As a school in the Mercy tradition we are an inclusive community that celebrates differences. We welcome all, regardless of ability or economic status. Our commitment to social justice is central to our culture and reflects our Catholic values.
We are committed to developing successful, generous, supportive and community-minded individuals who are prepared and ready to take on challenges and make positive contributions to society.
After graduation Emmanuel students can maintain a lifelong connection to the College through involvement in an engaged and active Alumni community. The Emmanuel Alumni network is not only a place for friendship, social events and networking - opportunities for mentoring and knowledge-sharing, it also provides a valuable way for past students to contribute and maintain a lifelong connection to the Emmanuel community.
We do not expect all students to be Catholic, but we expect they will participate fully in the life of the College including liturgies, retreats and community service. The Emmanuel Religious Education program is designed to: encourage a mature outlook on faith, explore the Catholic tradition and develop a respectful understanding of various religious traditions in the world.
Students are encouraged to think for themselves and to investigate and value the importance of having opinions that are well-informed.
As a faith-based community, the College recognises the importance of spiritual health and wellbeing as a key protective factor and a core strength in bringing people together, growing a sense of belonging, wonder and greater purpose.
The Emmanuel College community flourishes out of the core shared values, Faith, Hope and Love, where the impact of the individual on the whole is acknowledged as being as important as the impact of the whole on the individual.
As a learning community, the college recognises that positive health and wellbeing are integral to lifelong success and achievement and as such prioritises and promotes the development of individual and group capacity and capabilities key to wellbeing.
The college understands wellbeing as the pursuit and experience of positive health across physical, mental, social, cognitive and spiritual domains that allows for the development and expression of capacity and capabilities that allow the individual and the community to flourish. It is a positive state in which every individual realises their own abilities and potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, gain a sense of purpose and contribute to their community.
As a faith-based community, the college recognises the importance of spiritual health and wellbeing as a key protective factor and core strength in bringing people together, growing a sense of belonging, wonder and greater purpose.
The college approaches health and wellbeing through a growth mindset and fitness lens, bringing a focus to the agency of each individual and their capacity to continue developing, practicing and contributing to their own and others wellbeing. This strengths based focus is a celebration of every individual’s capacity to flourish.
Fit4Life is an organising framework that demonstrates this focus on wellbeing as a key to success and supports a consistent approach across the community, developing shared language and understanding of key concepts, effective and sustainable implementation of individual programs, and the embedding of wellbeing as a priority into the culture of the community.
At Emmanuel College we listen to and value the student voice with the understanding that student feedback can be the most valuable and reliable measurement of effective teaching. In 2021 the College began using PIVOT: a service that allows teachers and school leaders to develop professionally through carefully designed, confidential, evidence-based surveys and reports. Through Pivot teachers are assisted to grow.
All students are given a voice to provide fair and accurate insights into the teaching practices of their teachers via regular surveys. These practices are based on the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership Professional Standards. The survey data is used as a diagnostic and evaluative tool to support planning on an individual, faculty and school level.
Identifying strengths and weaknesses helps us to continually improve and grow together as a community.
The Emmanuel College House system exists to promote high levels of student engagement, school spirit and involvement in a range of challenging and enjoyable activities. House activities give all students opportunities to experience success, motivation and participation in College life. Houses compete for the House Cup with their sporting, creative, academic and service achievements. Spirited competition between the four houses adds to the sense of belonging to the Emmanuel College community.
At the McAuley Campus, membership of a student's House becomes even more significant. In the senior school, comprising Years 10 to 12, the House structure is vertical. Students from these year levels have classes and join Mentor Groups together, rather than being locked into year level groups.
With the distinction between year levels removed, Homeroom Teachers are replaced by House Mentors who provide stability and support for students during their three-year journey until they complete their Emmanuel College education. Emmanuel College Houses
At times there will still be a need for students to gather in their peer years. Some examples include: camps and retreats (although these will be House group-based), social activities, Fit4Life days and presentations.
Emmanuel College is proud of our long line of alumni, and continually find inspiration from their actions, interests and achievements. All past students of St Ann’s College, CBC Warrnambool, and Emmanuel College are encouraged to stay in touch and be involved. Our alumni programming creates opportunities for alumni to reconnect with their classmates, be role models for current Emmanuel students and share in the success of the College as it continues to grow.
We recognise alumni whose great variety of paths and lives have helped shape our College and the communities we live in and serve. At our bienniel event, the Evening of Inspiration, past students are inducted as an Emmanuel College Inspiring Alumni or presnted with an award as a Young Alumni Achiever.
Nominate a past student of St Ann’s, CBC Warrnambool or Emmanuel College for induction as an Inspiring Alumni or a Young Alumni Achiever Award
Second languages are the key to a global mindset. Emmanuel College has developed strong partnerships and sister school relationships with schools overseas.
These inter-school relationships complement the Language Study Tour Programs and allow Emmanuel students unique opportunities to: immerse themselves in language and culture, participate in exchange programs and to welcome students from overseas into their own homes, College and community.
Emmanuel College first signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sister School Oberlin High School in Tokyo in 2008 but the relationship between the two schools dates back over 20 years. Students from the two schools have the opportunity to participate in an exchange in alternate years.
The Sister school relationship provides Emmanuel students a valuable immersion experience in the language and culture of Japan, attending school at Oberlin High and staying with a host family along with some tourist travel as a group. In alternate years Emmanuel families have the opportunity to host a student from Oberlin and benefit from the cultural exchange. See the Language Study Tour section of this website in the Unique Programs section for more information on Study Tours. Students can excel when they are offered the opportunity to immerse themselves in language and culture.
Located just outside of Lyon, this is a junior high school, enrolling students from the equivalent of Years 7 to 10. Emmanuel students are offered a one-week exchange.
Emmanuel students are offered an extended exchange program from November to January each year.
Emmanuel students visit this school on the French Language and Cultural Study Tour. Emmanuel students are offered a one-week exchange program. The host families are extremely generous in their efforts to make our students feel welcome, taking their guests on visits to surrounding areas during the weekend.
Emmanuel College hosts Tokiwamatsu students in term 1 every year.
Emmanuel College has established an ongoing relationship with the people of Atauro Island in East Timor. Each year, the students of Year 12 are invited to take part in an alternative 'schoolies' program where our students engage in two-way learning. Emmanuel students commit to fundraising and make a contribution to the community by completing project work during their stay. The program involves two-way learning where Emmanuel students gain an insight into culture and life on Atauro Island.
Emmanuel College has a friendship with the Ruben Centre, which operates programs providing health, education and social development services for the people of the Mukuru slum which houses about 900,000 people in inhuman conditions. The centre consists of a:
Past student and Emmanuel Inspiring Alumni member, Br Frank O'Shea is the Director of the Centre. Emmanuel College supports the Ruben Centre through: fundraising by our students, voluntary payroll contributions by staff members and staff members volunteering at the centre during school holidays.
Miura is a sister city to Warrnambool. Each year Emmanuel College, in partnership with the City of Warrnambool, hosts visitors from Miura. The City of Miura provides a language assistant to the College for a one-year stay each year.
