At Heatley Secondary College we focus on developing successful learners who are well equipped with 21st century skills to learn, work and socially engage in a complex and ever changing world. Our classroom pedagogy uses the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach when teaching, which provides all students with multiple opportunities to learn and reach their potential.
Our aim is that each student and staff member is "Assessment Literate" in that they understand exactly what they are learning, what they are being assessed on, how they are being assessed and the standards necessary to attain their grades.
We also work hard at having students setting goals and strategies for them to achieve their desired level. Student planners are used to assist this process. An essential element under all this is reading. We use Directed Reading Thinking Activities as the basis for our literacy approaches.
The Directed Thinking Reading Activity (DRTA) is a strategy that guides students in asking questions about a text, making predictions, and then reading to confirm or refute their predictions. The DRTA process encourages students to be active and thoughtful readers, enhancing their understanding of a text before, during and after reading.
Literacy and Numeracy
Critical to the life-long success of our students is our focus on all learners being literate and numerate. Along with our differentiated teaching and learning of the Australian Curriculum, our College delivers the Macquarie Literacy Program (MacqLit) to students requiring additional support to improve their reading. MacqLit is an intensive program that builds students' literacy skills in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
Summit Centre
Our College has a number of flexible learning classrooms such as the Summit Centre which are based on David Thornburg's campfire, caves, waterhole and life philosophy. These classrooms have different spaces, learning materials and furniture that can be moved by students and teachers to suit individual learning needs. Flexible learning classrooms enable a greater opportunity for personalised learning and also support student wellbeing.
Sports Academy
Heatley Secondary College Sports Academies target sports-minded students who want to develop sport specific skill and tactics during class time and have the opportunity to represent the Heatley Pride as a member of our sporting community.
Year 7 and 8 students have the opportunity to engage in a number of sporting experiences through gala days leading to specialised sport classes in Years 9 to 12. Year 9 to 12 students can then choose between football/futsal, rugby leagues, basketball or volleyball. The focus of these lessons is skill development, fitness development, strength and conditioning, sports psychology and sporting performance.
Students involved in the academies complete a number of strength and conditioning sessions and their growth/progress is monitored through fitness testing at the end of each term. The College also makes training sessions in the gym available twice a week after school to complement their sessions in class. All students are provided with training programs to cater for the beginner to the advanced power and strength trainer.
STEM
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) are four fields that share an emphasis on innovation, problem-solving and critical thinking.
At Heatley Secondary College we believe that STEM-based education teaches students more than science and maths concepts. Our focus is on hands-on learning with real-world applications that help develop a variety of skills relevant to the 21st century. Together STEM makes up a popular and fast-growing industry. Most STEM workers use computers and other technology in their day-to-day jobs.
Along with embedding STEM in the classroom, Heatley Secondary College gives our students the opportunity to choose a STEM focused elective. This elective gives students in Year 9 to 12 the opportunity to develop their own project which involves researching, testing and presentation of the results.
The Arts
At Heatley Secondary College students engage in all forms of the arts including Visual Art, Media, Dance, Drama and Music. Students then have the opportunity to showcase their skills at Arts@Twilight, Heatley's Got Talent and Theatre Sports.
Involvement in The Arts helps students understand their place in the world. Individuality, creativity and self-expression are highly regarded and are both challenged and supported as students develop the skills to form opinions about and create their own art statements whilst integrating technology.
Our Performing Arts Centre (PAC) has state of the art facilities including a theatre, media lab, rehearsal spaces and a recording studio. This gives students the opportunity to experience a wide range of art forms laying a firm foundation in preparation for further study in senior arts subjects and TCTC courses.