Scotch has a strong focus on imbuing kindness and respect in all our students. Hear from our Headmaster Dr Alec O'Connell on our respect-focused approach to masculinity.
Respect and consent at Scotch
Hear from our Captain of School
At Scotch, we understand that everyone needs support and that this can be a unique journey for all. We're pleased to offer multiple levels of support and wellbeing services.
- Scotch's trained psychologists work with students facing severe stress, anxiety or depression. We have three highly experienced psychologists whose services are available to all students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12.
- Our full-time Chaplain, Reverend Gar van Heerden, is also a trained psychologist and provides furthering counselling, particularly in regards to spiritual matters.
- Our Deans of Pastoral Care in each sub-school, and House Heads in Senior School, monitor and counsel students in a holistic way. House Heads work with students in a wide variety of areas, from academic guidance through to social and emotional support.
- At an academic level, we have the classroom teacher, Curriculum Leaders and a Dean of Teaching and Learning in each sub-school to support students who are facing challenges in a particular subject or in their academic studies.
Read about men's mental health
Scotch provides leadership training to students, and multiple opportunities for them to lead. We recognise that leadership skills are closely tied to those associated with teamwork and self-awareness, and seek to imbue this qualities in our students.
Year 11 Leadership programme
In the Senior School, we run a specific Leadership programme for Year 11 students to ready them for the responsibilities of being a Year 12 leader. We expect that all students will take on some form and level of responsibility within the school or their House in their final year, and the Year 11 course offers opportunities to prepare for this with many practical activities.
Year 8 Leadership opportunities
In the Middle School, Year 8 students have the opportunity to act as House Seniors on a rotational basis. These students also develop their collaborative skills and their capacity to support others – both essential elements of leadership – through the Community Project.
Year 5 Leadership opportunities
In the Junior School, there are multiple opportunities for Year 5 students to be involved in Leadership across a wide array of areas, from Community and Service, Languages, Music, Sport, and the Arts to the Houses.
At Scotch, we explicitly teach Wellbeing and lessons are delivered in designated Wellbeing periods. Connected to these, a core part of the Health curriculum deals with issues related to Wellbeing. Presently, our Wellbeing courses are structured around the following:
However, Wellbeing at Scotch is far more than a series of skills to be taught in a particular class. Wellbeing is implicit in all areas of life at Scotch:
- It can be seen in the Pastoral Care programme, which is so deeply ingrained in all parts of the school.
- It is felt in the academic, sporting and cultural programmes across the school.
- It is an essential element of the Community and Service programme.
- It is, perhaps most importantly, experienced in the day-to-day interactions between staff, students, parents and Old Scotch Collegians. The strong sense of community at Scotch is not like any other, and it is something of which we are proud.
The Pastoral Care system at Scotch is a critical part of the way boys develop a sense of belonging and connection. The essence of Pastoral Care at Scotch is 'knowing the boy'. At Scotch, multiple staff will know your son, and he will be known by his peers and by students both older and younger, providing a web of relationships which supports his development.
One staff member in particular will take responsibility for the growth and development of your son:
- In Junior School, Pastoral Care is exhibited in the way classroom teachers carefully monitor their boys.
- In Middle School, homeroom teachers keep an eye on the boys in their homeroom class.
- In Senior School, the House Heads dedicate themselves to ensuring your son is encouraged and supported in all his endeavours.
