ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching and Learning at ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ is founded in our Mission.
The way we teach and the way we learn will ensure that we are an excellent school that produces creative, independent young people who can learn deeply.

The important principles of teaching and learning are:

  • visibility, of teaching, classrooms, curriculum, planning, feedback and collaboration
  • developing healthy and productive student teacher relationships
  • thinking about learning from the student's perspective particularly about higher order thinking
  • implementing practices that ensure that students can learn effectively such as staff professional learning, broad subject availability, acceleration, homework and ICT policy


MIDDLE YEARS

The Middle Years curriculum provides a rich, diverse and significant curriculum, with units in Religion, English, Humanities, Science, Mathematics, Physical Education and Health, Arts, Technology and LOTE (Chinese and French). Our Interdisciplinary focus in the Middle Years aims to encourage participation within a local, national and global context and extend the learning beyond the classroom.

HOUSE SYSTEM

At ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ we have a vertical pastoral system in place in order to strengthen community, belonging, and leadership across all year levels. Students are placed in one of six houses. Each house is inspired by extraordinary individuals whose values reflect our school’s mission. Each student will have the same Homeroom mentor teacher and House Leaders as consistent points of care and contact across their 6 year journey at Aquinas. Each group has approximately 24–26 students, with approximately 4 students from each year level.

Years 7 and 8

At ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ we are inspired by our Catholic tradition and our vision is to be an excellent school. In Years 7 and 8 we provide the support required to make a successful transition from primary to secondary education. This is assisted through our team based approach to learning and strong Pastoral Care focus.  

 Core subjects like English, Maths, Humanities, Science and RE provide a group of students who study together for a large part of the day in Years 7 to 9. Students have Homeroom each morning. The focus of these session is organisational skills and developing a sense of belonging and connectedness.

Year 9

Year 9 combines academic work with other learning experiences.There are three specific activities designed to provide such experiences, the City Experiential Learning Program,  and the School Experience Block.

City Experiential Learning Program

Year 9 students spend ten days in the CBD where they develop practical research skills, an understanding of the workings of the city and skills around independence, teamwork and collaboration.

School Experience Block

Students work on leadership and understanding the implications of risk taking in a program that is the culmination of independent learning in Year 9. This also includes driving skills and the survivor camp for every student.

Cafe N9ne

Each Year 9 student spends a week working in Cafe N9ne at the College. The experience provides a range of specific literacy, numeracy and hospitality skills as well as soft skills such as collaboration and teamwork. Cafe N9ne is open to the public and parents are encouraged to visit.

SENIOR YEARS

The Senior Years (Years 10-12) at ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ is where students look to the future. ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ provides personal skills to deal with a world of work and change, preparing them to identify and strive for personal success. The focus of the Senior Years is to build upon the philosophy of the Middle Years and to continue to create independent, creative and deep learners. 

ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ provides a broad range of subject choices, with curriculum that is informed by current educational philosophies, grounded in experience and success, and encourages critical and independent thinking.

Students can select courses by interest and ability from Year 10 with the option to apply for acceleration in a VCE subject. Students also have the opportunity to supplement their skills with a range of industry based Victorian Education and Training (VET) subjects. From Year 11, students select their subjects within the VCE program, a coursework learning model or the VCE Vocational (VCE VM) program, an applied learning model, both of which provide the entry requirements to further education. The Victoria Pathways Certificate (VPC) is also available for students who need a more accessible, individually tailored education pathway

All teachers working with Senior Years students are deemed to be teachers of pastoral care. Each student is allocated a mentor teacher who is responsible for monitoring the student’s learning progress.

Students in the Senior Years are encouraged to be involved in the co curricular life of the College - through EISM and other sporting competitions; in performance through Choirs, Bands, Public Speaking, Plays and Musicals; through social justice and fundraising activities; in whole College events like assemblies and masses and through Camps and Retreats.

VCE VOCATIONAL MAJOR

The VCE Vocational Major (VM) is a vocational and applied learning program within the VCE designed to be completed over a minimum of two years. The VCE VM will give students greater choice and flexibility to pursue their strengths and interests and develop the skills and capabilities needed to succeed in further education, work and life.

It prepares students to move into apprenticeships, traineeships, further education and training, university (via non-ATAR pathways) or directly into the workforce.

The purpose of the VCE VM is to provide students with the best opportunity to achieve their personal goals and aspirations in a rapidly changing world by:

  • Equipping them with the skills, knowledge, values and capabilities to be active and informed citizens, lifelong learners and confident and creative individuals.
  • Empowering them to make informed decisions about the next stages of their lives through real-life workplace experiences.

In Year 11, structured workplace learning (SWL) accompanied by a VET course of choice helps students to develop potential career interests. In year 12, students can continue this exploration or choose to undertake a school based apprenticeship or traineeship (SBAT) in an industry of their choice.

VET COURSES

ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ offers Vocational Education and Training (VET) Courses for senior students. VET in the VCE or VCE VM program combines general VCE or VCE VM studies with vocational training and experience in the workplace. ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ offers opportunities to study some VET subjects, both inside the timetable and on Wednesday afternoons, and at other schools as part of the Mullum Cluster. VET courses give students practical industry level experience in preparation for the world of work. They provide an opportunity to see what particular vocations are like within a school environment.

The following courses are available in-house. Many other courses can be studied by ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ students at nearby schools. There are specific course costs for different VET courses.

  • 22614VIC Certificate II in Building & Construction (Carpentry) Pre-Apprenticeship (partial completion) Years 1 & 2 

       (auspiced through WISE Employment (Access) RTO Number 6653. Statements will be issued under the Access Skills Training banner)

  • SIT20421 Certificate II in Cookery Years 1 & 2 

        (RTO Aquinas. RTO Number 22340)

  • SIS30122 Certificate III in Sport, Aquatics & Recreation Years 1 & 2 

       (auspiced through Savile RTO Number 45452)

  • SIT20322 Certificate II in Hospitality Years 1 & 2

       (RTO Aquinas. RTO Number 22340)

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES (ESS)

Education Support Services (ESS) are available to support students who have a disability that impacts their education. Students’ needs are considered and individuals are supported in a variety of ways to enable access to their learning on the same basis as their peers. ESS works with students, parents and teachers to make available appropriate individualised adjustments, which are regularly reviewed. Students are included in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) for students with disabilities.

ST MARY'S COLLEGE FOR THE DEAF

St Mary’s College is an exceptional school that provides a flexible and genuinely inclusive learning environment for deaf and hard of hearing students from within Aquinas. 

Excellent Language & Literacy Outcomes

A focus on using cognitive science overlaid with knowledge of the impact of hearing loss ensures students receive adjustments, supports and interventions designed to assist them in achieving in all aspects of their learning.

Inclusion & Belonging

Every child is known and valued in the integrated partnership between St Mary’s College and ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ where classrooms and learning spaces are purposefully resourced to support effective communication for Deaf and hard of hearing students and rich friendships grow through a shared respect for each other.

Extensive Offerings

Secondary students flourish in their years of school by fully participating in the wide inclusive curriculum offered through ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ with Teachers of the Deaf and other specialist support onsite, every day, to be accessed as much or as little as required. For more information, please visit the St Mary's website 

ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ proudly began its partnership with St Mary's in 1997. St Mary's Primary school campus is in Wantirna South, with Secondary school campuses located at St John’s Regional College in Dandenong, Marymede Catholic Secondary College in South Morang, Salesian College in Sunbury and Thomas Carr College in Tarneit.

The students from St Mary's wear the ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ uniform and attend most of their classes at ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ and students also work with specialist staff from St Mary’s skilled in working with hearing impaired students. The St Mary's community has been embraced at ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ and it is a partnership that has richly assisted the life of the ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ community.

GIFTED LEARNING PROGRAM

The ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨ Gifted Learning Enhancement (AGiLE) program identifies students who demonstrate giftedness, and subsequently navigate the curriculum earlier, faster and/or differently to their same aged peers. The program facilitates a community where academic excellence is both facilitated and revered. The program goes about assessing, addressing and monitoring the progress of gifted students across the curriculum at all year levels, as well as offering a range of extra-curricular activities that engage and challenge students in critical, abstract and lateral thinking.