Please note this document is based on these current policies: The Middle School Accelerated Studies policy and the VCE Student Course Allocation Policy 2017 and the 2022 MGSC Enhancement and Acceleration policy. It also includes information about the new DET Student Excellence Program.
The aim is to create one overarching policy to encompass enhancement and acceleration across the college.
RATIONAL
MGSC recognises that students develop abilities and skills at different rates, and therefore the school understands that the provision of curriculum needs to take place in a differentiated way, to best meet students at their point of need in academic, physical or social terms.
In addition to the differentiated planning that takes place in every subject, MGSC uses multiple approaches to differentiation, depending on the year level of the student.
Years 7, 8 and 9
At Years 7, 8 and 9, students may elect to participate in the Enhancement and Band programs. These programs use grouping, acceleration and differentiated curriculum to meet the needs of the students who take part in them.
In addition, some Year 7 and 8 students may be selected to participate in the Victorian High-Ability Program, which will give them access to 10 virtual lessons in English and Mathematics across the year. These students will also take part in a face-to-face masterclass with other participating students from their local area.
Year 7, 8 and 9 students may also take part in the Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series, which will give them access to a wide range of incursions and excursions throughout the year.
Year 9 students may take part in the Advanced English class.
Year 10
At Year 10, students may enter into Accelerated Maths classes.
At Year 10, students may seek entry to VCE or VET or VCE/VM subjects.
Year 10 students may also take part in the Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series (VCES), which will give them access to a wide range of incursions and excursions throughout the year.
Science students may participate in the Emerging Sciences Victoria Program.
VCE
During the VCE, students may seek Enhancement studies through associated universities. For example, CHES (Centre for Higher Education Studies) https://ches.vic.edu.au/
Year 11 and 12 students may also take part in the Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series, which will give them access to a wide range of incursions and excursions throughout the year.
AIMS
Year 7, 8 and 9
To provide an appropriate academic challenge for students who seek it, without compromising their social development or their connection to their age-level peers.
Year 10
To allow students a wide choice of Unit 1 & 2 subjects in Year 10.
To enable Year 10 students to gain experience VCE assessments and protocols before they are fully immersed in the VCE.
Years 11 and 12
To offer a variety of VCE and VET options, supported by group and individual course counselling.
To optimise the number of students who are allocated according to their preferences.
To respond to constraints in course allocation, as agreed by the Principal and the College Consultative Committee.
IMPLEMENTATION
Years 7, 8 and 9
Enhancement Program
Students who wish to participate in the Enhancement Program will generally apply while they are in Grade 6. They will submit parent nomination forms, show their most recent Grade 6 report and share their NAPLAN results. They will then sit a standardised, above-the-level test that will indicate their academic potential (Edutest). Following this, they will participate in an interview designed to give a sense of their interests, study habits, resilience, organisational skills and leadership experience, all of which are important indicators for success in special academic programs.
Students who are involved in the Enhancement Program will undertake enhanced studies in English, Mathematics, Science and Humanities, with a specially designed curriculum and differentiated learning tasks in those subjects. Students in the enhancement program learn a band form instrument and take part in a band form in Year 7 and 8.
If spaces become available, students who are currently enrolled at MGSC will be invited to try out for the Enhancement Program. The Enhancement Program will conclude at the end of Year 9.
Band Program
As with the Enhancement Program, students who wish to take part in the Band Program will nominate themselves while they are in Grade 6. In addition to their academic studies, they will rehearse and perform as an ensemble. The Band Program students will remain in the band class in Year 7 and Year 8. In Year 9, students can elect to continue being in ensembles outside of class time which further enhances their learning development. Students may apply to be in both the Enhancement Program and the Band Program.
Enhancement Program students also take part in the Instrumental Music and Band Program. They are able to nominate preferences from a range of instruments. No prior musical studies are required.
Victorian High-Ability Program
Some Year 7 and 8 students may be selected to participate in the Victorian High-Ability Program, which will give them access to 10 virtual lessons in English and Mathematics across the year. The selection process will be managed by the Department. These students will also take part in a face-to-face masterclass with other participating students from their local area.
Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series
Year 7, 8 and 9 students may also take part in the Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series, which will give them access to a wide range of incursions and excursions throughout the year. Students will be nominated by MGSC to participate in the Series.
Year 10
Mentone Girls’ Secondary College supports Year 10 students who wish to and are able to accelerate into a Unit One and Unit Two VCE subject, provided they exhibit readiness. MGSC students who have displayed a strong level of ability and application may select to enhance their Year 10 studies with the selection of a Unit 1 & 2 sequence in Year 10 from the subjects offered. In most cases, Year 10 students will be allowed to accelerate into one subject only, however, students who would like to accelerate in a second Unit 1 and Unit 2 subject will be considered on a case-by-case basis. This will include students who have recently completed the Enhancement Program. Students who would like to accelerate in a second Unit 1 & 2 subject will be considered on a case by case basis by the Director of Curriculum and Enhancement and the relevant subject teacher/Domain Leader.
Students who complete a Unit 1 & 2 subject in Year 10 can follow it through to Units 3 & 4 in Year 11, contributing to their ATAR.
Many subjects feature combined year level classes with year 10s and 11s thus decisions on academic and social readiness will be taken for the best common learning and organisational outcome. Year 11 will be given priority in classes where numbers are limited.
The subjects offered from VCE in Year 10 generally exclude subjects in English, Maths and Languages where the Year 10 content is essential for strong future academic outcomes.Students will undergo several course counselling sessions to ensure they have a clear and flexible pathway in their course selection.
Students selecting a VCE subject in Year 10 must gain approval from their most relevant Year 9 teacher and/or the Domain Leader. This takes the form of a signature on a supplied proforma LINK. It ensures a consideration of academic and social readiness has been made.
After submitting their forms to the Middle School Manager, preferences will be allocated and the maximum alignment of subjects through timetabling logistics will be made to produce the schedules for the following year. Every effort is made to run the subjects offered and maximise student choice. However, very small classes cannot be staffed and priority for class places in mixed classes must be given to those in Year 11.
In exceptional circumstances, a student may exhibit ability in core subjects which is ‘Well Above the Level’ by at least 18 months. If a teacher assesses the need to accelerate a Year 9 student to a Year 10 curriculum in Maths, English or a Language, the student may apply to study above their year level. Students in Year 9 will be required to secure the written consent of the Domain Leader, the Middle School Manager, the Director of Curriculum and the Assistant Principal. A decision will be made based on the academic and social readiness of the student, in consultation with the student and parents.
Students may apply in the following year to accelerate in VCE Unit 1 and 2 English, Maths and Languages provided that they have demonstrated mastery of the course or skills.
Acceleration will be further determined by the possibility of block alignment and the availability of places in classes.
VCE
The MGSC Curriculum has been designed to provide greater choice for students during their senior years, allowing them to pursue interests and career pathways while ensuring the provision of a broad education.
1. Counselling
a) Information on course offerings and rules regarding allocation is made available to students and parents in the VCE Handbook on the College webpage and at the VCE Information Evening early in Term 3.
2. Course offerings
a) Subjects offered at MGSC are approved by the College Curriculum Committee in consultation with the College Consultative Committee.
b) Every attempt is made to offer Unit 3-4 subjects if they have run the previous year as a Unit 1-2 sequence.
c) Outdoor Education 3-4 is only offered to Year 11 students.
d) It is expected Year 11 students attempt 6 units per semester (and, subject to advice, are encouraged to consider doing one Year 12 subject as one of the six subjects). In year 12, students are expected to attempt 5 subjects at Unit 3-4 level.
e) Certain subjects that are highly sequential cannot be attempted at a Unit 3-4 level without having completed the Unit 1-2 of that subject. Refer VCE Handbook.
f) A student who is picking up a 3-4 subject without having completed Unit 1 and/or 2 must show evidence she has discussed the ramifications with a Unit 3-4 teacher of that subject.
g) Students can make arrangements to do a language or other external subject in lieu of a subject taken at the College.
3. Course selection
a) Students are advised to select their subjects in preference order of those subjects most needed and wanted.
b) Students are expected to complete on-line selections correctly and by the due date. Those who do not may lose priority for their selections.
4. Allocation to classes
a) The subjects that will finally run in the following year will be determined by the Principal on the advice of the College Consultative Committee, and will be primarily based on the number of students who select the subject.
b) If a class is not running, every attempt will be made to discuss with any affected student whether her reserve preference is the most suitable next option.
c) Students, where possible, will be allocated to their first 6 preferences (in Year 11) and 5 preferences (in Year 12).
d) Where this is not possible due to oversubscribing of students to available classes, or subject clashes; those students who have a higher preference for the subject will be given priority.
e) It is expected that a student who has a subject clash would be placed in the higher preferenced option, and subject to discussion, placed in her reserve selection.
f) For Unit 3-4 classes, Year 12 students have higher priority than Year 11 students. Students who have undertaken the study in the second semester of Year 11 have priority over those who are picking up the subject unless they forfeit that priority by not selecting it in the first 5 subjects.
g) Current MGSC students have priority over newly enrolling students.
5. Changing course
a) Subject to availability, students can apply to change classes within the first 3 weeks of semester 1 (this includes the 2 weeks of Headstart). Year 11 students have the opportunity to apply for different options in semester 2.
b) Changes to student classes can only be made on curriculum grounds and not on grounds of teacher preference, parent preference or student preference.
c) Students who are considering changing out of the highly prerequisited subjects of Mathematical Methods or Chemistry or are considering discontinuing any Maths subject must discuss the ramifications of such a change with the Student Pathways coordinator.
d) The College reserves the right to shift a student’s classes up to the point they have attended their first lesson with the substantive teacher of the subject.
Approved by the Curriculum Committee of MGSC 2022