Chevalier College, a Catholic high school in Bowral, NSW, has announced a significant shift in its approach to education, allowing senior students to learn from home one day a week as part of a permanent flexible school week starting next year. The change follows a successful trial in 2024, during which the school introduced a four-day in-person schedule with self-directed learning on Mondays.
The new schedule is part of the school’s ‘Future Facing’ plan, which aims to better prepare students for an evolving technological world. The school noted that traditional education methods, designed for the industrial age, emphasize standardization, which may no longer meet the needs of today’s rapidly changing environment. “This is an opportunity for the College to start implementing concepts and approaches which better use time and support our students to flourish,” the school’s website states.
The trial revealed several benefits, including improved time management and independent learning skills among students. Senior students will now have the option to complete self-directed learning from home on Mondays, while junior students will remain at school for a structured half-day program.
However, the trial also presented challenges, especially for younger students who reported needing more structure and support. Feedback from parents echoed these concerns, with some expressing discomfort with the lack of clear direction. Principal Greg Miller acknowledged these issues and said the school would continue refining the plan in the coming years, starting with induction programs for new Year 7 students to help them adapt to the flexible learning model.
Senior students will be required to take Studies of Religion and English, but they will also have a broader range of HSC subjects to choose from, with over 50 options available. This includes the opportunity to take certain classes earlier than students at other schools. The school’s research program, which ran alongside the trial, will release its findings, offering insights for other schools considering similar changes.
Lead researcher Dr. Phil Cummins praised Chevalier College for taking a bold step, saying, “Chevalier College has decided to do something that lots of schools have thought about but have been waiting for someone to take a first step.”
