Highlights in Learning and Teaching in 2025

Highlights in Learning and Teaching in 2025

It has been a very reflective and productive year in learning at MLC School. We started the year with a very thorough results analysis, leading us to some excellent initiatives in 2026.

Study Camp, Study Hub and Study periods

To complement our excellent Study Hub+ program, we introduced after free after hours study sessions for Year 11 and Year 12 girls which is staffed by MLC School teachers on Monday to Thursday. These sessions afford students a quiet space to study and they have been incredibly popular. We also introduced Study Camp for Year 12 girls in the June/July and September holidays. Girls could attend revision workshops, collaborate in the open area, study privately or receive help from our Study Hub+ mentors. Additionally, students in Year 11 and Year 12 were engaged in supervised study periods this year with a teacher. The girls thrived on the opportunity to study in a structured, disciplined way.

Student engagement reporting and progress conversations

This year, MLC School piloted assessing student engagement. Engagement and effort are the strongest predictors of academic success. Students in Year 11 and Year 12 were assessed in key areas of persistence, organisation, risk-taking, initiative, and task management. Parents were invited in to support the girls in a self-reflection on their learning. Year 10 Engagement data was used to help girls make the best decisions for their Year 11 pattern of study.

Broadened range of subject offerings

To cater for our diverse learners, MLC School has expanded its offerings in Stage 5 (Year 9 and Year 10) and Stage 6 (Year 11 and Year 12). Engineering Technology will run for the first time in Year 9 2026 with two classes. Society and Culture has been introduced for girls doing the HSC and Business Services VET has also been introduced. Girls who complete the workplace requirements and the HSC examination in a VET course are able to get an HSC and an industry-recognised Certificate II or Certificate III. Did you know Certificate III students are able to get early entry at ACU? See Jo Cilia, Head of Futures and Pathways or Nicole Massara, Careers and VET Coordinator for more info!

Acceleration opportunities

To support our girls working beyond their year level in Mathematics, acceleration opportunities have been introduced this year. We will have our first cohort of accelerants complete the HSC in Year 11 in 2026. Opportunities for acceleration begin in Year 9. For enquiries about acceleration in Maths, please contact Phuong Do, Acting Head of Department – Mathematics.

We are also proud to offer Studies of Religion 1 as an accelerated option for our HSC girls. We have a large cohort of Year 11 girls undertaking this compressed course in 2026, and we are all very excited! Students will be able to bank these units, giving them further study time in Year 12. They will also have early exposure to what the examinations are like and this is great preparation for Year 12.

Outstanding new professional learning opportunities for teachers

We successfully launched the MLC School Professional Learning Teams Pilot Model, underpinned by the research of Dr Simon Breakspear and Helen Timperley et al.’s Spiral of Inquiry. Through this model, staff collaboratively identified five key learner observations and reframed these into puzzles of practice. Educators then self-selected into inquiry groups, each facilitated by teacher leaders, to engage with contemporary research and illustrations of practice. Each team implemented a targeted strategy within a structured sprint cycle, measuring impact on student learning and success.

W also introduced innovative, opt-in Professional Learning opportunities designed to foster a culture of deep learning and professional curiosity. Initiatives included:

  • Chapter Collective: A reimagined book club that ran for six weeks, where facilitators curated readings or podcasts and guided participants through structured routines for unpacking ideas.
  • Lesson Study PL: A collaborative model enabling teachers to work 1:1 with the Director of Professional Practice to co-plan, co-teach, and co-reflect, promoting iterative improvement and shared expertise.
  • Embedded a culture of observation and reflection, with the Director of Professional Practice actively engaging as a learner, observer, and participant in over fifty classrooms throughout the semester. Insights from these observations have informed a comprehensive mapping of the learning landscape. These findings will underpin the development of the MLC School Approaches to Teaching and Learning framework, alongside Professional Learning Team outcomes, across 2026–2027.

  • Strengthened faculty-level practice through targeted support in curriculum programming, feedback strategies, skill continuum development, and the creation of a faculty writing continuum. These initiatives aim to ensure alignment, coherence, and progression in student learning experiences.

Providing Individualised Support for Teachers

The Director of Professional Practice offers timely, personalised support, including on-demand coaching, collaborative problem-solving, and practical guidance. This responsive approach helps teachers refine practice, build confidence, and implement evidence-informed strategies when they need them most.

Instructional Coaching and the Impact Cycle
The first cohort of teachers has commenced the Growth Coaching International: Impact Cycle as part of our Instructional Coaching program. This process is proving highly valuable in fostering reflective practice, targeted goal-setting, and measurable improvements in student outcomes. The Coaching Team are engaged in blue sky thinking for how this might look, sound and feel at MLC School for maximum teacher and growth and student impact.

Partnership with AIS Hub Schools and Teacher Internships
MLC School has launched a strategic partnership with AIS Hub Schools, securing two teaching interns for the upcoming year. This initiative is designed to encourage and support emerging educators, providing them with a rich, mentored experience within our learning community. A rigorous selection process ensures we attract and develop the best talent aligned with MLC School’s vision and standards of excellence.

Building the MLC School Professional Learning Framework
We are in the process of designing and implementing the MLC School Professional Learning Framework, which will launch next year. This framework is grounded in our belief that the ‘MLC girl is at the heart of everything we do, and so are the educators who inspire, guide, and grow alongside her’. It will provide a clear, cohesive structure for professional growth, integrating research-informed practices, collaborative inquiry, and personalised development pathways. The framework aims to cultivate a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring that every educator is empowered to deliver exceptional learning experiences that reflect our values and aspirations.

Junior School

  • Implementation of evidence-based structured synthetic phonics program. This has lead to significant improvement in early reading scores (Kindergarten to Year 2).

Reading Instruction in Junior School

  • Use of evidence-based reading assessment program that aligns with new teaching and learning programs. This screener takes a few minutes per student and gives us very targeted data, which we are using to deliver great Tier-2 interventions. For example, we can identify quite quickly whether a student is struggling with phonemic awareness, fluency or vocabulary and we can use this data to create small-group targeted interventions. 

Instructional coaching in Junior School

  • Instructional coaching has focused on daily review, modelling, guided practice, checks for understanding and explicit teaching. We are seeing excellent practice in daily review, in particular. I’ve had a couple of teachers tell me they are seeing huge improvement in learning as a result of daily review.

Oral Language Program – Pre-Kindergarten

  • Introduction of NELI (Nuffield Early Learning Intervention) in Pre–Kindergarten. This is an explicit instruction program aimed at developing oral language skills in early learners. It is particularly appropriate for our heavy EAL/D population and has given teachers much more confidence in delivering literacy and vocabulary lessons.

High Potential Learning Leaders and new program

  • MLC School has employed two High Potential Learning Leaders, Amy Kirk and James Adams to enrich and extend the learning of our high potential students. This year, James led the lunch time Horizons program, which was designed to extend the thinking of our girls in areas such as psychology, leadership and philosophy. We kicked off our initial teacher–PD sessions in educating high potential learners in Term 4, and we will extend the focus to how we challenge all of our girls at their point of need in 2026. Look out for a raft of new opportunities in the high potential space in 2026. Read more about this here.

Learning Enhancement Initiatives

  • We welcomed our outstanding Director of Learning Enhancement, Stephanie Dimitrelis. The focus for this new team has primarily been on getting to know the girls and their families, and developing a shared understanding of how LED works to support the girls.
  • We introduced a Getaway space for girls needing a quiet space to retreat from the noise and rush of senior school life. This space will be extended to the Junior School in 2026. LED invited parents into a series of Check and Connect sessions to foster connection between families and the staff supporting the needs of girls. These proved to be highly popular events. Additionally, more than 100 families have met with our team to talk about the learning needs of each girl, and to developing shared understanding as to how we work together to enhance learning.
  • Read more about this here.

eLearning Achievements for 2025 

In 2026, the eLearning program at MLC School continued to evolve, delivering a wide range of impactful achievements across staff, students, and the wider community

Artificial Intelligence Integration

  • Full Copilot licence for staff, with a co-created rollout plan and AI acceptable use policy.
  • Faculty-specific Copilot workshops and whole-school professional learning sessions focused on practical AI use and pedagogical integration.
  • Collaboration with AI expert Leon Furze for workshops, presentations, and documentation.
  • Optional workshops on effective AI use, including Copilot, Padlet, Canva, and Diffit.
  • Active AI Taskforce and JS ICT, with regular meetings and action facilitation.

Canvas (LMS) Automation and Course Design

  • Automation between Canvas and TT, ensuring correct access for staff and students – a first for the school.
  • Streamlined course structures (sections vs. blueprints) for improved accessibility.
  • Weekly Schedule feature supporting student learning, staff collaboration, and real-time data for Heads of Department.
  • Creation of faculty-specific templates for course creation (PDHPE, Languages, Visual Arts, Mathematics).
  • Rubric development and implementation in marking processes for select faculties.

Workshops and Resources

  • Sessions on weekly schedule editing, announcements vs. assignments, and top DesignPLUS tools for Canvas course design.
  • Student engagement rubric creation and accessibility for Year 10 to Year 12.
  • Instructional videos and step-by-step resources for students.
  • Data export for reporting and analysis.

Student Cybersafety and Digital Skills

  • Presentations on cybersafety topics: group chat etiquette, deepfakes, digital footprint, online dating, time management, respectful relationships, trolling, and social media delay (Year 4–Year 9).
  • AI education for Year 7–Year 9: understanding AI, using AI as a study assistant, research, and modelling.
  • Digital skills training: Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, To Do, Quizlet, and Padlet.
  • Time management using Microsoft apps.

Faculty and Parent Support

  • Targeted faculty support (eg:Year 6 PDHPE, Year 2 Touch Typing, Year 9 Geography with Canva).
  • New Staff induction meeting
  • Parent webinars and presentations on eLearning and cybersafety for all year groups.
  • Information sessions for new students and parents.

Wider Community Engagement

  • Presentations at AIS Conference, IPSGA, and St Augustine’s College.
  • Podcast episode sharing eLearning insights.
  • MITIE conference @ MLC School

– Melissa McMahon
Head of Learning and Teaching