We encourage students to reflect on themselves as learners and question the world around them. Sometimes, our learning journeys are solo experiences and at other times, we learn through collaboration with others, opening up our minds to trying out new ideas and doing things differently. We all have our unique set of skills and challenges and our school is richer for the diversity of our students, families and teachers.

Enrichment opportunities at Shelford may be advertised and offered to all students in a given Year level or area of the school, offered to students with strengths and interests in a particular subject or curriculum area or offered to a small number of students who have consistently demonstrated a particular skill, talent or interest. Examples of enrichment opportunities at Shelford include:

• Junior School Maths Enrichment program
• Debating
• Philosothon
• The da Vinci Decathlon.

Enrichment opportunities for larger groups of students are advertised via Shelly and in the Shelly Newsletter.

Debating and public speaking

Shelford students are encouraged to participate in the Debating Association of Victoria’s (DAV) Schools competition. This inter-school program is open to students from Year 9 to 12, and runs from Term 1 until late into Term 3. The DAV also offer a junior program for Year 7 and 8 students during Terms 3 and 4 that provides an introduction to debating and training of key skills. Debating is a popular extra-curricular experience at Shelford; it attracts students with a range of interests, and promotes the development of vital skills.

There are a myriad of public speaking opportunities at Shelford, both within the curriculum and through extra-curricular programs, such as the DAV public speaking competition. Shelford is the proud host of the regional finals of the VCAA Plain English Speaking Awards (PESA), a competition that aims to build self-confidence and extend students’ skills in oral communication, speech writing and research. In 2019, Year 12 student Grace Baldwin was a PESA finalist and we look forward to hosting the regional finals again in 2022.