We are very proud of the program we have developed at Preshil and confident that it provides a thoroughly contemporary and rigorous approach to education. The belief that education should prepare students to be active, engaged and open-minded contributors to their communities (both local and global) has led to Preshil implementing the International Baccalaurate (IB) Programmes school-wide*.

These IB programmes perfectly align with Preshil’s focus on intellectual challenge, inquiry and research-based learning, and accommodate individual choice, inclusivity of education and independent learning.

A confident sense of self-worth is integral to our vision of success for every child, with students supported to challenge ideas, think critically, make ethical judgements and set their own goals; the qualities of a growth mindset and collaborative problem solving, essential for our future. At our core remains an unshakeable commitment to encourage all students to progress at their own pace towards their own goals, and to be respected as individuals in their own right. We understand that students develop at different rates, and we actively support their individual path.

Preshil is well-structured, well-resourced and truly innovative. The IB in a progressive setting is outstanding preparation for all students to enter post-school destinations confident they have the skills needed to carve out their own versions of success.

*Preshil is an authorised International Baccalaureate World School for the Primary Years (Prep-Year 6), Middle Years (Years 7-10) and Diploma (Years 11 & 12) Programmes.

Electives at Preshil are designed to broaden the students' experience beyond the curriculum and offer opportunities to extend or deepen their knowledge in a particular area of study (or ignite a passion for a particular general interest). Staff, parents, past students and people outside the immediate school community are invited to share their expertise on activities about which they are passionate and able to offer specialist knowledge.

The Electives Curriculum upholds Preshil's enduring commitment ot making, choosing, building, playmaking and performing. Options vary from term to term depending on availability and student requests, and more information can be viewed on the school's website.

The New STEAM Age

I’m sure parents are aware of all the talk about STEM, referring to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. There has been much discussion amongst economists and politicians about the importance these subjects have for Australia’s future in the global context and therefore the need for schools to promote what have traditionally been seen as “hard” subjects; the ‘natural’ domain of boys and subjects requiring a particular style of learning.

However, STEM, with the addition of A, Art, becomes fused with so many more possibilities. STEAM suddenly captures the potential of education in the post-internet age. It represents a genuinely transformative approach to learning and speaks the language our kids have already learned as digital natives. A STEAM approach is intrinsically multi-disciplinary; it requires collaboration, invention and lateral thinking.

STEAM also represents a very effective style of learning by drawing on a similar, and often ignored, capacity of the human brain to cement learning through Mnemonics, encoding information in the memory using visual imagery. By integrating Art with Mathematics, or any of the STEM subjects with Design, for example, the possibilities become endless – and accessible for all learners.
Also, the inter-disciplinary connections suggested by a STEAM approach are the basis of most real-life learning. Finding solutions, inventing new products and making art all rely on the awe-inspiring capacity of the human brain to make unexpected connections and see relationships; the strict boundaries between disciplines actually inhibit creative formulations and innovation.

In recent times the insistence on strict discipline-based learning has endured as a function of an education system where teachers are the repositories of key knowledge, which they are required to teach to the next generation. This view of education provides a very effective means of comparing how well students have learned and retained specific subject knowledge and is supported by the style of examination you do with a pen and paper, in silence and for a strictly monitored period of time. This system of educating young people is increasingly recognised as anachronistic in today’s world.

At our secondary school, Blackhall Kalimna, our teachers are doing wonderful STEAM-inspired things, and as the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program demands interdisciplinary learning, individual research and both creative and critical thinking are rewarded. STEAM is a logical way to implement all of these elements.  The school has developed a strong Design program across Years 7 – 10 which, together with Technology in all its forms, provides an automatic link between disciplines. Preshil's Electives Program offers further examples of these multi-disciplinary approaches.

To understand the difference Preshil can make, please register to attend a School Tour.

Locations

Kindergarten Early Learning & Primary School: 395 Barkers Road, Kew 3101
Secondary School: 12-26 Sackville Street, Kew 3101

Bookings

For all bookings and enquiries please contact:
Nerel Ezra
Registrar
Phone: 9817 6135
Email: registrar@preshil.vic.edu.au

Rail
Preshil is in Zone 1. Auburn Railway Station is within walking distance to either Campus. It is situated on the Belgrave and Lilydale train lines however there are some express trains that do not stop at Auburn Station.

Tram
There are 3 tram lines all within short walking distance, Route 72 travels along Burke Rd, Route 16 travels along Glenferrie Rd and Route 109 travels along Cotham/Whitehorse Rd.

Bus
A bus service (624) stops outside Carey Grammar School, which is a short walk from either Campus, and runs between Kew & Oakleigh. The 548 bus leaves Latrobe Uni through Ivanhoe & stops nearby on Cotham Rd.

Further info about public transport including detailed ticket, route & timetable information can be found on the PTV website here.

Innovation and Creativity Scholarships - Years 7 and 11 Entry 2020

Preshil is seeking applications from students who do not currently attend Preshil and who believe that Preshil can offer them an opportunity to further their creativity and independent thinking in any area of learning.

Scholarship admission is dependent on the quality of the applications, the suitability of applicants for the Middle Years and Diploma courses of the International Baccalaureate, their demonstration of the qualities of the IB Learner Profile, and on the number of places available.

The applicant’s understanding of, and capacity to contribute to, the Preshil school community will also be taken into account.
Scholarships are awarded at the discretion of the Principal.

Registration - Applications Close Friday, 31 May 2019.

Applicants are not required to sit a scholarship examination, rather they are asked to submit a portfolio of material that shows evidence of creative, innovative and imaginative endeavour in any field of learning and of their capacity to contribute to the Preshil community.

Selected applicants will be invited to an interview with the Principal where they will also be required to complete a short written task associated with demonstrating some element of the IB Learner Profile.

Scholarships are usually for either 50% or 25% remission of tuition fees from Years 7 to 12. Extra costs such as the Enrolment Agreement Fee, camps, music lessons and books are not covered by the Scholarship.

Scholarships are awarded with the expectation that successful applicants will continue through to the end of Year 12, and are subject to annual review by the Principal, who reserves the right to withdraw the scholarship with reasonable notice should the scholarship holder’s progress or commitment to the school prove to be unsatisfactory.

Application Process

For each applicant, parents are required to provide all information requested in the Application for Scholarship form and the usual Application for Enrolment form. A single non-refundable application fee of $110 is charged and must be paid at the time the application is made.

Please download the Application for Scholarship along with the Application for Enrolment. Alternatively if you wish to obtain a school brochure, register for a tour or require further information about enrolment at Preshil, please Enquire Here or contact the school registrar, Nerel Ezra on on +61 3 9817 6135.

Revolutionising the IB in Victoria

The adoption of the International Baccalaureate (IB) at Preshil’s Secondary School represents the introduction of an innovative programme befitting the School’s longstanding reputation for offering a progressive and compelling alternative to conventional schooling. It facilitates a contemporary education relevant to the actual needs and interests of young Australians and actively addresses the current mismatch between what is taught at school and what graduates actually need to succeed in the world outside.

Many people have formed an idea of the IB as a narrowly academic alternative to the VCE. This limited view has led to the common misconception that the IB Diploma is exclusive and can only be undertaken by the most able and academic of students – a view which underestimates the IB’s flexibility and emphasis on both collaboration and individuality.

The model affords Preshil the opportunity to offer a significantly more holistic and cooperative learning culture, rewarding individual research, community participation, creativity and global citizenship.

Since 2014, Preshil has been shaping its Secondary School curriculum based on the IB’s Middle Years Programme (MYP) for Years 7 to 10. Students develop a depth of knowledge and balance through the study of eight subject areas: Arts, Individuals and Societies, Language and Literature, Language Acquisition, Mathematics, Physical and Health Education, Sciences and Design.

Inclusive and broad, the MYP provides a framework of academic challenge for the syllabus and draws upon a world-leading curriculum. Students are encouraged to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners, as well as critical thinkers who identify and make connections between traditional subjects and the real world.

The MYP thoroughly prepares every student to move on to the IB Diploma or complete an IB Certificate combining a number of IB courses with either VET or other specialist training.  Preshil students are supported by exceptional careers and course selection advice ensuring that all options and pathways (both local and international) are accessible. The ATAR is a very narrow pathway in the broader scheme of things.

The IB Learner Profile emphasises the development of independence and self-motivation, actively cultivating the attributes of students as inquirers; knowledgeable thinkers and communicators who are principled, open-minded, caring, courageous, balanced and reflective; global citizens with an awareness of their common humanity.

 Preshil’s approach to the IB Diploma and the IB Certificate (Years 11 & 12) is both inclusive and innovative. Independent research from a wide selection of tertiary institutions (both in Australia and abroad) indicates that the IB Diploma is the best possible preparation for tertiary study, giving students the skills they will need to succeed in their post-school education and careers.
The IB is a globally recognised qualification with emphasis on personal skills development, research and genuine criteria-based assessment.  It is a world away from the outdated, competitive systems which rank classmates against one another in a race to achieve  a number. It is a world that Preshil is proud to be a part of.

For more information about former Preshil students, please visit our alumni page.