Seymour College has long valued capabilities-based education. We speak with Seymour’s Head of Academics, Leah English, about the changing education landscape and how Seymour is ensuring that their graduates are equipped with the skills necessary to succeed in their careers.

The education landscape is undergoing a seismic transformation. Around the world, educational leaders, researchers, and practitioners are increasingly recognising the flaws in systems and policies, prompting a re-evaluation of the very purpose of education.

For years, thought leaders like Sir Ken Robinson have challenged the outdated, industrial-era model of rote memorisation, advocating instead for education that fosters creativity, adaptability, and ethical responsibility. Andreas Schleicher, architect of the OECD’s PISA rankings, has echoed this call, urging a global shift toward cultivating skills essential for the future such as communication, critical thinking, and collaboration.

Education is no longer about what students know but about what they can do with that knowledge. It is not about preparing students for tests but equipping them for life. This emerging paradigm, known as capabilities-based education, is more than just an evolution; it’s a revolution.

Capabilities: The Skills the Future Demand
Employers are making their voices heard. They want graduates who are adaptable, collaborative, and emotionally intelligent, equipped for jobs that don’t even exist yet. As automation continues to reshape industries, uniquely human qualities like critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and creativity are becoming invaluable.

The World Economic Forum predicts nearly half of today’s work tasks will be automated in the near future. Success in this new landscape will hinge on qualities like adaptability and emotional intelligence – skills that machines simply can’t replicate.

And let’s not forget ethics. The rise of AI and other disruptive technologies is posing questions we’ve never had to grapple with before: How do we address bias in algorithms? Who is accountable for misinformation? How do we safeguard privacy? The leaders of tomorrow must not only have the answers but the moral compass to guide us through these uncharted waters.

Innovation in Action
At Seymour College, we have long valued capabilities-based education, and our College vision speaks to this directly. Seymour women are knowledgeable, yes, but more importantly, they are strong, confident, and empowered to act.

Since 2018, our Seymour College Learning Framework has shaped everything we do. Its five domains are not abstract ideals but practical learning behaviours embedded into every lesson, every day.

This year, our work in the capabilities space has accelerated through our partnership with Melbourne University’s Melbourne Assessment Community. In collaborative communities of practice, our staff are exploring how we can nurture and measure student capabilities across all areas of the College.

Our new SACE subjects in Years 10 and 11, EIF and AIF, along with our Year 7 Student Agency program, are breaking new ground by prioritising the process of learning over the final product and empowering students to take ownership of their learning through developing metacognitive awareness and self-regulation strategies. Meanwhile, our Industry Connect Project encourages students to tackle complex, real-world challenges under the guidance of industry mentors.

Our capabilities work extends beyond the classroom. Our Director of Boarding is creating a life-skills program in the Boarding House, while our Directors of Sport, Performance, and Oratory are fostering students’ creativity, confidence, and leadership capacity through co-curricular programs.

Quantifying Qualities
The next challenge for educators is how to measure the seemingly immeasurable. Traditional assessment tools are no longer sufficient. At Seymour, each Head of Department is developing discipline-specific strategies to assess capabilities explicitly, with plans to collect data to refine and provide meaningful feedback on student growth.

Reimagining Education
Recently, Deputy Principal Natalie Paelchen and I presented at the ReimaginED Conference on the Mornington Peninsula. As the only South Australian school invited to present, we had the opportunity to share our progress and forge connections with thought leaders. Hearing from Professor Michael Fullan reinforced our commitment to systemic change, starting at the school level.

At Seymour, we are proud to be at the forefront of capabilities-based education. Our goal is to ensure Seymour students graduate prepared to thrive in a rapidly changing world and empowered to shape it.

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