Pastoral Curriculum

The College's pastoral curriculum is dynamic and has evolved over time to comprise those learnings and experiences which enable students to develop an understanding of themselves, and assist in their personal growth. A recent review reveals that the core values underpinning the Curriculum Framework can be seen aslo to be embedded within the particular foci of the Corpus Christi College pastoral curriculum.

The Curriculum Framework is underpinned by the following shared values:

• a commitment to the pursuit of knowledge and achievement of potential resulting in disposition towards striving to understand the world and how best one can make a contribution to it, and the pursuit of excellence in all fields of experience and endeavour;
• self-acceptance and respect of self, resulting in attitudes and actions which develop each person's unique potential - physical, emotional, aestheetic, spiritual, intellectual, moral and social;
• respect and concern for others and their rights, resulting in sensitivity to and concern for the wellbeing of others, respect for others and a search for constructive ways of managing conflict;
• social and civil responsibility, resulting in a commitment to expoloring and promoting the common good; meeting individual needs in ways which do not infringe the rights of others, participating in democratic processes; social justiice and cultural diversity; and
• environmental responsibility, resulting in a respect and concern for the natural and cultural environments and a commitment to regenerative and sustainable resource use.

The Corpus Christi pastoral curriculum focuses on:

• self-knowledge, and covers a range of general areas such as self-concept, human physiology, psychology, sexuality, gender, family, relationships, society and ethnicity;
• self-management and self-appraisal within a social context (the College community and society), and includes the treatment of moral development, study skills, information-handling skills, communication skills, time-management, health education, drug education, and social etiquette;
• the concept of a satisfying Christian life style, including the student's self-awareness (personality, interests, aptitudes, abilities), vocational development, career education as an interpretation of the needs and demands of occupations and fields of work, and the practice of decision-making skills;
• affective development, where students are able to express their feelings, and respond in a personal, sensitive manner, be it through music, dance, the visual arts, or spoken language;
• leadership development, through the Student Representative Council, House leadership, Peer Support programmes, development camps, community service programmes, mission projects, fund-raising activities, and other opportunities for service.

This pastoral curriculum is delivered formally in class sessions of a developmental nature, for example, in Religious Education, Health Education, and Career Education classes, and in organised homeroom activities some of which occur during extended homeroom sessions.

It is also pursued informally, by means of extra-curriculur or co-curricular activities. This informal pastoral curriculum allows students to express their gifts and strengths, in their own areas of competence, and to turn these talents to service. Examples of such activities are sports days, athletics and swimming carnivals, cross country runs, sports and games, music festivals, school bands and orchestras, Lifelink and Festival days, excursions, camps, retreats, assemblies, Masses, the student council and other leadership activities.