SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS
Making sure your son is personally known, valued and respected and cared during his time at Parade is fundamental in helping boys develop as balanced and well-rounded individuals. Every boy has access to the help and support he needs to enjoy a happy and rewarding education at Parade.
We achieve this in number of ways, including the House System, Tutor Groups, Career and Education Support, and Counselling Services. We believe that the relationships your son builds in his Tutor Group, his House and his Year Level, together with the commitment of our staff, will ensure that his memories of Parade will be ones of genuine care and happiness.
HOUSE SYSTEM
The House System gives your son a feeling of comradeship and belonging from the day he joins Parade College. Based on four Houses: Bodkin, Hughes, Lynch and Treacy, the boys compete in inter-House sporting competitions, participate in House assemblies and meetings and have a special House activities day. The House System provides a strong foundation for pastoral care at the College.
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TUTOR GROUPS
Every Parade student will find that he is automatically part of a number of small groups which will support and encourage him during his time with us. As soon as your son arrives at Parade, he will join a Tutor Group of approximately twenty-one students and is put under the particular care of a Tutor Teacher and House Leader.
The Tutor Teacher will be the first point of contact for everything to do with your son’s progress. The Tutor Teacher will, in most cases, have the care of a boy for three years and so can build up a strong level of personal knowledge which is used to support your son’s wellbeing at the College.
House Leaders are responsible for nine Tutor Groups and collaborate closely with Tutor Teachers to ensure the welfare of students in their House. Each House Leader is supported by our Assistant Principal (Student Welfare) and there are regular meetings to make sure that there is a consistent approach to student welfare across the Houses. Supporting all Tutor Teachers, House Leaders is the Assistant Principal (Welfare) who can assist parents of boys with serious issues affecting their welfare.
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STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
Our Student Support Services (SSS) Team is responsible for
implementing intervention and support programs for students with
disabilities and learning difficulties, extension and enrichment programs
for highly able students, Counselling Services for students who require
additional support, and Speech Pathology for students with language
difficulties. Whether boys are having trouble settling in,
have had interrupted schooling, are highly able or have learning
difficulties, are Indigenous or have English as their second language /
Refugee, our SSS staff are trained to help.
The team includes specialist
ESL (English as a Second Language) and Special Education teachers who work
with mainstream teachers to support students in need. Boys
with social, physical, emotional, intellectual or health problems can also
receive support
Regular Program Support Group
(PSG) Meetings are held for those students whose educational program is
funded by the Commonwealth Government (Literacy, Numeracy, and Special
Learning Needs). All stakeholders are invited to review the student’s
program and to establish shared goals for the educational future of the
student. At the PSG meeting, parents are provided with a copy
of their son’s Individual Learning Plan (ILP). Student Support
Officers provide assistance in classes from Year 7 to 12.
Their primary role is to assist the subject teacher with the implementation
of the student’s ILP as identified by the Program Support Group.
Students can be referred to
SSS for support by Tutor Teachers, subject teachers and House Leaders.
Parents and guardians are also welcome to contact the SSS Team if
they are concerned about their son’s progress.
Please
click here to view details of both the Student Support and the Advanced
Placement courses.
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CAREERS CENTRE
The Careers Centre at Parade College provides a number of services to assist our students, and their families, make successful transitions from school to the work force, apprenticeships, traineeships and for further study for university degrees and TAFE Diplomas.
In Year 10 all students complete the computerised “Career Voyage Programme”, which identifies the job activities that are best suited to each student, and matches these with suitable occupations for further exploration. Students have the opportunity to make appointments with the Careers Counsellor to discuss their Career Voyage reports. All students are provided with a copy of the “Job Guide” to assist them with further investigations into suitable and satisfying careers. The Careers Centre has an extensive library of occupational and vocational information as well as detailed information about a large range of study options for university degrees and TAFE diplomas.
Individual one to one careers counselling is provided for students over subject choice for Years 11 & 12, resume writing, and job hunting for part time employment, as well as for apprenticeships and traineeships. One to one assistance is also provided for Year 12 students with their VTAC applications for university degrees and TAFE diplomas. VTAC preferences close at the end of September each year. Assistance is also available in December each year when the ENTERS are released and during the Change of Preference Period in mid December to ensure a smooth and successful transition from Parade College into employment, further training or study.
Of the 2009 Year 12 students who applied for University and TAFE courses, 95% were offered a place in the first round of offers. Their main destinations are as follows:
| RMIT |
13% |
| La Trobe University |
26% |
| NMIT |
6% |
| Deakin University |
5% |
| Swinburne University |
9% |
| Melbourne University |
10% |
| Monash University |
5% |
| Other |
26% |
Of these students, 50% received their first preference, 24% received their second preference and 10% received their third preference. Overall, 84% of all students who applied for tertiary courses received their 1st, 2nd or 3rd preference.
Useful career planning information is available through these links:
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COUNSELLING SERVICES
As specialists in boys’ education, we place great value on developing the whole boy, not just academically, but personally, spiritually, socially and emotionally. An integrated program of Religious Education means boys grow through a variety of community action and work experiences, and we also provide counselling services to help them grow in to balanced young men.
Moving Forward: Special Programs
House activities, special programs and challenges combine to offer every student opportunities for personal growth and leadership experience. For example each boy participates in the resilience program, 'Rock and Water'. This enables boys to build self-control, self awareness and self confidence through a fun physical learning method. Community action also plays an important role in helping students to understand more about themselves and others.
Anti-Bullying Strategies and Support Staff
Our Director of Student Support Services manages a team of counsellors, psychologists, special needs educators and a careers advisor to take care of the wellbeing of boys at the College.
Our anti-bullying measures are based on regular student surveys and follow-up interviews, with a belief that pastoral care should be given to victims and bullies alike.
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