Independent Schools Guide 2022: Wesley College is ready to roar

During the past two years, education, like many other sectors, has had to react to a pandemic it cannot control. Relentless uncertainty and disruption have played havoc with the lives of many, most notably the younger generation.

Rising rates of mental ill-health, statistics indicating that young people are disengaging from learning, and the social disconnection caused by COVID-19 anxieties and lockdowns prompted Wesley College to thoroughly review how the school could best support the Wesley community.

“When our students and staff feel safe, respected and connected, they feel valued, and we can better meet their needs for belonging, engagement and autonomy. They are enabling factors in developing self-determination, and that is highly predictive of wellbeing and achievement,” says the head of campus, Kim Bence.

To build self-determination across Wesley College, the school has introduced a new learning and wellbeing program, ROAR, that embraces four tenets – Respect, Opportunity, Achievement and Resilience.

“Together, they inspire our young people to identify their inner strengths and develop the courage and capabilities to experience and successfully navigate the world around them. Just like our Wesley lion, we aim to empower our students, and all those within our community, to truly roar,” says Bence.

“A college-wide approach to wellbeing permeates everything we do across all aspects of the Wesley experience. It is not simply what we teach but how we teach, interact and connect. The focus is on we, not me.”

Respect at Wesley focuses on nurturing a deep sense of belonging, connection and authenticity in relationships. Students explore key themes, including respectful relationships, emotional literacy, high-quality connections, empathy and forgiveness.

Opportunity is about embracing moments that allow students to develop strengths, talents and passions. Key themes that will be explored inside and outside the classroom include character strengths, self-determination, leadership, service-learning and spirituality.

Achievement encourages students to define what is important to them, set goals and develop healthy habits. They discuss habits and goals, “hope theory”, storytelling and coaching to learn more about achieving what matters most to them.

Resilience helps students develop and harness their inner strengths and capabilities to successfully navigate stress and uncertainty and see challenges as opportunities to grow, learn and move forward.

The new learning and wellbeing program is also providing online seminars and face-to-face workshops to equip families with strategies to continue to support their children.

Students have been encouraged to help shape ROAR, and making sure students have opportunities to express their views is given a high priority, says Bence.

“We have a newly devised Wesley College Rights and Responsibilities Charter that has been co-designed by students, staff and school leadership,” she says. “Our Campus Advisory Committee also gives students a voice and is a representative group of students, staff and campus leadership working together.

“There are representatives from Years 7 to 12 who are all part of the committee and who discuss big-ticket items like fostering a respectful college culture, behaviour and expectations.

“ROAR intentionally connects our school community to the Wesley story. It builds on the strong foundations of connection and belonging that is so important to developing strength, courage and capabilities,” says Bence.

ST KILDA ROAD CAMPUS: 577 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004 

GLEN WAVERLEY CAMPUS: 620 High Street Road, Glen Waverley, VIC 3150

ELSTERNWICK CAMPUS: 5 Gladstone Parade, Elsternwick, VIC 3185

ENQUIRIES: Ph (03) 8102 6888 / Website wesleycollege.edu.au

YEARS: ELC to Year 12

DENOMINATION: Uniting Church

GENDER: Co-educational

FEES: $23,110 to $34,610

BOARDING: Yes

SCHOLARSHIPS: Yes

ATAR: Combined median ATAR for VCE & IB DP: 86.85

• This article appeared in our Annual Independent Schools Guide magazine.