Year 8 & 9 Curriculum Outline
Montmorency Secondary College provides a contemporary student-centred, diverse curriculum program that embeds the curriculum essentials and gives students considerable choice. Support for this approach is strong and students, staff and the school community have responded to it with enthusiasm and purpose.
The curriculum runs on a two-week timetable with twenty-five, 58 minute periods per week. The school day starts at 8.55 am with a 10 minute Home Group. A Home Group system runs across the college from Year 7 to Year 11, with Year 12 students allocated a Mentor teacher.
Essential Learning Standards (Victorian Curriculum F-10)
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 learningstandards 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.
Year 8 & 9 Curriculum
Students in Year 8 and 9 are separated in year levels for their core curriculum but they cometogether for ten periods per fortnight in learning unit elective blocks. This arrangement allowsstudents at these levels to have some say in their learning schedule and has resulted in increasedengagement and satisfaction with schooling in their middle years. The vertical blocking of Year8 & 9 students for elective learning units has been carefully evaluated and endorsed by students,parents and staff. The learning unit blocking has the added advantage of allowing students totailor their course towards areas of interest and/or special talent.
Year 8 & 9 students learn in year level specific Home Groups for their core subjects. These address the curriculum essentials and run all year. The core subjects are as follows:
- Mathematics 8 periods per fortnight
- English 8 periods per fortnight
- Science 6 periods per fortnight
- Humanities 6 periods per fortnight
- Physical Education/Health 6 periods per fortnight
- Year 9 Endeavour Program or Language (Japanese/French) 6 periods per fortnight
Year 8 & 9 students then come together in vertically-blocked elective learning units for the remainder of the fortnight . There are some guidelines to ensure that each student covers a range of learning areas in their choices, but the number of units offered is extensive. Students in Year 8 can choose four semester-length elective units in the year – two from specific Learning Areas and two can be chosen from the full range of electives offered. Students in Year 9 have similar choice options.