Senior School—Years 7 to 12

The Senior Campus accommodates more than 1300 students across Years 7–12.

All students at the College are expected to meet the requirements of the New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) in regard to the curriculum and the Higher School Certificate (HSC), as well as to respond to formation flowing from the Jesuit tradition. This tradition expects, for instance, that those young men who demonstrate interest or talent in certain subjects will follow those subjects at an appropriately challenging level.

Students who show talent and aptitude in response to the challenge of particular subjects can expect to continue studying those subjects through their school career. Occasionally, such study may have to be conducted with some flexibility — for example, with classes outside the school timetable. Other students may have the option of taking an advanced course at university level.

In line with flexible progression initiatives, the College provides a Pathways program which offers students the opportunity to complete HSC courses (Year 12 classes) over two years and a number of enrichment and acceleration programs.

Curriculum Structure Years 9 & 10

Core studies are in English, Mathematics, Science, Religious Education, History, Geography, PDHPE. In Year 9, students supplement their core educational program with a choice of three electives. Year 10 students continue with two electives. Electives are chosen from the following learning areas:

  • HSIE: Commerce, Global Studies and Environment, Elective History
  • Languages: Latin, Classical Greek, Chinese, French and Italian
  • PDHPE: Physical Activity and Sports Studies
  • Technological and Applied Studies: Industrial Technology, Computing Technology, Agriculture, Engineering Technology
  • Creative and Performing Arts: Music, Drama, Visual Arts, Photographic and Digital Media Studies

 

Curriculum Structure Years 11 & 12

Subjects offered in Years 11 and 12 reflect the NESA requirements for satisfactory completion of the Year 11 (Preliminary) and Year 12 (HSC) courses. At the completion of Year 10, boys are given advice by their class teachers, Heads of House, Heads of Faculties, Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning and Careers Adviser to assist them in an appropriate choice of subjects for study in Years 11 and 12.

YEAR 11 (PRELIMINARY)

All students in Year 11 must choose at least 13 units of study across at least four separate subjects. At least one of these units must be in Studies of Religion.

NESA requires at least two units be in English and at least three courses must be of 2-unit value or greater. The following subjects are offered:

  • Religious Education: Studies of Religion 1 Unit, Studies of Religion 2 Unit
  • English: English Standard, English Advanced, English Extension 1, English Extension 2
  • Mathematics: Mathematics Standard 2, Mathematics Advanced, Mathematics Extension 1, Mathematics Extension 2
  • Science: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth and Environmental Science
  • History: Ancient History, Modern History, Aboriginal Studies
  • Geography
  • Legal Studies, Economics, Business Studies
  • Languages: French, Chinese, Latin, Classical Greek, Italian
  • Technology and Applied Studies: Industrial Technology, Software Engineering, Agriculture, Engineering Studies, Primary Industries, Construction
  • Music: Music Course 1 and Course 2, Extension Music
  • Visual Arts
  • Health and Movement Science, Lifestyle and Recreation Studies
  • Drama
  • Photography, Video and Digital Imaging

Year 12 / HSC Study

HSC study requires all students to choose at least 10 units of study for Year 12 with at least one unit of study in Religious Education and at least two units in English. At least three courses must be of 2-unit value or greater and students are expected to continue in a broad pattern of study. More extension courses are introduced for study in the HSC year:

  • History Extension
  • Music Extension
  • Mathematics Extension 2
  • English Extension 2
  • Languages Extension
  • Science Extension

 

Reporting

We send home three academic reports: An interim report is sent at the end of Term 1 and is a brief assessment of a student’s application in four areas: attitude to learning, contribution to learning, completion of tasks and classroom behaviour. The more comprehensive Semester 1 Report (Term 2) and Semester 2 Report (Term 4) include the following:

  • Student profile
  • Learning outcomes
  • Overall achievement
  • Assessment schedule
  • Course mark
  • Course average
  • Position in course
  • A teacher comment