St. Kevin’s College – Heyington Senior Campus
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Tour Details
Vibe at St. Kevin’s College
The tour began with guest being seated in the auditorium and introduced to the School Captain, Harry, who immediately set the tone for the morning. Harry spoke with confidence and genuine enthusiasm as he reflected on his journey since commencing at St. Kevin’s in Year 7 and spoke about the many opportunities that the school had provided him. One story that was impressive was his involvement with the St Vincent de Paul reading program, where students participate in a volunteer program that offers tutoring to the community to help them improve their literacy and English skills. He also spoke about travelling to Japan on a language study tour, which gives students the opportunity to immerse themselves into another culture whilst putting their language skills into practice.
Throughout his presentation, Harry repeatedly referred to the genuine care shown to students and the strong sense of community that creates a sense of belonging. It was an authentic insight into student life and one that resonated throughout the tour.
Enrolment at St. Kevin’s College
St. Kevin’s has over 2,000 students from Prep – Year 12 and is one of Melbourne’s leading independent boys’ schools. Despite it’s size, the tour emphasized in ensuring every student feels known as an individual and celebrated for their personal achievements. The schools also actively encourages strong partnerships between teachers, parents and the wider community, recognizing that a boy’s education is most successful when families are engaged throughout their journey.
Academics at St. Kevin’s College
Deputy Principal Deborah Barker shared the College’s educational philosophy, explaining that St Kevin’s has specialised in boys’ education for more than 108 years. The college has ranked as the top performing APS school for VCE results over the past 5 years. It was also mentioned that St. Kevin’s English results consistently ranked one of the highest in the state.
Academic expectations are high, with a strong focus on explicit teaching. Staff understand how boys learn best and provide clear instruction, structure and consistency within the classroom. One comment made by Deborah that particularly stood out was that “boys love boundaries and predictability”. Lessons are delivered in focused 40 minute blocks which are designed to keep students engaged while maintaining academic rigour.
Excellence is not simply measured by grades. Students are encouraged to strive for excellence in their studies, their behaviour, the way they present themselves and in becoming the very best version of themselves.
Religion at St. Kevin’s College
Founded by the Christian Brothers, St Kevin’s proudly embraces its Catholic identity and Irish heritage. Rather than simply teaching religion as a subject, the College speaks about living a life of hope, compassion and service to others. The Catholic faith provides a lens through which students are encouraged to see the world, reminding them there is always something greater than themselves.
The College’s core values of compassion, integrity and excellence are woven throughout school life and help shape the character of its students. Religious education is compulsory throughout the entire schooling. They also undertake meaningful outreach programs that are impactful on students.
Sports at St. Kevin’s College
The school competes in APS sports and the sporting culture is considerably strong. The school has a Tooronga Fields campus located in Hawthorn East, which provides facilities for hockey, soccer, athletics and football. The school also has its own pool located in the Wilding Centre at the Heyington senior campus, which also has a gymnasium and indoor recreation spaces. offering boys opportunities to develop teamwork, resilience and leadership. Whether students are strong in sport or simply enjoy participating, the sporting program encourages every boy to become involved and contribute to the strong sense of school spirit.
Music and Performing Arts at St. Kevin’s College
Performing arts form an important part of the co-curricular program, providing students with opportunities to build confidence, creativity and communication skills. Alongside debating and other enrichment activities, students are encouraged to discover interests beyond the classroom and develop talents that may last well beyond their school years.
The school offers individual instrument tuition throughout the senior school and has a range of ensembles such as bands, orchestras and choirs. Music is woven into the fabric of school life. St. Kevin’s producing many plays and musicals each year and partnering with other girls’ schools such as Sacre Cour and Loreto.
The school’s debating program is strong, with St Kevin’s competing in the Debaters Association of Victoria and hosting the Toorak regional competition at Heyington.
Inclusivity and Diversity at St. Kevin’s College
One of the strongest messages throughout the morning was that boys cannot learn unless they first feel connected. Staff spoke about creating an inclusive environment where every student feels valued and respected. Considerable emphasis is placed on knowing each boy as an individual and ensuring they develop a genuine sense of belonging within the College community. This extends beyond the classroom through partnerships with families, community organisations and support services, reinforcing the idea that raising young men is a shared responsibility. Deborah mentioned the school community as an “inclusive community that has a sense of value and worth, partnering with schools, organizations and parents”.
With regards to pastoral care, each boy is assigned a pastoral care tutor and is also supported by year level coordinators and house heads who provide oversight throughout a student’s time at school. The school has study session on Monday and Thursday afternoons with teachers supervising as well as senior students, to provide extra structural academic support. The school also has psychologists and counsellors on campus.
Languages
St Kevin’s teaches four languages which include French, Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish. In year 7, the students learn 2 languages per semester. In Year 9 the student have a choice to continue a language or discontinue.
Year 9 Campus – Waterford
St. Kevin’s has a dedicated campus for Year 9 students called “Waterford”, which is located in Richmond. It is not an outdoor education program, it places students in a different campus with the focus on deeper thinking, reflection and giving the boys the bridge into the senior part of secondary school for years 10, 11 and 12.
Wellbeing at St. Kevin’s College
Wellbeing is clearly at the heart of the St Kevin’s approach. Staff explained that students need to feel connected and anchored within the College before meaningful learning can occur. The pastoral care program works alongside the academic program to ensure boys feel supported socially, emotionally and personally.
The College also offers a dedicated wellbeing program and a Year 9 two-week immersion experience that has been running for more than 20 years. Through community service initiatives, including working with food banks and other social service organisations, students develop empathy, compassion and a deeper understanding of the importance of serving others. Rather than simply educating boys academically, the program aims to help raise young men of character.
Mobile Phone Policy at St. Kevin’s College
It was only briefly mentioned at the tour that mobile phones (along with smartwatches and headphones) must be switched off and kept out of sight. Devices will be confiscated and sent to the office if they are used I class or on campus.
Final Words
The tour at St. Kevin’s college left me with the impression that the school genuinely understands boys. There is an emphasis on connection, wellbeing with clear expectations sitting alongside academic standards and co-curricular opportunities. Rather than focusing solely on academic achievement, the school appears equally committed to developing compassionate, resilient and worldly young men. The warmth of the students, authenticity of the staff and the consistent message of community made St. Kevin’s College feel like a school where boys are not only challenged but are genuinely known, supported and encouraged to reach their full potential.
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