This college provides excellence in education in a Torah culture, with a love of learning.
Kesser Torah College unifies the two levels of Jewish education — that of cultivating the mind and nurturing the soul. Through a uniquely integrated Jewish and General Studies curriculum, students see first hand how Torah is applied in everyday life. They see how the communication and organisational skills gained in subjects such as mathematics, languages and sciences apply to living as a Torah Jew and how Torah knowledge, moral values and spirituality give meaning and vitality to academic studies as well as personal and professional life. This allows the children to “rise above” and “look beyond” academic study to reach the next step of applying learning to the business of living.
Kesser Torah College provides the full range of educational experiences in an Orthodox Jewish environment.
At every level the school strives to integrate the range of educational, religious and cultural experiences to provide a holistic education for each student. Each aspect of the school incorporates its unique role in the Jewish and wider community. The school has achieved excellent results in external exams and in its religious education ensuring a wide range of options for students after completing high school.
Electives Years 7 to 10: All students study English, Mathematics, Science, Hebrew, History, Geography, Religion, Music, Design and Technology and Personal Development/Health/Physical Education. Years 7 and 8 form Stage 4 and Years 9 and 10 form Stage 5 of the continuum of curriculum. In the high school the students may choose to study the Stage 5 elective courses of Visual Art and Commerce.
Electives Years 11 to 12: The programs of study include the Board of Studies requirements and additional studies of Jewish religion and culture. With the broad range of HSC subjects available Senior students have the flexibility to devise their own programs of study. Offered are levels of English, Mathematics, Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology), Business Studies, Legal Studies, Visual Arts, Music, Modern History, Geography, Commerce Design & Technology, Modern and Classical Hebrew, PDHPE, Biblical Studies, VET courses such as Hospitality and the college’s custom-designed Board endorsed course Religion General.
Facilities: There is an ever-expanding state-of-the-art IT program. A wireless network has been established allowing students access to mobile laptop units throughout the entire school. There are 100 desktop computers also stationed throughout the school and each computer lab has a commercial quality laser printer as well as further support equipment. Students use the computers in dedicated computing lessons and as an integrated part of their studies in other subjects. Educational software programs lead the way, particularly for Special Education with the perceptual English and Mathematical software packages. Jewish Studies software is used from preschool through high school. The science laboratory is fully equipped with a separate preparation room. The art, design & technology room is extensively equipped for art and design work and includes a wet area.
Open class spaces are available for each school on the campus for use as multi-purpose rooms including drama and music. A large open space for indoor sporting activities and larger scale design & technology projects. The commercial kitchen is fully equipped for Food Technology.
Co-curricular activities: Include Advanced Jewish Studies, athletics, Bar Mitzvah celebrations, basketball, camps, charity and fundraising work, community service, dance, debating, drama, guitar, hospital and nursing home visits, inter-house competitions, inter-school sport, maths and English competition, musical productions, soccer, swimming, touch football, torathons, volleyball.
Welfare and personal development: Pastoral care co-ordinators in the boys’ and girls’ high schools look after the ongoing welfare of the students. They address issues such as appropriate values and ethics, discipline, self-esteem, awareness of others, taking responsibility and proper conduct.
Special features: The school emphasise hands-on learning at Kesser Torah College. Learning is linked to excursions, camps, shows, role plays, art and many other creative and stimulating activities. Lessons are presented in a broad range of media allowing every student to learn in their most effective way. Students with special education needs are provided for.