We are an Independent Specialist School (Years 7-10) newly established in 2021, located in Hampton, Bayside. Our foundation intake is approximately 30 students, and we are excited to grow and expand rapidly in the next few years.

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to provide our twice-exceptional students with the best possible education, allowing all to reach their full and appropriate potential.

OUR VISION

Tombolo Academy provides a rich educational program that sets the highest aspirations for all community members to be creative and critical thinkers. Equal consideration and responsiveness are given to academic and personal growth areas, utilising individual passions as motivating stimuli. This includes having a robust set of social morals and ethical beliefs that enrich their lives and those around them.

Tombolo Academy graduates' young people with the skills necessary to be successful throughout their lives. They are confident, compassionate, reliable and resilient, with a positive personal philosophy and a focus on continued growth.

OUR VALUES

Tombolo Academy is based on 10 fundamental principles, which together make up the values of Tombolo Academy:

1. See the potential.
   At Tombolo, we believe the twice-exceptional young person should have the opportunity to change the world positively. Their potential is vast. We are committed to seeing this recognised for what it is and then appreciated in real-world applications.
2. Acceptance of who you are.
   We recognise that all twice-exceptional young people and adults have unique challenges and difficulties. We accept and embrace their positive differences and seek opportunities in their difference.
3. Mutual respect.
   Students and parents/carers will be treated with respect at all times by Tombolo Academy staff. Staff will be treated with respect at all times by students and parents/carers.
4. All students have a choice.
   Students have negotiated control and responsibility for their learning. They are given as much choice as possible in what, when, where and how of their learning.
5. All students have a voice.
   We work hard with our students, parents/carers, staff members and the wider community to ensure that our students can advocate positively for their own needs.
6. All students to become self-sufficient learners.
   Our students will be present and engaged to build a positive relationship with learning. They will have the skills and tools to achieve the individual goals in their Individual Life Plan.
7. Teach the whole person.
   Our learning is not aimed solely at academic progress - we aim to develop our students' capacities across the whole range of human experience.
8. Strengths-based, individualised, authentic, big-picture learning.
   We support students in identifying their strengths, and we individualise students learning to ensure their strengths are harnessed and developed. All learning is individualised to each students' zone of proximal development. We also provide authentic, real-world activities and projects to give context to our learning by demonstrating where it fits within a bigger worldview.
9. Yes, is the default.
   Suppose a student, parent/carer or staff member has a suggestion for a potential learning opportunity at Tombolo Academy. In that case, the default answer is always yes, unless it detrimentally affects other people or is not aligned with our values.
10. Be ready for the real world beyond.
    We support students to ensure that they are ready and able to fully engage with further study or work and the real world beyond, thus continuing to realise their potential when they leave Tombolo Academy.

Tombolo staff recognise diversity and individual differences in cognitive, emotional, social and educational growth, gender, culture, background and lifestyle, and aspire to provide a program that offers exposure to languages, cultures, values and attributes of the whole world.

Tombolo Academy is committed to being a child-safe organisation.