Assistant principal of Chevalier College in NSW Southern Highlands shares details of four-day face-to-face learning

More Australian schools should adopt the groundbreaking new approach to flexible learning now being implemented at one NSW school, its assistant principal says.

Catholic school Chevalier College at Bowral, in the Southern Highlands, allowed students who met certain criteria to embark on self-directed work during a trial of the flexible learning approach which started at the beginning of 2024.

Years 10 to 12 students who passed a “micro-credentials test” of three to four hours, a workshop, and a final assessment were invited to study from home on Mondays, meaning only four face-to-face school days were required.

Assistant principal Rebecca Graham said students have to “earn the right” to learn from home.

“Senior students who have taken up the opportunity have found it to be a really positive thing to do,” she told 7NEWS.com.au.

“They can be more self-directed in their learning ... and we do hold students accountable, we make sure all their work that is completed from home is completed to quality and it’s not just rushed.”

The new normal?

Many students travel long distances across the Southern Highlands to attend Chevalier, Graham said.

“Some students are travelling an excess of an hour each way just to get to class,” she said.

“So those senior students (taking part in the trial) have been able to save that time and dedicate it towards their work.”

Since the pandemic, flexible learning has come into focus around the world and Graham says many schools have begun adopting similar approaches for senior students.

“COVID showed us that things can be done a little differently and we need to move with those changing ideas,” she said.

“We’ve been contacted by a number of other schools and we’ve given them guidance and told them about our processes.

“Schools do need to work within their own context, but it is really important that we’re giving our senior students more flexibility and opportunities to be more independent with their learning.”

The results

The school said, after a successful trial period, it will permanently move to a four-day face-to-face week.

“After thoughtful consideration, the Board endorses its integration as a permanent feature of Chevalier College’s ‘Future Facing’ educational strategy,” it said.

The school said it observed a number of positive outcomes among the students in the Flipped Learning trial including better task completion and time management, better self-regulation, and flexibility.

Among potential improvements, the school noted at-home Mondays can be “really effective” in setting up the learning week but only when “stricter” teachers follow through.

The school noted some teachers need to “set the right amount and the right type of Monday work better”.

About 85 per cent of student involved in the trail said they felt organised for their learning, and 82 per cent felt they managed their time well.

However, only 44 per cent felt they learnt a lot on the Monday, and 45 per cent said they dug deeper into a topic or deepened their understanding.

The school said “education today must prepare students for a future in a rapidly changing world” and added “the current system is falling short”.

“It is our belief that an educational approach that is flexible, adaptable, and focused on developing the knowledge, capabilities and self-development of the individuals is critical to our students’ success in the modern world,” it said.

The school said it received positive feedback overall, however noted a few challenges with the style of learning that will need to be addressed in future.