Mentone Grammar

We embrace the holistic development of all members of our School Community. We do so within our highly acknowledged Together-Apart-Together coeducational model. From the Early Learning Centre through to Year 12 we provide age and stage appropriate programs designed to engage the modern learner in a dynamic environment. We do so with some of the most outstanding Teaching and Learning resources in the country. All of these resources acknowledge the importance of everyone’s wellbeing as well as providing them with the opportunity to learn to the highest level. It really is a great time to be a member of this School Community – we have so much to be proud of. We have all of the traditions of a great School whilst being highly contemporary in our practice.

Students graduate from Mentone Grammar with a broad range of skills designed to ensure they lead meaningful lives into the future. Our School Values of Integrity, Discipline, Endeavour, Resilience, Caring, Respect and Service provide young people with a strong, safe framework to live by both at School and outside of it.

Mentone Grammar’s vision is to develop resilient young people with a wide range of skills, interests and attributes to take their place in a changing world, through a leading coeducational environment which challenges and motivates within a caring community. Mentone Grammar’s mission is to provide its students with a contemporary learning environment in which well-resourced and committed staff lead engaging academic, pastoral and co-curricular programs. Mentone Grammar is an Anglican school which welcomes students of all backgrounds and religious beliefs. Our Values are: Caring, Respect, Integrity, Endeavour, Service, Discipline and Resilience. We are committed to these Values which we work to include in school life every day.

We are very proud of our history and the progress we have made from our humble beginnings in 1923 in the Frogmore residence, where the Principal’s office is presently located, to the vibrant and dynamic School that we have today. Over the decades, our School has continued to grow, develop and maintain a strong reputation for excellence in education.

Around the Campuses our teaching aims to be learner-centred, flexible and relevant. We recognise that our students come to learning with their own understandings, assumptions and motivations. Student knowledge, understanding and skills are encouraged in a positive setting, through interacting with peers and with value and respect for diversity.

In support of our classrooms, all students are encouraged to discover their gifts and explore their passions. As development of the whole person is a key goal of Mentone Grammar, a diverse range of cocurricular activities, including music, theatre, dance, drama, chess, sport, debating, public speaking, community service and engagement, cadets and local and international Learning Journeys are well resourced and highly valued. Our students are encouraged to engage in service to others and have a strong sense of being part of both our local and global communities.

We choose the very best in expert staff. A collaborative teaching culture is a strong feature of Mentone Grammar’s success. Detailed curriculum planning, well-researched teaching practices and excellent professional learning are all designed to enhance student learning. Teacher mentoring and peer appraisal are designed to improve teaching and learning and are linked to our well-managed professional learning program.

Our teachers are supported by our Explicit Improvement Agenda (EIA) developed from input from the Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER) that underpins our own Teaching and Learning Framework. Visible Learning is practiced by staff in all teaching and learning settings. Visible Learning is the outcome of the research of Professor John Hattie who brought together the research of what influences learning the most.

At Mentone Grammar, our teaching aims to be learner-centred, flexible and relevant. We recognise that each learner comes to learning with their own understandings, assumptions and motivations. Student knowledge, understanding and skills are developed in a positive setting, through interacting with peers, information, teachers and the broader community. Teaching and Learning practices at Mentone Grammar provide opportunities for social and individual learning and place these in relevant and meaningful contexts. We provide supportive and engaging learning environments and value and recognise diversity to provide for dynamic engagement and deep learning.

We aim to develop in our students, the capacity to: reflect on problems; apply specific knowledge and skills; work collaboratively with others in our community; think creatively with metacognition; and find solutions. For individuals, the ability to be confidently engaged in lifelong learning is a highly desired skill.

Our students are encouraged to play an active role in their own learning.  They are challenged to communicate their ideas in a variety of ways, and use technology to enhance their learning.  An important goal is to assist the students in the development of the skills required to successfully pursue university or post-secondary qualifications leading to employment.

Our teachers believe that all students can learn.  Prior knowledge is assessed, particularly in the areas of literacy and numeracy, to ensure that each individual is able to develop and both formative and summative assessment is used to inform teaching and learning. Meaningful data on individuals and cohorts is collected, analysed and provided to relevant parties within our community. A differentiated approach is designed to meet the learning needs of each student.

Authentic learning tasks provide clear criteria, prior to beginning the task, to enable each student to demonstrate what they have learnt. Teachers engage in moderation to ensure consistency in judgement of learning standards. The learning programs on offer at Mentone Grammar are tailored to encourage all students to discover their gifts and aim to achieve their best. As development of the whole person is a key goal of the School, a diverse range of co-curricular activities, including music, chess, drama and sport are well resourced and highly valued.  Our students are encouraged to engage in service to others and have a strong sense of being part of both our local and global communities.

At Mentone Grammar, we believe that all learning is enhanced when a student’s Emotional Intelligence is maximised. Students with high Emotional Intelligence are able to recognise and name emotions in themselves and others, they are able to link emotion to cause and consequence and are able to harness their emotion to enhance thinking and deepen understanding.

A collaborative learning culture is a strong feature of Mentone Grammar.  Curriculum planning, teaching practices and professional learning are all designed to improve student learning. Teacher mentoring and teacher appraisal are designed to improve teaching and learning and linked to the professional learning program.   Both within the School and in the wider community, collaborative partnerships are valued.