Wesley College

Wesley College is a Perth school home to approximately 1,300 students from pre-kindergarten to Year 12, including 160 boarders. The College is co-educational up to Year 6 then boys-only to Year 12, with a unique structure incorporating a middle school for the adolescent years. Although considered an elite private school, Wesley remains true to its founding egalitarian principles. The College’s iconic campus is in a stunning location on the banks of the Swan River, overlooking the City of Perth.

In Junior School and up to Year 6, we embrace the philosophy that co-education is important for establishing social and emotional building blocks. Fundamental literacy and numeracy skills are explicitly taught, balanced with inquiry-based units to foster creativity and higher order thinking. Junior School students at Wesley College have access to (and responsibility for) a thriving sustainability garden and soon, a nature playground to contribute to development of students’ gross motor skills.

Wesley College’s unique structure incorporates a middle school for the adolescent years (Year 5 to 8), which promotes self-confidence and a growing sense of responsibility, with a stimulating and rigorous academic program that includes some flexibility. When students transition to senior school (Year 9 to 12), a variety of WACE and VET programs are available, taught by specialist teachers. Year 12 WACE results consistently demonstrate a strong academic culture and drive for every boy to reach his own personal level of excellence.

A Wesley education is focused on the whole child—head, heart and hands. Our overarching aim is to support the development of balanced and well-adjusted young men and women equipped to contribute and thrive, both locally and globally. We believe that every student has powerful capabilities, skills and talents. Our goal is to support them in activating this potential in order to create their own future.

A burgeoning body of literature tells us that a teacher’s teaching is the most influential school-based variable in terms of improving student learning and achievement. While student learning and achievement are influenced primarily by many factors beyond a school’s sphere of influence (such as students’ abilities, socioeconomic advantage, parents’ education and peers), what each teacher does in their classroom matters to the learning of their students. Teachers and their teaching make a real difference.

We often don’t remember what our favourite teacher, coach or mentor said to us, but we always remember the way they made us feel. This is what makes Wesley a ‘special’ place where there is an overwhelming sense of students who are connected, engaged and have positive and meaningful relationships.

At Wesley, we focus on a holistic education that emphasises the development of the well-balanced man or woman who is empowered, and wants to go out into the world and make a positive difference. There are many points of difference at Wesley that contribute to making this a reality for our students, such as:

• Our Middle School structure (Years 5 to 8) supporting students during adolescent years;
• Our Junior School teaching philosophy is a balance of inquiry, play-based learning as well as direct instruction and mastery learning;
• A unique geographical advantage that adds a village feel to the College;
• Our Katitjin Program (a 1 term off-campus immersion and experiential program) for Year 8 students;
• Our focus on Service, both in the curriculum, as well as outside the classroom;
• Our positive, solution-focussed philosophy for pastoral care;
• The co-educational nature of the primary years, up to Year 6;
• Our breadth of course offerings in the Senior School years;
• Our focus on the pursuit of excellence, to aim for your personal best every day;
• A co-curricular program that has tremendous depth and breath in all aspects of the arts, sport, culture and service;
• Our Indigenous program;
• Our proactive social and emotional life skills curriculum, developed right through from Pre-kindergarten to Year 12.

We see it as our responsibility to provide numerous opportunities and programmes for all members of the community to find meaning, enjoyment, and a sense of belonging and connection. A college based on Christian and Uniting Church beliefs and principles that provides a wonderful foundation for the values and moral code that guides the community, through changing societal values and norms.

Good teaching and learning is at the forefront of all that we do. It is sacred and at the core of the collective thinking and resourcing. Every individual in the College has the right to learn and grow. Every lesson, every experience should be an opportunity to learn and develop, both inside and outside the classroom.

The motto, Audendo Atque Agendo ‘By daring and by doing’, matches the student culture – that we allow our students to take calculated risks and learn from the outcomes.