Realise your potential

We offer an exciting and academically rigorous program for Years 10 – 12 students in their final years of schooling.

Our passionate teaching team supports students to achieve their academic goals by developing rich understanding and creative thinking skills.


Year 10

Young people require a curriculum that is future-focused to prepare them for what lies ahead, yet at the same time serves their current academic and wellbeing needs in a way that nurtures and cares for them rather than pressures and rushes them. It is for these reasons, that Cornish College has developed a three-year VCE program that slows down, rather than speeds up the final years of secondary schooling. By accessing some VCE subjects in Year 10 that enhance the breadth of our program, students can spread out the completion of their VCE studies over three years. Ultimately, this can result in students choosing to study fewer subjects at a time each year as they work toward their certificate. By creating time to ‘slow down’, we create time for personal development, time for wellbeing and time to immerse in the sort of education that Cornish College is committed to providing – education for a sustainable future.

Year 10 students undertake a Core Studies suite of units, and a selection of VCE courses (Units 1 & 2). Core Studies are taken by all students and include: English, Mathematics, Science, Health, Physical Education, and Languages (French or Japanese). Additionally, all Year 10 students study Units 1 & 2 of one or more of the following VCE Humanities courses – Geography, History or building upon the Super Studies units experienced in Years 8 & 9, students may also select from the following VCE Units 1 & 2 subjects – Accounting and Economics, Dance, Environmental Science, Health and Human Development, Media, Music, Outdoor Education, Studio Arts and Theatre Studies.

Academic rigour is exemplified in the production of a major thesis at the end of the year and participation in a Socratic seminar attended by parents and other members of our community. Students also continue to engage in community service and a range of other cocurricular activities. The careers program commenced in Year 9 continues in Year 10. The personal career profiles developed with parents, students and our Student Futures and Pathways Leader help to guide work experience opportunities and the choice of subjects and programs for Years 11 and 12 and future pathways.


Year 11 and Year 12 – a VCE beyond boundaries

Cornish College delivers a flexible and personalised VCE. As much as possible our students are not restricted by timetable constraints, course restrictions, mode of delivery, or other boundaries. We believe our innovative model of senior secondary education:

  • Provides diversity of learning and appropriate challenge, while enabling choice and autonomy
  • Stimulates deep learning by moving away from repetition
  • Sets high expectations while developing independence

We aim to tailor individual courses for each student in order to meet the needs of their career pathway choices. This may mean students

  • Attend classes on campus
  • Access courses at other educational institutions
  • Undertake courses online or through Virtual Schools Victoria with the support of a Learning Coach at school
  • Undertake an apprenticeship
  • Participate in a flexible and blended learning environment combining face to face and online learning under the guidance of Cornish teachers

Students make choices from a range of VCE studies based on their passions, interests and proposed career pathways. The College then structures its timetable around meeting the individual programs for each student. Students can choose from 32 VCE studies, which are listed in the Senior Secondary Curriculum Guide. See the summary of courses offered at Cornish College or find out more about our pathways and opportunities for senior students.

Senior students are also involved in leadership, conferences, community service, sport and school activities, health, driver education, digital citizenship programs, drug and alcohol education, and cocurricular programs as well as a range of internal and external programs. These educational programs provide space for students to explore their passion within and beyond VCE, and complete the education of our young adults as well-rounded citizens.


Enhancement – cross-year studies

Continuing the flexible three-year VCE pathway commenced in Year 10, Year 11 students can access a range of Units 3 & 4 studies or others by negotiation. Highly able students have the opportunity to extend their interest in a subject by undertaking the study of a first-year university subject in Year 12. This can be intellectually rewarding and will count as a VCE study.


Vocational Education and Training in Schools

Vocational Education and Training in Schools (VETiS) programs are vocational training programs approved by the VCAA and lead to nationally recognised qualifications. Students undertaking a VETiS program have the opportunity to receive both a senior secondary qualification (VCE) and a nationally portable VET qualification. Students attend their VETis training for a half-day per week and typically receive a Certificate 2 or 3 qualification.

All VETiS programs provide credit towards the VCE, either as Units 1 & 2, or as Units 1 – 4. Cornish College students have access to up to 30+ VETis courses through external providers (such as Chisholm Institute, Holmesglen Institute and others) where they also gain valuable experience in the world outside the secondary school.


Structured Workplace Learning and School-based Apprenticeships

At Cornish, some of our students complete a practical work-related experience during their senior years with the intention of moving from VCE directly into a vocational pathway, such as an apprenticeship. The Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) program and School-based Apprenticeship (SBA) programs provide this flexibility for students who choose this pathway from school to the workplace.

Students complete four VCE Units 1 & 2 subjects as well as their (i) VET and (ii) and one full-day work placement Structured Workplace Learning, or (iii) School-based Apprenticeship program. All students complete English Units 1 & 2 and then select three other Units 1 & 2 subjects. Usually, students complete an external VET subject on Wednesday afternoons and a full-day work placement (SWL) on Fridays.


Further information about subjects and programs

More information can be found in the Senior Secondary Curriculum Guide.