NEAS congratulates Moreton Bay Colleges International for becoming the latest Quality Endorsed Member! The Centre serves international students of two independent schools of the Uniting Church tradition: a day school for girls (Moreton Bay College, established in 1901) and a sibling school for boys (Moreton Bay Boys’ College, established in 2003). The Centre lodged a comprehensive application for NEAS Quality Endorsement, and Pending status was conferred by the NEAS Endorsement Committee in August 2020. NEAS Quality Endorsement is granted and maintained through a distinctive 360-degree stakeholder-driven feedback model, which is informed by input from students, teachers and professional staff. With the disruptions to international travel arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated impact on student mobility and teacher employment, the Centre’s application had successfully undergone NEAS audit, while its designation as an Endorsed Centre was pending a concluding Quality Endorsement Meeting involving the participation of students and staff. Upon the reopening of Australia’s international borders and the return of international enrolments, Moreton Bay Colleges International coordinated with NEAS to conduct an in-person Quality Endorsement Meeting in July 2022.
Whilst the High School Preparation (HSP) course at the Centre is new, it has been written by experienced HSP staff, who draw on an understanding of students’ needs and backgrounds. Students are being prepared for entry into their appropriate year level, and formative assessment items are based on future school assessment types and appropriate scaffolding occurs in classes. Ongoing liaison between the High School Preparation teachers and mainstream teachers is facilitated to support students’ transition. Independence is encouraged through participation in mainstream classes, and this arrangement creates strong motivation in students. Orientation to life and study in Australia is integral to the course. Students also have access to Sonder, an on-demand wellbeing service, which boasts 24/7 attention by a range of professional staff providing safety, medical and mental health support. Korean and Chinese-speaking tutors are employed by the sibling Colleges to assist students. Homestay placement surveys are in place, and together with ongoing contact with agents, the Centre gains valuable information about their students’ experience.
17 August 2022.
