More than an ATAR score......

My daughters twelve years of schooling is defined by an ATAR score......is a percentile score which denotes a student's ranking relative to their peers upon completion of their secondary education.

But life and the world are not measured by an ATAR score. As parents we want the best for our children. We try to expose them to a variety of experiences, whether it be holidays, sport, relationships, friends, work, unstructured play and simple things like....a walk on the beach with the sand squishing between their toes.

So how does a school take the approach of the anachronistic school day, term and year and allow children to release their inner Leonardo. It is the harmonious combination of curriculum and co-curriculum that takes the school timetable beyond the traditional 3.30pm finish.

They de-institutionalise thoughts and ask children to challenge the status-quo. They make the school work for the individual and not the other way round. They balance the personal learning and challenges with the outdoor education experiences, camping and learning to cook on a camp fire, with sport and team work, theatrical and art expression, and challenge thoughts through public speaking activities. Schools are now understanding the importance of giving children a psychological toolbox, in order to prepare them for the complex odyssey that they will face in adolescence and beyond.

So if you are a parent and have a child studying in year eleven or twelve, talk with them about.... beyond the school years, and beyond the ATAR score.