School Structure
The schooling structure for the delivery of curriculum at Gregory Terrace, is the product of extensive research, development and innovation into educational best practice for young men.
The College Leadership Team continues to access the best research available, to develop and improve fundamental educational methods and systems as well as our campus facilities, to give our teachers the best resources and current students the best learning opportunities. Our school structure facilitates a progression reflective of this ongoing diligence and evaluation.
Our structure aims to support the unique characteristics and challenges our students confront at different stages of their growth and development. The concept of Middle Schooling and an independent campus at Waterford Place for Year 10, when introduced in 2007, was progressive and remains unique on the educational landscape in Australia.
The Lower Middle School, comprising Years 5 to 7, is where for many, the Terrace journey begins. Our young students are introduced to the strong and inclusive culture, spirit, value system and opportunities that Gregory Terrace offers. Our boys are encouraged to participate widely and strive for excellence in the same way as our older students. These are important, formative years where we seek to develop good learning habits in our students and help them become independent, confident learners in an atmosphere of friendship, fun and improvement. Our best practice delivery in the classroom and our membership of the CIC Association for sporting and cultural activities, ensures that our educational offering caters to all interests and needs and that the academic, spiritual, physical and social development of the individual is nurtured in the most comprehensive manner.
Terrace Middle Schooling, delivered in Years 8 – 10, acknowledges the special needs of adolescence and strives to provide opportunities for each student to become an independent learner through rich, innovative and rigorous curricular and co-curricular experiences within our faith community. Adolescence is recognised as a period with specific intellectual, social, emotional, moral, spiritual and physical needs. Achieving the College’s Middle Schooling goals involves developing multi-literacy skills through cross curricular enrichment; incorporating a balance between student-centred, enquiry-based approaches to teaching and learning and traditional teacher directed instruction; as well as the need to develop students' complex reasoning processes and higher order thinking skills. The integration of technology into the experience of everyday learning and the first-hand experience of social and cultural diversity in local and global communities, are unique and very significant ways in which the Terrace Middle School is distinguished.
Senior School
Years 11 and 12 are the Senior School years at Gregory Terrace and represent the culmination of our student’s time and experience at St Joseph’s College and the beginning of the formal tertiary entrance testing process. It is our hope that our students have developed strong learning habits that they can take into these important academic years. It is also a time for student leadership within our College, and we look to our Senior School students to take responsibility and to serve and lead their fellow students with courage and action. We continue to offer our students as much support as possible to ensure they are well prepared for the challenges of Senior School, that they continue to develop, improve and achieve their full potential and that they are ready for life beyond Terrace. This is a very important time in any young man’s life – and the experiences shared and the bonds developed with friends in a class cohort, inside and outside the classroom, at social and College functions and through representing in sport, culture and other co-curricular activities, assumes special significance. Understanding this, the College does its utmost to ensure that this Senior School time is celebrated and made as memorable as possible for our students.
