Indigenous Student Support

Brad TyrrellDecember 13, 2018May 13, 2020

The indigenous support programme is designed to give support to our indigenous students and their families. By supporting the boys’ transition to Scotch as well as offering pastoral and academic support we aim to ensure each boy can reach his potential.

Madalah Scholarships

MADALAH or ‘Making A Difference and Looking Ahead’ supports students to attend Scotch College. They also provide our students with mentoring and career support to ensure our Indigenous Students make a successful transition from school to further studies, or employment.

Indigenous students are invited to download our Indigenous Scholarship application form when applications open. Upon being offered a position from the College, families will need to apply directly to MADALAH for funding. More information can be found here: https://www.madalah.com.au/soar-secondary-scholarships/

Applications close on August 3.

Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)

The Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) program provides a framework for organisations to support the national reconciliation movement.

How many indigenous students are currently attending Scotch?

Currently we have 41 indigenous students, both day boys and within the Residential community. These students come from all over Australia.

What is the Indigenous Student Support Programme?

The Indigenous Student Support Programme is aimed at ensuring all Indigenous students have their needs met academically as well as socially and emotionally. The Coordinator of the programme provides support in applying for Scholarships, Abstudy, Traineeships, University or further studies. Within the programme there are Mentors and Tutors for the students.

What support is available in the Boarding house?

Apart from the Tutors, the Boarding staff also provide support for the boys. Boarding house staff complete a similar role to the Tutors. The House Mothers, Heads of Year and Residential Mentors are also available to assist the boys. The Dean of Teaching and Learning in Residential Life, Mr Matt Bradley, oversees academic engagement in our boarding community.

How do the tutors support the boys?

The Tutors work with the boys in the Boarding house during Prep to ensure all homework and assignments are completed. The Tutors will also revise key concepts and knowledge which the boys are learning about in class. The Tutors play a key role in supporting the boys academically as well as emotionally.

Who should I contact if I have a concern?

There are several people who are invested in the students’ wellbeing:

Head of Residential Year
Head of Residential Life
House Head
Indigenous Student Programme Coordinator
Classroom Teacher

How is the school working to increase awareness of Indigenous education?

Throughout the school year, Scotch College participates in and celebrates many aspects of Indigenous culture. The Curriculum across all subject areas incorporates Indigenous culture and educates non-Indigenous students on many aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Our main celebration is NAIDOC week, which is celebrated across the whole school. Each sub-school participates in events, guest speakers and projects which are facilitated by the current Indigenous student group.

How are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures delivered in the curriculum?

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are strong, rich and diverse. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity is central to this priority and is intrinsically linked to living, learning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, deep knowledge traditions and holistic world view. A conceptual framework based on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique sense of identity has been developed as a structural tool for the embedding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures within the Australian curriculum. This sense of identity is approached through the interconnected aspects of Country/Place, People and Culture. Embracing these elements enhances all areas of the curriculum. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priority provides opportunities for all learners to deepen their knowledge of Australia by engaging with the world’s oldest continuous living cultures. This knowledge and understanding will enrich their ability to participate positively in the ongoing development of Australia.

What recourses does the College have to support learning about Indigenous Culture?

Our resources can be accessed here: http://tinyurl.com/ydb7lbq6

Who is MADALAH

MADALAH Limited is a not-for-profit organisation that offers secondary and tertiary education scholarships for Indigenous students, primarily from remote and regional communities, to WA’s leading boarding schools and Australian universities. MADALAH secondary scholarships provide support to students from year 7 -12. These scholarships are administered by MADALAH on behalf of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. We are a partner school with MADALAH and therefore enrolled students may be eligible.