Peninsula Community of
Schools (PCS)
The Peninsula Community
of Schools (PCS) is a 'community of learning' education model that focuses on
co-operative participation by working, exploring, researching and learning
together to achieve better outcomes for our students. The PCS provides a K to
12 continuum of high quality, seamless, integrated educational service to our
student body of 7,500 students with the support of academic institutions like
Macquarie University.
The PCS provides outstanding educational
opportunities for students to achieve personal excellence and enables teachers
to provide innovative programs to cater to the individual needs of all our
students.
The three PCS secondary schools have an integrated senior curriculum, which provides its students with an exceptionally broad and flexible timetable of HSC course choices. Senior students have the opportunity to select subjects on shared timetable lines to better cater for their subject and career preferences. The shared curriculum provides;
Expanded subject choice which promotes individualised learning and ensures students can choose subjects in which they can excel
21 subjects across the shared curriculum in both Year 11 & 12
Strong links and opportunities with Macquarie University
TAFE courses delivered on school sites
Coordination of Stage 6 enrichment tutorials for students
Common exam timetable across schools
A focus of the PCS has also been in Middle School
initiatives. Research supports the claim that success at school in the middle
years is a critical indicator of achievement and success in the later years of
schools and beyond. The PCS offers
a range of opportunities for students in the middle years. Through these
enjoyable and enriching experiences we aim to develop high student self-esteem
and a connectedness to school and learning. Middle school projects to date have
included;
Sustainability projects across all 13 PCS schools
Gifted & Talented programs in Art, Drama, Public speaking, Technology
and Science
Enrichment projects in Agriculture, Woodwork and Mathematics
SurfAid where students from the PCS have had an opportunity to learn
about the Mentawai Islands and to look at global issues of education, nutrition
and health care.
The Science Partnership with Macquarie University where students work
with university tutors in science, have access to work experience projects with
scientists and can participate in the national Science & Engineering
competition. In 2008, the PCS team placed 4th in Australia and were the top
ranking public school.