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The ASMS is a purpose designed and built senior secondary school. Our building is designed to support students to develop as self-directed learners and engage in collaborative hands-on inquiry-based learning activities.

Our learning commons are flexible learning spaces which can accommodate one or more groups of people. Flexible furniture, ICT workstations, data projectors and speaker systems mean that people can listen to a lecture, discuss ideas as a large group class, work in small groups, or work individually, depending on the task at hand.

The ASMS curriculum is available online 24/7. We encourage students to bring their own device/s to school each day. The minimum specifications for devices can be found below and purchasing decisions should also be based on personal circumstances and preferences. We encourage families to consider a Windows or Apple laptop as Chromebooks or iPads/Tablets often won’t meet all student learning needs.

Students are responsible for the maintenance of these devices and are encouraged to bring them fully charged; they must have up-to-date antimalware software installed. The school can assist in connecting any Windows or Apple devices to the wireless network.

While we encourage students to bring a fully charged device to school, if devices require charging at school, students must ensure their device has a current electrically tested tag attached before plugging into the limited powerpoints available. This service is offered at the start of each school year and can be organised during the year by speaking with ICT Staff.

The ASMS has a range of support for students, individually negotiated and tailored to meet the needs of our students. A dedicated Coordinator for Inclusion and Learning Support oversees our students and liaises with students, families, staff and offsite agencies. The school provides opportunities for regular external agency staff visits where needed, and tutors are available for support on Tuesday afternoons.

Our school culture is one of inclusion and this is reflected in all our learning design. Our Learning Studies program provides students and their families with a trusted contact at our school as they monitor the wellbeing of each student. Students tell us that the rate of bullying at the ASMS is very low. When it does happen, they tell us they know how to report bullying and are comfortable to do so, and staff deal with issues promptly, compassionately and confidentially. For more information, please refer to our anti-bullying policy (linked).

The Learning Studies Teacher is central to supporting the student. They monitor each student’s performance and behaviour and provide timely intervention. Parents should contact their child’s Learning Studies Teacher as soon as they perceive there is an issue and the teacher will contact the parent if concerns are raised at the school level. Learning Studies teachers monitor each student’s progress and support is available from our Coordinator (Inclusion and Learning Support), Wellbeing and Pathways Coordinator and our senior leadership team.

Students have many opportunities to pursue their passions through our Passion Project program. Every Thursday afternoon, students have dedicated time to explore and follow their passions/interests, supported by staff. Students choose a passion project and dive deeply into discovery. This program allows the students agency in what, how and when they use this time to have SERIOUS PLAY time with their passion/interest with no fear of failure, assessment or deadline demands.

Students are also able to pursue their interest in music through our Passion Project program. And, while we don’t offer languages at the ASMS, there are opportunities for students to enrol in a course outside of the school through the .

We have a range of experts at ASMS, many of whom have worked in various industry fields before coming here. The staff are always happy to engage with students in such areas.

Our Ideation Studio is well suited to exploring a range of pursuits in mechatronics, robotics, 3D designing and printing, etc. We also have great equipment and expert capacity for exploration in media arts and technologies, including sound engineering. We are currently strengthening our partnerships with the Re-Engineering Australia organisation for F1 in Schools and Space programs, and with the SA Space Agency.

Our school week is structured in four main blocks each day. Three of these blocks are dedicated to Central Studies, which are three interdisciplinary subjects that students participate in each Semester, on a two-year rotation of subjects for year 10s and 11s.

These interdisciplinary subjects combine elements of English, Maths, Sciences, HASS, around a central theme. Importantly, there is no stand-alone English, Maths or Science classes. The ASMS offers a true integrated learning experience for students, and teachers map the learning and capabilities back to the relevant parts of the Australian Curriculum or SACE for year 10s and 11s, respectively.

In the middle of the day, there is a 40-minute Learning Studies session. Here, we take a deep dive into the elements of learning about learning, becoming sophisticated researchers, sharing discoveries, achievements and a range of other communications and celebrations through these daily Learning Studies sessions.

On Wednesdays, students participate in wellbeing activities through our Music, Movement and Mindfulness program (MMM).

On Thursday afternoons, students delve into their pursuits of passion, through our Passion Project program. This is a great opportunity for students to get serious about a self-directed pursuit that is important to them.

Although there is no ASMS uniform, dress must always be neat and appropriate. Guidelines have been agreed through consultation with students. Students are issued with a photo ID card which they will be expected to always have with them.

Lunchtime at the ASMS is not simply a break from learning for students to eat their lunch; it is also a part of the day where students can engage in a wide range of activities. Students engage and connect with each other and build a sense of community and wellbeing. Table tennis, chess and games are also available for student use. Students can stay in the main ASMS building or go the Flinders University Sturt campus cafeteria. Students also utilise outdoor spaces, ASMS park and Sturt oval, or participate in our lunchtime sport program.

The ASMS is an unzoned school, so we welcome students from all over metropolitan Adelaide, regional South Australia, interstate as well as international students. All students need to apply through the appropriate Expression of Interest form (including Students in Care).

There is no entry test as part of our application process, as we look beyond the grades when it comes to our applicants. However, we do require you to attend a Discovery Day and then lodge an application online for evaluation.

Selected students at the ASMS have the opportunity to apply to undertake a first-year Flinders University subject while completing Year 12 through the Extension Studies Program which you can read more about here.

The ASMS has a Portfolio Accreditation for Tertiary Entrance (PATE) arrangement with Flinders University for our Year 12 students as an alternative to the ATAR. For more information, see this page on our website.

To receive an early offer to university, Year 11 & 12 students from the ASMS can apply to participate in the Flinders University Assessment Centre opportunity as an alternative to ATAR. You can find out more about this pathway .