Concordia Lutheran College may be a small private school in Toowoomba, Queensland but when you look closer, significant study opportunities await.
Students aren’t just another number at Concordia. They’re individuals with unique skill sets and ambitions.
Head of College Adrian Wiles said, “Within the wider national and international community, the young people who study at Concordia are known to be self-directed, insightful, principled, confident and caring.”
A small school in a regional setting like Concordia is the perfect place to be for an authentic overseas experience. There is a higher likelihood to establish genuine connections with domestic students, which helps to improve one’s English skills.
Wiles said: “Our purpose is to inspire students to strive for academic excellence, and to nurture their aspirations in a caring and vibrant educational setting.”
And that’s exactly what Concordia Lutheran College does.
A campus community that cares
Concordia Lutheran College has three co-ed campuses in Toowoomba, Queensland, which accommodate students from Prep to Year 12.
At Concordia’s Stephen Street Campus, which hosts the Middle and Senior College (Years 7 to 12) students, there’s a suite of facilities on offer. This campus provides boarding accommodation to students in Years 7 to 12 with the Learning in Residence program which provides after-hours academic support to boarding students to help them reach their academic goals.
A strong sense of togetherness is apparent in all three campuses. Students develop friendships across year levels through sports, music, service and cultural activities.
There are just under 300 students on campus and class sizes can vary from 15 to 25 students, with smaller class sizes in Years 10, 11 and 12.
At Stephen Street Campus, there’s also the International Student Programme for Years 7 to 12.
International students stay in Concordia’s safe and secure boarding facilities which are a short walk to all College facilities including the dining hall, library, sports ovals and indoor heated swimming pool.
Staff members and the International Student Coordinator will regularly check in with international students to see how they’re doing.
For instance, they monitor international students’ wellbeing to see if they’re settling in well, watch over their study progress and encourage them to apply leadership positions in Years 11 and 12. In recent years, international students have held important positions such as Ministry Captain and Valedictorian.
In 2016, the College Dux was an international student from Hong Kong.
Concordia’s close connection and proximity to the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba provides opportunities for students to participate in university experiences before they graduate.
Where students receive a high return of academic investment
Due to its smaller size, Concordia Lutheran College is overflowing with community and culture.
This close-knit community means that every student’s voice is heard. And for international students, that’s always an advantage if they feel overwhelmed in a vast campus full of people.
As you’ll witness from their recent campus video, everyone at this College is an integral member of the community.
International students also receive extra support from the Learning in Residence programme, where they receive after-hours academic tuition with teachers, tutors and pre-service teachers from the University of Southern Queensland.
Meanwhile, the Year 9 programme hones real-world and personal skills. Students learn to collaborate, communicate and get creative in all their endeavours, which shape the foundation of the person they will become.
What is more, Concordia champions the role of nature in holistic development through a four-week outdoor educational camp in Year 9.
Students sleep in cabins, climb trees, go camping, hiking and connect with nature. They learn to survive and thrive in the great outdoors without technology. For many, it is a life-changing experience.
Safety and well-being first
Many regional destinations, like Toowoomba, had a limited number of COVID-19 cases.
Yet the school community still prioritised the safety of its students by implementing social distancing and cleaning measures and a highly successful online learning model.
“The Concordia community continued to thrive while learning online during the COVID-19 lockdown in Australia,” Mr Wiles said.
“Our parent survey of the online learning implementation received a score of 4.52 out of 5 stars,” he said.
“We are now looking at some of the great opportunities and ideas that came out of the experience to implement on an ongoing basis.”
Ultimately, Concordia Lutheran College offers a personalised, authentic and cohesive learning community in Australia like no other.
Perhaps that’s why this College is Queensland’s best kept secret?
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