I definitely believe that the school is doing an absolute great job, balancing the academic side of things with child happiness.
Because it's a state school, there are so many opportunities that the kids can join in. I think there's about 22 clubs, that gets run at the school.
There are sports programs. There's music, there's art programs. I think having a balanced and a holistic approach is a must.
So within My Learning Community, there are a whole range of different accelerated learning programs which support our young people to feel like they're being challenged, but they're able to fully engage in their learning.
At Balwyn High School we have lots of highly able students, and we also have lots of programs to support them with academic excellence, we have an accelerated learning program that's proven to be very successful over a number of years.
And we also have lots of opportunities to stretch and challenge students in the classroom and beyond, even if they're not part of that accelerated learning program.
Having access to the Victorian high abilities program was a really great experience for me. I noticed that I got to ask questions that I think might have been a bit too broad to ask in the classroom setting.
The main thing that I learned throughout this pathway, I guess, is a lot of study skills, learning how to study by myself, learning how to balance wellbeing in my studies. And I know that with the uni pathway, so the studying that I'll do in uni might look a bit different to how I do in high school, but I still feel prepared for it.
At Balwyn High School disability inclusion looks like all students being supported at their point of need. We have equipped all of our staff to be able to support all learners, regardless of their needs and their disabilities. And we run a range of intervention programs in order to support those students both inside the classroom and out.
Some of the programs that I found to be most impactful for students include, social and emotional learning lessons delivered through the tutorial program, the respectful relationships curriculum, and interventions such as a structured social skills group.
There's so many supports available at Balwyn, and that I personally have been so appreciative of.
One of the main things is we have a wellbeing centre at the school called The House. Students are welcome at any time to talk to a counsellor or therapist, or even if they just want to come have a chat at recess or lunch.
I would say the very best thing about public schools is that they hold a very special status in the education system, in that they promote those social values of inclusion and equity for all students.
Your public school. It's all here.
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