Academic Extension
Brisbane Christian College is a school that strives to cater to children of all learning abilities. As one of the forefront independent, Christian schools in South East Queensland, our aim is to ensure that we academically stretch and challenge our children who show a high level of intellectual prowess through our College Learning Framework, rigorous teaching practices, and the enriching learning experiences that we provide.
Primary School
The Primary Campus at Brisbane Christian College caters to children who require academic extension predominantly through two pathways. Firstly, through in-class extension within normal day-to-day classes and, secondly, through a whole host of academic and enrichment opportunities.
At our Primary Campus, these currently include opportunities in the following:
- Australian Council for Educational Research’s Global Academic Challenge
- Bible and Theology
- Chess
- Computer coding
- Debating Team within the Independent school network of Brisbane
- Da Vinci Decathlon
- Horticulture
- International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS)
- Maths Olympiad
- OptiMinds
- Public Speaking
- Queensland Premier’s Reading Challenge
- Readers Cup
- Young Engineers Lego Robotics STEM club
Middle School
Giftedness in a student is commonly characterised by an advanced pace of learning, quality of thinking or capability for remarkable high standards of performance – QLD Association for Gifted & Talented Children.
In Middle School, Extension Learning is one of the ways we differentiate our academically strong students through in-class extension activities, clubs, competitions and external workshops.
In the Middle School, students currently have the following opportunities:
- Australian Council for Educational Research’s Global Academic Challenge
- Art Club
- Brainways Days of Excellence
- Chinese Culture Club
- Coding & Robotics Club
- Debating – QLD Debating Union competitions
- International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS)
- Queensland Premier’s Reading Challenge
- Write a Book in a Day
- Targeted teaching in-class extension groups in Literacy & Numeracy
- Tournament of Minds (TOM) Competitions
Secondary School
Dr Cathie Harrison (2003) defines the gifted child as being one:
‘who performs or who has the ability to perform at a level significantly beyond his or her chronologically aged peers and whose unique abilities and characteristics require special provisions and social and emotional support from the family, community and educational context.’ (QAGTC.org.au)
In the Secondary School, students who demonstrate the above are encouraged in their pursuits in a number of areas from early start to university studies in Year 11 to individualised extension in subject fields within and without the College.
Some of these opportunities currently include the following:
- Aviations and unmanned piloting course
- Certificates courses in various fields
- Debating Team within the Independent School Network of Brisbane
- Early start to University subjects
- ICAS assessments
- Public Speaking
- The Lord Mayor’s Young Environmental Leadership Network
- The Lord Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council
Competitions and External Workshops
Students who are excelling academically are given the opportunity to participate in the prestigious Da Vinci Decathlon competition. This allows our students to participate in direct competition with some of the most exclusive schools in Brisbane and Queensland at large, competing across ten academic disciplines including chess, creative writing, cartography, mathematics, poetry, creative design, science, technologies, problem-solving, and the performing arts. In 2021, our Year 5 team finished first in the State of Queensland, for problem-solving.
Students also participate in the Australian Council for Educational Research’s (ACER), Global Academic Challenge where high-achieving students can apply their knowledge and skills beyond the curriculum in Mathematics, Science and Reading. This is also an exclusive competition across the educational systems of the western world, which can give families a glimpse of their child’s academic abilities within a global overview.
Our children have also been given the opportunity to participate in ICAS, Tournament of Minds Chess, STEM, and Debating challenges, across the school year.
Brainways Days of Excellence which are based on the most recent research in Gifted Education are offered to students, providing them unique opportunities for in-depth investigation of various topics.
Clubs
Students who excel in technology, art, languages and public speaking have the opportunity to participate in clubs throughout the year. Our Coding and Robotics club allows students to strengthen their logical and computational thinking in a team environment while students who excel in The Arts, can engage in enriching art activities in the Art club. The Chinese club allows students to extend their knowledge of the Chinese language and culture. We also have debating teams that compete in the Queensland Debating Union competitions across Years 6 to 12.