From the Principal
A Redlands education extends far beyond the four walls of our classrooms and the last week has once again highlighted how Redlands is a leading school in nurturing and deepening a culture of innovation that will best prepare our students for the future.
Yesterday we welcomed the Vice-Chancellor of Macquarie University, Professor Bruce Dowton, to Redlands for a ceremony in the Fahl Garden to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between our two institutions.
For over 20 years, Redlands has had a partnership with Macquarie University, with the use of the University grounds for some of our outdoor playing fields. More recently, we extended this partnership for a further 30 years, investing in the development of two all-weather surface playing fields last year and the upgrade of the University Oval and the change rooms and pavilions next year.
Over the past ten months we have expanded this partnership and Redlands staff have been working with Macquarie University staff in areas such as innovation and entrepreneurial programs; high potential learning and extension programs; microcredentials for students and staff; sustainability approaches; university and careers guidance; data analytics; and First Nations Learning programs.
Already students have been involved in some of these programs at Macquarie University and we are very pleased to be able to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Macquarie University to establish a framework for continued partnership and collaboration long into the future.
Redlands has also strengthened its partnership with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) through a microcredential program with the university.
Over the past two weeks, twenty-nine Year 10 students had the opportunity to engage in an undergraduate university subject, Innovation in Complex Systems, offered by the Transdisciplinary School at UTS. Students explored how to tackle net zero and sustainability challenges using transdisciplinary approaches. They developed proposals for the transition to net zero at Redlands and were engaged in a hands-on exploration of emerging technologies, consulting with industry experts and immersing themselves in practical solutions. At the conclusion of the microcredential, the Year 10 students ran a public showcase at UTS where they pitched their big ideas and received 6 credit points towards a future degree. This overall experience gave students a taste of university life – all of which fostered their independence and preparation for future academic pursuit.
And last Thursday and Friday, our Year 7 students engaged in a hands-on, two day STEAM event, Bee-yond the Hive, that combined multiple disciplines to address real-world challenges such as the survival of our bees, ensuring biodiversity, tackling environmental threats and the role technology plays in assisting in a way forward.
Students engaged in curated research packs, made body scrub with honey, reclaimed coffee grounds from our school canteen, tested the water content of different honey and came face to face with some of the 140,000 bees on the roof of our Redlands Learning Hub through a tour curated by Rooftop Bees.
Creative challenges rounded out the STEAM event, offering students diverse ways to apply their learning. Projects ranged from designing pollinator-friendly gardens and creating educational materials for younger students, to developing board games centred on bees and biodiversity. These activities allowed students to demonstrate their understanding in ways that were both meaningful and impactful.
These examples, along with many others, illustrate how Redlands is a school that continues to be responsive to the changing educational landscape and focuses on ensuring our students are truly life ready for when they leave school.
Mr Sean Corcoran
Photo caption: On Wednesday, we welcomed the Vice-Chancellor of Macquarie University, Professor Bruce Dowton, to Redlands for a ceremony in the Fahl Garden to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between our two institutions.