Science Active School - Woodville High School

Years awarded: 2024 & 2025

What Makes Woodville High School a Science Active School

• SASTA Members
• Participating in the Oliphant Science Awards
• Staff volunteering to judge in the Oliphant Science Awards
• Staff member attendance at the SASTA annual conference.
• Had an article printed in SASTA publications

Being a Science Active School means that science is not just a subject—it’s a vibrant, visible, and valued part of our school culture. It reflects our commitment to curiosity, evidence-based thinking, and preparing students for a rapidly evolving world. We foster hands-on, inquiry-based learning experiences, celebrate scientific thinking in all year levels, and actively connect students with real-world science. We create opportunities for students to engage with and celebrate science alongside us. Being a Science Active School also means building strong connections beyond the classroom. We actively engage with universities, industry experts, and local community groups to provide students with authentic experiences and pathways into STEM related careers. Our students see science as something real, relevant, and empowering—and our broader school community is invited to celebrate it alongside us, whether through open evenings, guest presentations, Taste of High School activities, or collaborative projects. Ultimately, it’s about creating a culture where science is seen as exciting, accessible, and essential to understanding and improving our world.

We believe that empowering teachers is fundamental to inspiring students. When teachers are supported, valued, and professionally engaged, they are more confident, innovative, and effective in the classroom. At our school, we are committed to the continuous growth and development of our science educators through a range of targeted, high-impact strategies. This includes structured professional learning teams (PLTs) that meet regularly to engage in evidence-informed dialogue, share best practices, and collectively problem-solve around student learning. These teams are not just about accountability—they are spaces for professional inquiry, where teachers critically examine their practice and support each other in refining their pedagogy. We also provide access to high-quality external learning opportunities, including industry-led workshops, STEM education conferences, and professional networks. These experiences not only upskill our staff but also expose them to current developments in   education technology, and future workforce trends, which they bring back into their classrooms. Crucially, we make time for collaboration. Whether through co-planning lessons, peer observation, or co-teaching initiatives, our teachers have the time and trust to learn from one another. We actively foster a professional culture where experimentation is encouraged—where teachers feel safe to trial new strategies, reflect on outcomes, and adapt their approaches based on evidence and student feedback.

I’m especially proud of our integrated STEM project for Year 9, where students explore the science and cultural significance of boomerang design. In this unit, students are tasked with designing and testing the "perfect" boomerang—whether for hunting, ceremonial use, or as a returning boomerang—while deeply engaging with Indigenous knowledge and perspectives embedded within the curriculum.

This initiative is powerful because it weaves together multiple learning areas: science (aerodynamics, forces, and motion), mathematics (measurement, angles, and data analysis), technologies (CAD design, materials testing, prototyping), and the arts (cultural symbolism and design aesthetics). Students are encouraged to think critically and creatively, drawing on traditional Aboriginal engineering knowledge alongside contemporary scientific methods.

By integrating Indigenous perspectives, we not only honour the custodians of the oldest continuing culture in the world, but also provide students with a richer, more authentic learning experience. They come to appreciate the complexity, innovation, and environmental understanding embedded in First Nations technologies, and develop a deeper sense of respect and cultural responsiveness. 

Beyond academic learning, the project builds practical skills like teamwork, project management, and problem-solving, while fostering a sense of pride and connection to Country and community. It’s a program that ignites curiosity, strengthens cross-curricular connections, and raises aspirations by showing students that science is not just something to learn—it’s something to do, and something that connects us to culture, land, and each other.

What’s a current project or innovation in your school’s science program that excites you? Science Week! Who doesn’t love the classic egg drop lunar competition? Ours will have a slight twist—our egg astronauts won’t just drop, they’ll launch! Students will explore the physics of motion, impact forces, and engineering design as they build and test their own launch systems. This hands-on experience will bring Newton’s laws to life, reinforcing key STEM concepts through trial, error, and real-world problem-solving. Aligned with this year’s theme, Decoding the Universe – Exploring the unknown with nature’s hidden language, our activities will demonstrate how the language of physics and mathematics helps us understand and manipulate the forces that shape our world. Students will engage in data analysis, making predictions, testing variables, and refining their designs—just like real scientists and engineers.