Years 7 and 8
Curriculum:
The curriculum is broadly based so that students experience a wide range of opportunities. Of course there are specialized areas as well, but this occurs in the Middle School. We plan the curriculum so that academic and applied learning combine to give our students a great start for their future.
During Year 7 and 8 students will complete the following subjects;
| English | 5 periods per week |
| Mathematics | 5 periods per week |
| Health and Physical Education | 4 periods per week |
| Science | 3 periods per week |
| Languages (Japanese or Indonesian) | 3 periods per week |
| Humanities (History and Geography) | 3 periods per week |
| Information Technology | 2 periods per week |
| Lifeskills | 1 periods per week |
| Technology (Wood, Metal, Home Economics and Textiles) | 3 periods per week for 1 term for each subject |
| Arts (Graphics, Art, Music and Drama) and Digital Technologies | 3 periods per week for 1 term for each subject |
For more detailed information see Junior School Handbook
Year 9
General Information
This handbook has been prepared to assist students and parents understand the Year 9 curriculum and to plan a course for 2013. It should be read carefully. Students should seek advice from teachers and discuss their selections with parents and friends.
Students attend classes for 30 periods each week. These periods are divided as follows:
| Compulsory units | |
|---|---|
| English | 5 periods per week |
| Mathematics | 5 periods per week |
| Life Skills/Advocacy | 2 periods per week |
| Elective units | |
|---|---|
| 3 Short units per semester | 12 periods per week |
| 1 Extended unit each semester | 6 periods per week |
Short units
Students must complete 6 short units over the year. They must complete 1 unit from 5 of the following 6 areas:
- Science
- Technology
- Arts
- Health and Physical Education
- Humanities
- Languages
The sixth unit may be chosen from any area.
Extended units
Students must choose 2 extended units.
From these preferences we will develop the timetable blocks. It is essential that students list their choices carefully. Units will run based on student numbers. In most cases we expect students will receive their choices.
For more detailed information see Year 9 Handbook
Years 10, 11 and 12
All year 12 students must undertake 5 unit 3 and 4 sequences or their equivalent regardless of their year 11 course.
Introduction
Alexandra Secondary College provides widespread opportunities for students to accelerate their studies through the linked Year 10 and VCE blocking structures. The intention of acceleration is to provide students with challenge and motivation, in pursuing subjects at a higher level and with a more mature peer group. It also allows students to study a broader range of VCE subjects and to complete VCE unit requirements and VET subjects more easily.
Acceleration is typically done via –
- Year 10 students choosing a VCE 1/2 unit
- Year 10 students choosing a VET unit
- Year 11 students choosing a VCE 3/4 unit
In certain circumstances it also allows:
- A Year 12 student to undertake a tertiary unit.
- A Year 10 student to undertake a VCE 3 / 4 unit of study
- A Year 11 student to mix some Year 10 units with their VCE units
- A Year 12 student to mix some VCE 1/2 units with their VCE 3/4 units.
NB Only in exceptional circumstances will a student be given permission to study 2 VCE Unit 3 / 4 subjects at year 11.
Selection of students
Students request to undertake acceleration through the normal course selection process. While this normally occurs at the end of the previous year, students may choose to move into acceleration at the end of semester 1.
To be accepted for acceleration, students must have:
- Demonstrated a consistent homework study habit
- Demonstrated good skills in the chosen or similar subjects
- Demonstrated mature behaviour in class
- Completed an adequate preparation in Year 10, where required.
All students are reviewed on this basis and where the above conditions are not met they are either given a short time to rectify the situation, or counseled into non-acceleration subjects.
Where students have not met the requirements for acceleration, a letter is sent home informing the parents, and offering the opportunity to discuss the matter further.
On-going review of accelerating students
All accelerating students are reviewed after the first month of each semester, with academic progress and classroom endeavor being the main concerns. While the main focus of this review concerns the accelerating subject(s), progress in all units undertaken by the student will be considered. Where a student is not performing well, the student and parents will be interviewed. If satisfactory improvement can not be readily agreed upon and implemented, the student will be withdrawn from the accelerating class and re-instated in year level classes.
In addition, student academic performance in semester 1, in the accelerating subject(s) will be the main factor in allowing enrolment in the semester 2 unit.
For more detailed information see Later Years Handbook