Year 10 Curriculum Outline

Essential Learning Standards (Victorian Curriculum)

The Essential Learning Standards describe what is essential for students to achieve from Years Prep to 10. This informs our whole school curriculum planning framework and sets out learning standards that we use to develop our teaching and learning programs. We offer a guaranteed and viable curriculum for all students focused on sustainable excellence in teaching practice, student engagement and high performance.

By first identifying different students’ needs and understanding how to best engage them, students of all interests and abilities are given the best possible opportunity to learn. Regular assessment and feedback allow our teachers to adjust either the content being taught, the process used to learn, or the product expected from students, to ensure that learners at different starting points can receive the instruction they need to grow and succeed.

Our College aims to ensure all students achieve and find relevance in school. Our program encourages students to participate in their learning; to negotiate and select areas of interest, to accelerate and excel in their own paths. Students from years 7 to 12 can choose from a wide range of Arts, Sports and Community activities. The College’s facilities respond to the interests and needs of our community and encourage high levels of excellence through personal initiative, creativity and growth.

Montmorency Secondary College has an educational philosophy that encourages individual students to develop to their full personal and academic potential. Such development is best achieved by creating a disciplined, caring environment within the social and emotional needs of the individual are recognised whilst promoting academic rigor. The current size of the school population ensures that a wide range of subjects can be offered across the various year levels.

The Year 10 program includes English, Science, Humanities and Maths as core subjects. Additionally, students select six Learning Units, over 2 semesters. Students also have the opportunity to study a VCE Unit as part of their Year 10 course.

The Year 11 courses operate as semester units (i.e. half-year units) as required by the two-year Victorian Certificate of Education. Over the two years (Year 11 and 12) students must study English (4 units). Additional units are selected to make up a total of 24 units, taken over the final 2 years of secondary schooling.

Acceleration Program

The College offers selected Year 10 students the opportunity to study one Year 11 subject (2 VCE units). Students must apply using the ‘Application Form for Acceleration’ available from the Senior School Office.

Acceleration can advantage students as follows:

  • It gives them experience in working on and preparing for assessment tasks, providing the opportunity to develop study habits and strategies so that they have learned to maximise their time and effort by the time they reach Year 11.
  • It broadens the range of subjects available to them.
  • It may lead to taking an acceleration subject in Year 12.
  • It can allow students to use six rather than five subjects for the calculation of their tertiary entrance rank (ATAR).

Students may be accepted for acceleration in a particular subject if:

  • The subject can be offered without unduly constraining subject choices for students at higher levels.
  • Places are available in the class.
  • The student has very good general ability in most subjects.
  • The student has particular talent in the chosen subject area or demonstrates particular skills or abilities that are indicators of potential success in the subject area, as attested to by appropriate teachers.
  • The student has demonstrated a capacity to be well organised and to cope with a substantial workload.
  • The Selection Panel approves the student’s application.

While the College can provide only a certain range of VCE acceleration subjects for students, parents are welcome to approach the Level Coordinator if they wish to discuss other options for their child, which may be possible under special circumstances.

Selecting a VCE Year 11 Acceleration Subject

Information on the Acceleration Program will be provided at the Year 10 Information Night and to all applicants.

  • The VCE subject (2 units) will replace two Year 10 Learning Units.
  • Students need to nominate a sequence (i.e. Unit 1 and Unit 2 of the same subject); not single units.

NB: All students must apply for a full Yr. 10 course in case their acceleration preference is unavailable or not approved.

Subjects Offered to Year 10 Accelerants

(Please Note: Not all subjects may be available as any possible acceleration positions are dependent on the subjects chosen by Year 11 students and space being available in these classes. Year 11 students have preference.)

 Art 1 & 2  Music Performance 1 & 2
 Biology 1 & 2  Outdoor Education 1 & 2
 Business Management 1 & 2  Physical Education 1 & 2
 Environmental Science 1 & 2  Psychology 1 & 2
 Geography 1 & 2  Studio Arts – Photography 1 & 2
 Health & Human Development 1 & 2  Theatre Studies 1 & 2
 History: 20th Century 1 & 2 Product Design: Wood/Metal
 Legal Studies 1 & 2  Visual Communications Design 1 & 2

 

Please refer to the VCE Curriculum Handbook for specific subject details.