Welcome to the Curriculum Guide. The Guide is a reference guide to assist you and your son in his subject selection discernment. A Dominican education focuses on the formation of the whole person and honours gifted diversity. The variety of gifts present in our community is reflected by the wide-ranging pathways chosen by our boys. Future optometrists, pilots, electricians, carpenters, teachers, pharmacists, nurses, doctors, engineers, writers, accountants, and businessmen to name just a few of the areas chosen by our boys. Regardless of their ATAR, job title or salary, we want young men that will reflect the Four Pillars of Dominican Life throughout their life and in all they do.

The process of discernment involves honest self- reflection. Please sit with your son and talk about his dreams, passions, challenges, talents and goals. We would encourage your son to prepare a list of what his preferences are and to assess the pros and cons of each choice. We suggest you look for where he is drawn rather than driven. We want him to be a man of integrity who reaches his God-given potential in whatever chosen field or fields he undertakes.

Paul’s letter to Timothy reminds us of the age-old human quest for a life-giving identity as we develop our unique self. “Fan into a flame the gifts that God gave you.” At Blackfriars Priory School we strive to assist your son identifying the gifts he has been given, so they can be fanned into flame, kindled and nurtured.

As a School, we have responded and reviewed our subject offerings to meet the signs of the times and direction for the future. We want students to develop on an ongoing basis, across all subject areas, key capabilities identified by industry, universities and TAFE institutions as key components to being a productive employee and positive contributor to society. These capabilities include being self-motivated, collaborative, innovative and having an entrepreneurial mindset. In addition, we want to provide boys with the opportunity for gainful employment in the key areas identified by the South Australian Government. These include: Defence and Shipbuilding, Energy and Mining, Health and Research, IT and Hi-Tech, and Tourism - Food and Wine.

All the while, we provide an innovative and engaging 21st Century learning environment with a contemporary curriculum that complements the requirements of
the Australian Curriculum, SACE and CESA . Most importantly, your son’s holistic education is underpinned by dedicated pastoral care, mental health and growth mindset interventions, spiritual nurturing in the Catholic tradition, cocurricular and extension opportunities, mate- ship, and the passionate lifelong identity that comes from knowing that once a Black’s boy...always a Black’s boy.

Blackfriars provides the opportunity for students to be considered for the Ax program. The ‘Ax’ program is an exciting enrichment program for Year 7-10 students who wish to further extend their learning.

The “Ax” program will offer students a broad range of problem-solving and project-based activities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and enable highly motivated students to extend themselves, collaborate with other like-minded students and excel.

The “Ax” program supplements the Year 7-10 Academic Curriculum as a weekly commitment after school.

“Ax” has three major components:

• Project based in-school and after-school STEM extension activities;
• Mentoring by industry experts; and
• Opportunity to participate in local and international STEM experiences

Where to from here?

Please follow the steps outlined in the Subject Selection Planning Form for students in Years 7 to 10.

Students will be considered for the Ax program based on their academic performance and commitment to study.

Please feel free to contact the School should you have any queries.

Brett Knowles
Deputy Principal