| Concordia College | |
| Motto: | Fortiter In Re, Suaviter In Modo |
| Motto Translation: | Firm In Principle, Gentle In Manner |
| Country: | Australia |
| Former Names: | --> |
| Founders: | --> |
| Chairperson: | Loyd R. Fyffe |
| Principal Label: | Head of College |
| Principal: | Paul Weinert |
| Teaching Staff: | 139 (2020) |
| Years: | ELC–12 |
| Enrolment: | 1,236 (2020) |
| Colours: | Blue and gold |
| Slogan: | Extraordinary. |
| Teams Label: | to override the default label --> |
| Accreditations: | --> |
| Newspaper: | Concordia Connect |
| Yearbook: | The Review |
Concordia College (CC) is an ELC–12 independent, co-educational, Lutheran school with campuses located in the Highgate and Blackwood areas of Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1890, the college is a school of the Lutheran Church of Australia and has been an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School since January 2001, offering the IB Primary Years and Middle Years Programmes.
Concordia College was founded by W. F. Peters, a Lutheran pastor in the Victorian country township of Murtoa. Peters purchased a private school founded in 1887 by T. W. Boehm, and re-established it in 1890 as a boys' college and training ground for future pastors and teachers. Lutheran leaders in South Australia moved the college to its present Highgate site in 1905.[1]
In 2016, Concordia College amalgamated with the neighbouring St John's Lutheran School to form an ELC to Year 12 college, which was followed by a further amalgamation with St Peters Lutheran School at Blackwood in 2023. As a three-campus college, leadership restructuring between 2021 and 2023 led to the creation of a new role, "Head of College", that holds responsibility across all three campuses of the college.[2]
Concordia is located on three campuses across Adelaide: Concordia and St John's Campuses are situated in suburban Highgate, south of the Adelaide CBD, while St Peters Campus is located in the foothills of Adelaide in Blackwood. The Concordia Campus offers education for students in Years 7 to 12, while the St John's and St Peters Campuses both remain as Early Learning to Year 6 schools.
The Concordia Campus includes:
Inquiry-based learning in the Early Learning Centres follows the Early Years Learning Framework and International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP). All programs within the Early Years are underpinned by the Reggio Emilia Philosophy, in which children have opportunities to participate in structured programs that promote experiential and play-based learning experiences in a constructivist and relationship-centred environment.
The Primary School Curriculum in Reception to Year 6 follows the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP), where students engage in pastoral care programs and have opportunities to participate in various co-curricular activities.
The Middle School Curriculum in Years 7–10 incorporates the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP). Students in years 7 and 8 undertake a common course, except in 'Language B', where they choose from German or Chinese. An after-hours Special Interest Music Program is available to selected students in Year 8. Students in Years 9 and 10 are able to make subject choices in The Arts and Technology learning areas.
Years 11 & 12, students are taught per the curriculum of the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE). The IB Diploma Programme was offered as an alternative until 2022 when it was terminated due to lack of interest. Students in the Middle and Senior Schools also have various opportunities to pursue VET courses and interests beyond the traditional school setting.
Concordia College offers an extensive music program from Reception to Year 12 which encourages students to learn musical instruments and participate in ensembles, band groups, choirs and more. Groups include a range of Concert Bands, Big Bands, String and Percussion Ensembles, Wind Ensembles, Senior and Jazz Choirs and String Quartets. These ensembles perform in a number of services, concerts and other performances, both internally and externally throughout the school year. Concordia's music program has seen a number of ensemble groups participate in ABODA, Generations In Jazz (GIJ) as well as interstate and overseas performances.
Students at Concordia College also have opportunities to engage in a range of comprehensive arts and design programs. Subjects offered within these areas include Visual Art, Art Design, Design, Technology and Engineering, Food Design, Media, Photography and Digital Technologies.
Co-curricular programs and activities offered include national subject competitions, career counselling and work experience, excursions, field camps and instrumental music tuition. Other extra-curricular programs include Middle School, Year 9 & Senior School choirs, the annual College musical, Big Bands, School Orchestra, Concert Band, Music Ensembles (Concert Vocal, String, Percussion), Chapel music, Chess Club, Debating, Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Pedal Prix, Snow Trip, Writers' Club, Mind and Body Club, Electronics Club and House competitions.
Students from any year level may participate in the College Student Forum (a Student Representative Council) and students in Year 12 may become a School Captain, Deputy School Captain, Student Leader or House Captain.[6] Students may also volunteer for respective leadership roles in their year level, such as an Ambassador in Year 9, Middle School Leader in Year 10, Peer Support Leader in Year 11 and Action Leader in Year 12.
Concordia students may participate in the annual College musical. The musicals were performed at the Scott Theatre.[7] Until 2009, they moved to the Hopgood Theatre[8] for the musical Grease. The Sound of Music in April 2014 was the first Concordia musical to be held in the College Chapel. While Godspell was also held in the chapel, the 2016 performance of Hairspray was once again in the Hopgood Theatre. The performances are generally held in March or April. A long-established tradition, these musicals are a showcase of the music and drama departments. In 2020, all performances of the College Musical were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but a performance in the College Chapel without an audience was filmed. Musicals presented have included:
| Year | Musical | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Chicago High School Edition | |
| 2023 | All Shook Up | |
| 2022 | Oliver! | |
| 2021 | Beauty and the Beast | |
| 2020 | High School Musical | |
| 2019 | ||
| 2018 | Legally Blonde | |
| 2017 | Annie | |
| 2016 | Hairspray | |
| 2015 | Godspell | |
| 2014 | The Sound of Music | |
| 2013 | Guys and Dolls | |
| 2012 | Aladdin | |
| 2011 | The Wizard of Oz | |
| 2010 | Grease | |
| 2009 | Children of Eden | |
| 2008 | Oklahoma! | |
| 2007 | Beauty and the Beast | |
| 2006 | Cabaret | |
| 2005 | Les Misérables | |
| 2004 | Viva Mexico | |
| 2003 | Little Shop of Horrors | |
| 2002 | The Mikado | |
| 2001 | Godspell | |
| 2000 | 42nd Street | |
| 1999 | The Wizard of Oz | |
| 1998 | Guys and Dolls | |
| 1997 | Me and My Girl |
Others in previous years have included: L'il Abner, Carousel, My Fair Lady, Annie Get Your Gun, The Boy Friend, Fiddler on the Roof, The Pirates of Penzance, Calamity Jane, Viva Mexico, Ruddigore, HMS Pinafore, Can You Imagine, Free As Air, A Penny For a Song, God So Loved, Where Is God, Anything Goes, Tom Sawyer, Salad Days, and Trial By Jury.
Concordia College is a member of the Sports Association for Adelaide Schools (SAAS), and the Independent Girls Schools Sports Association (IGSSA). The sports offered at the college include: basketball, cricket, cross country, football, hockey, netball, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis and volleyball. Students also have the opportunity to participate in:
Concordia College has won the following IGSSA premierships.[9]
As with most Australian schools, Concordia College utilises a house system. There are currently four houses, three named after three of the streets surrounding the college and the fourth, Malvern after the neighbouring suburb.
| House | Colour | Moniker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheltenham | Green | The Cheltenham Army | |
| Highgate | Blue | The Highgate Hornets | |
| Malvern | Yellow | The Malvern Lions | |
| Winchester | Red | The Winchester Warriors |
Students represent their house in a number of activities, including Sports Day, Swimming Carnival and lunchtime house sports. Students earn points for their house through participation in these activities, and the house with the most points at the conclusion of the school year is awarded the House Shield.