MIDDLE School
Care and Wellbeing
The College’s Middle School is dedicated to providing a comprehensive and well-rounded education to our youngest students, as they make the transition into high school, and for many, a Mercy education. Using the Self GROWTH Program and its six key pillars, staff tailor specific sessions to address emotional and physical wellbeing. At Monte, the Middle School’s Pastoral Program is designed to create a safe and supportive environment that fosters both personal and academic growth. Individualised guidance is provided to students to help them choose pathways that align with their interests, abilities, and future aspirations.
Through academic, co-curricular, spiritual, leadership, and social opportunities, the Middle School aims to nurture the growth of its students and help them reach their full potential, ready to enter the Senior School.
Social wellbeing and academic support are emphasised as students navigate new environments, and students receive support from a dedicated team of professionals, including Tutors, Heads of Year, Director of Middle School, College Counsellors, and Health Centre Nurse, to ensure they have a smooth and successful transition.
The goal of the Middle School is to empower students and leave them feeling confident and well-prepared to take on the next phase of their high school journey. An academic ethos is emphasised, and every student is tracked and supported by relevant staff including:
- Director of Middle School
- Tutors
- Heads of Year
- School Counsellor
- Academic Support Teacher
- Health Centre Nurse
The College aims to offer a differentiated and supportive learning environment that enables all students to reach their full potential.
A Year of change
Year 7
Our Year 7 program is designed to allow the students to make connections and friendships through various activities and structures. Each year our students come from over 65 different primary schools. This brings diversity and breadth to our Year 7 student body.
Year 7 students are involved in activities such as:
- Year 7 camp
- Grandparent’s Day
- House Plays (Colour House performances)
- Friendship and resilience pastoral sessions
- Study Skills, Personal Learning Goals & Organisation Time Management (OTM) program
- Sacred connection with our Indigenous Elders and the Bindarray.Ga Pond
- End of Year Awards Ceremony and Mass
Our dedicated Year 7 Homeroom teachers create a caring environment with a highly effective communication network, addressing the needs of the individual and classroom dynamic throughout their transition year.
Developing pastoral relationships
Year 8
Within the Year 8 Pastoral Program we aim to meet the developmental needs of the students. This concept of creating connections encompasses the many layers of the individual, yet also extends to include the needs of the College and wider community. The Pastoral Program for Year 8 focuses on including a continued emphasis on Cyber Awareness and Community Connection.
Other activities that Year 8 students are involved in are:
- SMART Goals creation
- House Plays (Colour House performances)
- Focusing on Relationships and Wellness, sessions surrounding bullying, and building and losing friends is explored
- Mother’s Day Liturgy and Morning Tea
- End of Year Mass and Awards Ceremony
The transition to Year 8 Tutor Groups provides opportunities for developing new friendships and House spirit and allows students to foster a pastoral relationship with their peers and tutor.
Community and Service
Year 9
The Year 9 Pastoral Program aims to offer students a range of activities to assist in their holistic development and enhance wellbeing.
An important component of the Year 9 Pastoral Program is Community and Service. The Community and Service activities provide an excellent opportunity for students to put into practice their Mercy values whilst exploring and developing an understanding of voluntary work. Throughout the year, students engage in a wide range of student-led internal and external activities. These activities allow the students to recognise that by giving, they receive so much in return.
Year 9 has many other important events and activities which include:
- Election of the Student Representative Council and the six Middle School Leaders
- The Father/Daughter Liturgy and Morning Tea
- Year 9 Examinations in Term 4
- End of Year Mass and Awards Ceremony