Photo: The Edgar family pictured in 2016 when they first arrived at the College.

What has been SO SPECIAL about SCOTS PGC College?

Simon Edgar | Head of Junior and Middle School

As I approach the last week of my time here at the College I was asked to reflect on my experience which seemed to be a fitting topic for my last feature newsletter article.

My family and I arrived in April 2016 and were greeted by a significant drop in temperature from the sunny shores of Perth in Western Australia. However, the cold weather was quickly offset by the community warmth in welcoming my family and I to the College.  We were quite overwhelmed with just how friendly and inviting the place was and could see straight away that we had entered a school with spirit and character – a culture created by the students, staff and parents.  It was this quality that struck a chord with our family and is something we will all hold close to our hearts.

The first significant event which occurred soon after our arrival was the SCOTS PGC College annual ANZAC Dawn service which takes place each year in April. Well, what a way to be introduced to the true culture of SCOTS PGC College! Pipers and drummers appeared out of the misty gates which guard the entrance on the way to the College cenotaph from Oxenham Street. We could smell the dew covered grass and feel the goose bumps rise on our skin – chilled due to the sheer significance of the Pipe Band – and maybe also the cold which we were not accustomed to!  We were completely awed by the generations who supported this community event and the students that respectfully conducted such a fitting tribute to the College’s fallen service men and women.  At that time, I thought to myself – now that is what culture is built on!

In the years that followed our own children experienced the unique opportunities offered by SCOTS PGC College.   This included a plethora of sporting opportunities from cricket, netball, touch and rugby to speech and drama just to name a few. As an independent school, SCOTS PGC College truly delivers on the three major focus areas for students – academic, student wellbeing and co-curricular activities. The opportunities that our students have here is absolutely astounding and well in excess of the school from which I came from – and that school had almost 600 students in the primary section alone!

In my time here there has been significant areas of focus which have benefited each and every student. We have seen considerable improvement in student academic results and one of the most important aspects of this is ‘growth of time’ which is attributed to data informed teaching and learning practices implemented by the high quality teaching staff and their professionalism in striving for excellence. A significant factor of student academic improvement has been the focus on individualising student learning as much as possible. The implementation of a College wide student wellbeing programme has had a profound effect on ensuring that we continue to be at the forefront of catering for our students wellbeing needs. This programme is far reaching and encompasses both ‘tried and tested’ as well as contemporary resources for teachers and parents to utilise.

We have extremely fond memories of this great College which will live on forever. It is very unique, and in a special way that I have never experienced before – where else can one see steers run through the school yard or a horse be invited to assembly?

Goodbye and God bless

Simon, Natalie, Macey, Sachin and Shelby.