Supporting Learning

An essential part of being an authentically Catholic school is offering students a supportive environment in which to learn. Xavier College makes the welfare of its students a priority and seeks to offer them appropriate support to ensure their wellbeing.

Orientation program

Beginning high school can be daunting. In order to offer its newest students a smooth start to their education, Xavier College runs an orientation program designed to inform and reassure students and their families. Once students start high school, a pastoral care system is in place giving Year 7 students access to senior students in their homegroups, who act as a mentors and ‘buddies’ during the critical transition period.

Homegroup

A homegroup consists of students from each year level and is under the care of the home group teacher who is responsible for the students in the group throughout their time at Xavier. The purpose of the group is to give the students the opportunity to relate to a teacher in a small pastoral group and to become well known by the teacher. 

Homegroup meets daily in the morning and includes prayer, administrative matters and issues of student welfare. The homegroup teacher is the student’s first point of call on all college matters; monitors the progress of all students; and liaises with parents, other teachers and the student themselves about their progress. The homegroup teacher is available for consultation if parents need to seek information or advice about their child.

Special needs

We recognise that not all students learn at the same pace or in the same ways and we have a full-time special needs teacher who works with students who require additional support in order to meet syllabus outcomes. A literacy support teacher is employed to work with those students who require a specific focus on literacy.

Pastoral care

Pastoral care is integral to the philosophy and practices of Xavier College. Our motto underlies all that we hope for and do on a daily basis. Together we are building a community where we care for the welfare of each other; nurture and respect individual differences and talents; create a safe and supportive environment; and celebrate each other’s achievements.

Most importantly, we develop the whole person – academically, socially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Homegroup, and an abiding emphasis on the rights and responsibilities of students, are the foundations upon which our pastoral care objectives rest.