From the Principal

From the Principal

Our aspiration as part of our Strategic Plan at Redlands is to be a leading contemporary and innovative school, inspiring students to adapt, create and thrive in our complex global community, and I believe this aspiration is becoming increasingly important and relevant for the young people we are educating today. This aspiration is nothing new for Redlands as throughout our 139 year history, we have been a school that has often been at the leading edge of the evolving educational landscape.

One of our five strategic drivers to best achieve our aspiration is to “Nurture and deepen a culture of innovation” at Redlands, and while innovation is certainly already a part of our DNA, one of my highlights so far as Principal this year is witnessing how this culture of innovation has further developed in 2023. 

Under the leadership of our Innovation and Entrepreneurial Learning Strategist, Ms Liz Green, there have been many highlights in the innovation space this year. The first was incorporating staff, student and parent input to develop a shared definition of innovation at Redlands (“the ability to look at existing problems in new ways or solve new problems with existing methods”).

Through a focus on active and responsible citizenship, entrepreneurial thinking, developing external partnerships and interdisciplinary teaching and learning, we have found opportunities to more deeply embed innovation into our programs.

Some of this year’s highlights have been:

  • The Year 9 Intrapreneurial Design Thinking Project in Term 3 where students worked with external partners to design solutions to real world challenges
  • Year 6 students partnering with UNICEF for their Unit of Inquiry to develop innovative solutions to a natural disaster scenario, focusing on the rights of a child. View Video HERE.  
  • Year 11 students visited ResMed as part of their Industry Day and engaged with various parts of the company from the importance of inclusive design to mechatronics
  • Groups of Year 10 students participating in the Biotech Futures Challenge where they developed scientific inspired solutions to challenges in fields ranging from medicine and health to emerging technologies and ethics.

I would like to congratulate Year 10 students Jesse Forrest, Lachlan Green and Krishna Gupta who were chosen from entries from around the world to present at the Biotech Futures Challenge finals at Sydney University on Monday. 

I am confident our continued focus on embedding and nurturing a culture of innovation at Redlands will truly inspire students to achieve life readiness for whatever awaits them after school.

Photo Captions:

Cover: Year 10 students Jesse Forrest, Lachlan Green and Krishna Gupta presented at the Biotech Futures Challenge Finals at the University of Sydney this week.

Above: Year 11 students engaging with ResMed technology during their Industry Day.