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Promoted by Xavier College

Xavier College: A world-class school producing exceptional graduates for almost 150 years

Xavier College, a Jesuit school in Melbourne, Australia, has earned a noteworthy reputation as a high-quality boarding school educating boys for almost 150 years.

Melbourne has regularly been voted “the world’s most liveable city” during the past decade. The College is set among magnificent grounds that look directly across to the CBD. It is situated on 42 acres of land and just ten minutes east of the city.

The College aspires to be world-class in all that it does.

It seeks to form exceptional graduates through inspiring learning experiences and the distinct Jesuit character. The Jesuit concept of Cura Personalis – the care for the whole person – defines the ethos, culture and academic approach of the College.

For the heart and mind

Xavier College prides itself on being a school for the heart and mind.

Source: Xavier College

The College offers boarding to students in Year 9 through to the conclusion of their schooling in Year 12 – an experience that its graduates cherish. They are formed with competence, conscience and compassion – all character traits integral to the Jesuit tradition.

There’s little doubt that if one is searching for a boarding option for boys in a Catholic setting in Australia, Xavier has no peer.

Xavier offers a boarding environment that is relatively small in numbers, allowing for a community that is strongly connected and provides personalised care for each boy. Its students come from all over Australia and abroad, pursuing a wide array of academic, sporting and extra-curricular interests.

Boys form strong relationships across all year groups, with senior students becoming trusted mentors and wonderful role models for new and younger boys.

Xavier understands the challenges that can come with starting at a new school, thus placing great emphasis on supporting students in their transition. The teacher in charge of Transition and Alignment is specifically charged with assisting new students to settle into their new environment. In addition, boarding students have the extra support of a strong and dedicated team of boarding staff whose first priority is the care and wellbeing of all boarders.

The Boarding Code is based on respect: respect for self, respect for others, and respect for the environment. This is fundamental to how students engage in their day-to-day life and in how they treat each other.

Source: Xavier College

The boarding curriculum provides a range of meaningful opportunities for self-development and fun. From go-carting to cooking classes, weekend activities fall under the four main categories of experiences; knowledge and skills; challenge; and service.

Head of Boarding Alexander Smith has great experience in boarding schools across the country and is extremely confident about what he terms the “outstanding Xavier experience”.

The College urges all its students to strive for academic excellence but unlike some other schools, places a large emphasis on “the heart” and ensures that its graduates are “men for others,” the driving tenet of Jesuit education, which across the globe has more than 400 secondary and tertiary institutes.

Source: Xavier College

Sursum Corda is the school’s motto – it means “Lift Up Your Hearts” and when one experiences a walk through the school and sees it up close, one cannot help but be struck by the positivity of students and teachers alike. It’s one of those things that it’s hard to know or feel until you’re there – but it certainly exists and is one of the truly special attributes of this fine school.

Fr. Chris Middleton SJ, a Jesuit Priest, explains the Jesuit tradition and why Xavier is such a special place.

Through its unique House and Tutor systems, the College boasts a strong structure where every young person is known and heard in their time at the College. It is a place where students are encouraged to challenge themselves, allowing for greater development of critical skills on reflection, discernment and life decision-making.

College Captain Ben Wright-Smith joins fellow boarder Hugh Basset and says he did not realise how special the boarding experience was until he started boarding in the early part of Year 12. Hugh has been boarding since Year 9.

Xavier College urges parents to check its website and make an enquiry if they are interested in their children becoming part of this world-class school.

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