Round Square visit aims to align opportunities
Ben George, the Round Square Schools Support Director for Australasia & East Asia, recently spent two days at Radford, facilitating a five-year reflection exercise.
Round Square is an internationally diverse network of 200 like-minded schools in 50 countries on six continents that connect and collaborate to offer world-class programs and experiences, developing global competence, character and confidence in students. Radford is one of 22 Round Square schools in Australia.
Prior to 2020, Radford students participated in interstate and overseas expeditions, conferences and exchanges, meeting fellow Round Square participants from around the world, and hosting fellow Round Square students in Canberra. These Round Square opportunities also allowed our students to be involved in service, adventure, leadership, and environmental programs here and abroad.
When COVID-19 disrupted the face-to-face opportunities available, the program pivoted to local activities and national and international online forums. As borders open up, so too will the opportunities Round Square provides.
Each Round Square school has been asked to work through the five-year reflection exercise into how Round Square themes and programs are embedding and working, and how they would like to develop these further into the future. For Radford, the guided reflection process provided an opportunity to explore the thinking and experiences of staff, students, parents and the Principal and the Board.
The Round Square five-year reflection was an opportunity for Radford College to gain an independent perspective on what Round Square looks like in the school and how various stakeholders see it. It also served as a mechanism for Ben to initiate further relationships between Radford and other Round Square schools working on similar projects.
Principal Fiona Godfrey said her conversation with Ben reiterated that Radford has traditionally dedicated significant resources and energy into providing opportunities for students in service learning, leadership, outdoor adventure and (pre-COVID) national and international travel, cross-cultural exchanges and international citizenship.
“We do a lot here at Radford, but at times our work in these areas can be disjointed, perhaps even a bit fractured. Ben and I discussed how Round Square can underpin all of these experiences and opportunities and bring them together.”
Ben is preparing a report with suggested action items to strengthen, align and further develop character education and experiential learning at Radford.
“It was such a great opportunity to spend time at Radford College, to get a feel for how students and staff perceive and engage with Round Square philosophy and practice. Ultimately, the aim is to deepen the relationship between the College and Round Square to find ways that we can increase the value in your membership, which in turn means you are able to further enhance the student experience at Radford College and develop more compassionate global citizens,” Ben said.