Why Xavier?

A Jesuit Education - Fr Chris Middleton SJ

A Jesuit education is intrinsic to life at Xavier, with our students personifying the values of love, empathy and service throughout their time at the College. But how do we envisage a Jesuit education for our students of tomorrow? College Rector, Fr Chris Middleton SJ, offers his insights into what makes a Jesuit education, a Xavier education. At Xavier, our boys not only receive academic excellence but also embody the core Jesuit principles. Discover how these values shape the lives of our students today and prepare them to be compassionate leaders of tomorrow. Experience firsthand what it means to receive a Jesuit education that is truly a Xavier education. 

 

A Day in the Life of a Year 5 Student

This video offers a glimpse into the everyday journey of a Year 5 student at Xavier College’s Junior School. Walk alongside our students as they explore cherished spaces like the historic Wren House, lively classrooms, and vibrant co-curricular activities that make up the day-to-day of life on campus. Through the eyes of a young student, experience the breadth of our curriculum’s offerings, the excitement of discovery, and the special moments that make the Year 5 experience at Burke Hall truly one-of-a-kind.

 

An aligned and progressive Junior School - Mr Brett Collison

Xavier College has recently restructured its Early and Middle years experiences in a comprehensive realignment and recrafting of its overall College program.

Our Junior School (P-6) program is now set at the magnificent Burke Hall Campus. Operating from the beginning of the 2024 school year, it has maintained an aligned and progressive curriculum journey for Prep to Year 2 (Stage 1 housed in its contemporary St Louis Building), through Years 3 and 4 (Stage 2) and into Years 5-6 (Stage 3) that also acts as a significant point of entry for many students and families. 

 

Modern students in the modern world - learning pathways reimagined - Ms Monique Dalli

As we look towards 150 years of a Xavier education, our learning pathways forged through years 7-10 have been reimagined to support the modern student in the modern world. Our Director of Learning and Growth, Monique Dalli, explains the vast changes made to the student academic journey at the College.

The Xavier Journey

The Xavier Journey is encompassed in the lives and experiences of our students and parents who have embraced the essence of College life. Whether your journey begins with us at our Junior School or Senior School, the Xavier Experience is unique to each student and parent who is welcomed through our gates.

Points of Difference

1. CURA PERSONALIS – Xavier emphasises ‘Care of the whole person.’ Many schools focus on ATAR results but a Jesuit Education seeks to work with not only the head, but heart and hands also ensuring the whole person is nurtured and cared for. In a time when there are many issues about mental health and well-being, Ignatian spirituality offers an important resource, with its focus on reflection, connectedness and the value placed on gratitude and generosity.
2. SERVICE – ‘Men for Others’ is a key tenet of a Jesuit education. Boys are encouraged to “give and not count the cost” and to look to provide service into the wider community whenever able. Like all good schools we encourage the boys to develop their gifts, but we encourage them to use them generously.
3. FAITH DIMENSION – as a Catholic School in the Jesuit tradition, Jesus is the exemplar and students are encouraged to develop a relationship with Jesus and the way He lived. Voluntary Masses occur fortnightly on Fridays and are strongly attended providing a culture of preparedness to be vulnerable and to communicate with family and friends when difficult times are encountered. Retreats have a central role in cultivating the spiritual dimension of the human. Xavier develops an intelligent faith that is unafraid to have questions asked.
4. ACADEMIC INCLUSION – The individual academic journey for every student is central to a Xavier education. Our desire and our support structures are designed to lift every student to be the best academic version of themselves and to deliver to their fullest capacity. Our academic outcomes and data clearly indicates that our top range of students are as capable and perform to the highest standards in the state. Yet, our focus is on every individual journey and story. Every student who wishes to undertake the VCE and strive for an ATAR score is welcomed and encouraged. With considerable media commentary on NAPLAN and ATAR performances and on comparisons between schools, it is easy to believe that there is only one measure. However at Xavier, while the academic pursuit of every student is highly valued, it is but one outcome of our deliberately multi-dimensional education that prepares our graduates for life through, as we would say, the head, the heart and the hands.
5. MUSIC and SINGING – The Music culture at Xavier is very strong. Xavier boys are offered individual tuition opportunities amidst the College’s Music School of Excellence. Our students are nurtured in the tradition of singing confidently from a young age. This provides a confidence to participate and leads to outstanding contributions from many students as they progress through their teenage years. Xavier’s Music and instrumental programme is strongly sought after by many families due to its ongoing reputation of quality and outstanding success.
6. PASTORAL CARE and WELL-BEING – Linked to the overarching theme of Cura Personalis is an outstanding structure that provides excellent pastoral care and ensures that even though Xavier is a large College, no boy is ever missed or overlooked. This structure is based on ten House Groups (100 boys) who are then divided into six tutor groups of approx. 16-17 boys. Each Tutor Group is made up of 4 boys from each year level 9-12 ensuring every boy has an adult they can rely on and a small group of friends across year levels who can be a support if and when required. This structure is lauded by parents who value its strengths and are extremely positive about its impact on a day-to-day basis.
7. BOARDING – Xavier has a vibrant Boarding community with an extremely strong camaraderie. This was evidenced during COVID when most of the Y11/12 boarders chose to stay at Xavier rather than go back home during the elongated lockdowns. Because numbers are comparatively smaller than some boarding houses, life-long friendships are formulated. The boarders also provide an energetic mix of cultures which ensure the city boys experience differing backgrounds as they journey through their Xavier experience.
8. GLOBAL NETWORK – Xavier College is part of a global Jesuit network educating 2.5 million students annually across its many schools and universities. Opportunities abound for boys at Xavier to experience the global breadth of a Jesuit education through tours (music/sporting), retreats, immersions and expeditions.
9. ALUMNI NETWORK – Xavier has one of the largest alumni communities in Australia and is very much the envy of many private schools. Numbers are in the tens of thousands and as students leave Xavier and become part of this alumni community, opportunities abound for employment possibilities, business connection and growth and more basic links in the manner of sporting and varied other clubs.
10. BREADTH of electives – Xavier provides a large range of elective subject options which provide a real opportunity for a breadth of learning for a teenage boy. These electives are never at the expense of vital basic learning areas such as literacy and numeracy but in today’s society, provide our students  with the opportunity to explore a wide range of interests alongside the core curriculum. Latin and Classical Greek are examples of points of difference in our varied curriculum. The overwhelming majority of Xavier students go on to study further at university.
11. HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS - A wide-ranging and focussed Professional Development programme ensures Xavier teachers are at the cutting edge of modern thinking ensuring Xavier students are receiving education of the highest quality.
12. SPORT – Xavier’s broad sporting programme attracts students from right across Australia, many looking to represent their state or country. Cutting-edge coaching and fitness resourcing form a pathway that ensures every Xavier student is really challenged. Australian Rules football, soccer, rowing, cricket and basketball are the most popular sports among a wide array of options.
13. PERFORMING ARTS – Drama, Theatre and the Arts are a large part of the Xavier journey with many students engaging in Productions either in an active or support capacity. 
14. FUTURE PATHWAYS – Xavier has a real focus on ‘Future Pathways’. Boys receive opportunities to experience the workforce and also are able to connect in with large numbers of alumni who take time to ensure Xavier students have the best possible understanding of what a certain role will entail and whether a boy is potentially well-suited to such a role.