Helping students balance life, community and technical skills

Saint Stephen’s headmaster, Jamie Dorrington, says the school has grown to become a leader in innovative education thanks to its visionary programs.

Teacher and students

Saint Stephen’s headmaster, Jamie Dorrington, says the school has grown to become a leader in innovative education thanks to its visionary programs.

Innovative education should nurture hard, soft and internal life skills.

Saint Stephen’s College, an award-winning independent school based on the Gold Coast, delivers just that - learning excellence through a unique balance of advanced technology, core community values and life skills.

Headmaster, Dr Jamie Dorrington, says a typical day at Saint Stephen’s College involves an innovative curriculum, delivered through multiple teaching platforms, by dedicated staff in contemporary learning spaces under an umbrella of pastoral care.

“While many schools have one amazing learning space, we have many remarkable refurbished and new settings – friendly and safe environments, bright and colourful classrooms and beautiful grounds,” he says.

“Students can immerse themselves in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM), languages, music, performing arts, sport and extracurricular pursuits. It’s an exciting environment where technology works seamlessly with staff-student interaction.”

The College is one of only 13 Microsoft Showcase Schools in Australia, with most of the Years 7 to 12 curriculum delivered via Learning Management System (LMS). The Desire to Learn (D2L) Brightspace LMS allows Senior College students to access resources any time anywhere.

“Students have busy lives juggling studies with sport training, competition, events, TAFE and VET courses on top of every day school, so the LMS allows them to work around their individual schedules,” he says.

“What we have found is that more than 50 per cent of senior students are using it at the weekends – evidence they have embraced the technology and eLearning programs which will put them at the forefront of their generation.”

Dr Dorrington believes adaptive learning and collaboration are key to preparing students for the future. He says the adaptive maths program, used in upper primary, is a personalised software system that analyses how best to pitch maths to each individual, gradually increasing the complexity of knowledge delivery and skill development.

“Our job is to weave that together, tackling complex problems in the classroom with a teacher present. We’re stretching our students without making learning perplexing,” he says.

"Another recent development is dedicated project-based learning in Year 10 where students work on interdisciplinary projects. Team Projects provides the skills to work in teams. The range of studies includes finding solutions to local traffic problems, creating opportunities in the local tourist market, and bringing refugee children into school to play sport.

"Our eLearning program has been designed to prepare students for a dynamic, digitally-based future. Teachers have embraced the opportunities, which expand student learning.”

Saint Stephen’s College has also invested in bricks and mortar to create state-of-the-art collaborative learning spaces. They include the LOTE (Languages Other Than English) Centre; the iCentre library; Science-In-Action Centre and Arts and Applied Technology Precinct with the latest sound recording and black box studios, and the Centre of Music Excellence.

There are also plans for a Senior Learning Hub – a flexible learning environment, open early in the morning until late at night - allowing students to work with the LMS and meet with teachers one-to-one or in small groups.

Dr Dorrington has been headmaster since 2003, and he says he has seen the College grow into a leader in innovative education. Saint Stephen’s College made the prestigious Cambridge University Innovation 800 top 100 list in 2018 and is the only kindergarten to Year 12 Gold Coast school recognised by Australian Educator Magazine as a leading innovator three years running (2016, 2017 and 2018).

“To be featured in the Cambridge University Innovation 800 magazine - which recognises only 100 innovative schools globally - speaks volumes about our College’s unique blend that ensures students excel academically and are prepared for the world beyond graduation," he says.

"I am proud the College has been featured in their project which tells the creative story of the University of Cambridge and will help inspire its students to be the world's next great innovators.

"Our mission statement is to develop character and inspire hope - this is what we deliver through our unique balance of advanced technology, core community values and learning life skills.”

Originally published as Helping students balance life, community and technical skills