The outcomes generated through the Years 7, 8 and 9 programs reflect the value of students performing at personal best levels in a flexible, well-managed classroom environment.
For more information, please read our Years 7, 8 and 9 Handbook and Curriculum Guide.
Through Year 7, students explore a central idea under the umbrella of The Big Question (TBQ) What is our truth? The central idea explored through Year 7 is Examining evidence and uncovering truth is an important strategy for managing change and challenge in our lives.
This central idea and its associated concepts of change and perspective help students to make meaningful links between learning disciplines. Students consider the various ways that ‘truth’ can be considered from the different perspectives of English, Science, Mathematics, History and Geography. Opportunities are created for focused inquiries into a range of interests, issues and problems such as:
In Year 8, students explore a central idea under the umbrella of What Lifetime? What Learning? (2WL)
The central ideas for Year 8 are:
Through these central ideas and the concepts of change and contribution, Year 8s explore a range of interests and issues including:
Year 9 is seen as a two-year sequence with Year 10. The curriculum is inquiry and concept-driven where students are encouraged to make connections across all disciplines in a holistic approach. It is through guided inquiry, questioning current practices, considering perspectives and exploring the meaning of world citizenship, with its rights and responsibilities, that we can make a difference in Year 9.
Under the umbrella of our guiding principle; that ‘a sustainable world depends on knowledgeable, active citizens making a difference’, each discipline develops central ideas guided by this principle.
The use of the eight concepts of Form, Function, Causation, Connection, Change, Perspective, Reflection and Responsibility allows for understandings to be transferred across disciplines, promotes evaluation and consideration of perspectives and ideas and also promotes understandings through higher-order thinking. In Year 9 we focus on the concepts of connection and responsibility.
To be successful in the 21st century students will need to have the skills to think sustainably. Sustainability incorporates the dimensions of natural sustainability, personal sustainability, socio-cultural sustainability and urban sustainability, as modelled in our rings of sustainability. Thinking is more than just an ability and so we develop sustainable thinking dispositions in our students which include the skills to structure a solution, an inclination to act and an alertness to many possibilities in order to be able to make a difference.
The Year 9 Make a Difference Experience is the culmination of Year 9 learning involving a 10-day trip to Thailand where our students authentically explore our guiding principle that ‘a sustainable world depends on knowledgeable, active citizens making a difference’ – they will make a real difference to the lives of others as well as their own lives.
The approach to assessment underpinning the multi-disciplinary program is based on the following principles:
Real assessment is the most valuable form, eg Year 7 Exhibition, Year 8 Night of Decades and the Year 9 Make a Difference Experience presentation affords the opportunity for students to demonstrate their learning to the wider community.