Photography, students learn to use an SLR camera. They create, edit (using Photoshop or Lightroom) and exhibit photographs, as well as learn how to engage with entrepreneurial practices. In Media, students learn to frame and compose shots, edit captured footage, and work as teams to produce videos, informed by their study of film history and theory.

Our quality equipment across all sections of our department, enable rich and engaging learning experiences to ignite students’ passion for artmaking—for leisure or a career.

Teachers work collaboratively to plan units of work applying an inquiry-based approach to learning. This helps to create a rich and cohesive learning environment that enables students to understand the connections between subjects and their relevance in the world.

Year 7 Humanities is taught by one teacher to build strong pastoral relationships between the teacher and students, minimise repetition and maximise teaching time—giving teachers more knowledge of each student’s abilities and learning needs.

Through a combination of Science and Maths practical experiences and direct instruction, students learn to combine scientific thinking with mathematical reasoning. The integrated approach of Year 7 STEM develops critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and an appreciation of how STEM knowledge applies to real-world challenges as well as pastoral connections for students and their STEM teachers.