Senior School Years 10, 11 & 12

Click here for the VCE, VCAL and VET Senior School Course  Guide 2013

Click here for the Year 10 Senior School Course  Guide 2013

Click here for the Senior School Course Guide 2013 (summary of the Course Guide)

Click here for the VCE Application to Accelerate Form 2013

Click here for the VET Application to Accelerate Form 2013

 

Approach to Senior Years

Learning in Senior School reflects the diverse range of pathways available to students in Years 10–12. During these years, students begin to specialise by selecting and studying subjects based on personal interest,  future learning and career pathways. Catholic College offers a range of academic, applied learning and vocational strands. Whilst many students study and develop learning programs within one of the strands, it is becoming increasing popular to include study from more than one strand in a program of study.

Catholic College offers formal programs for the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning, the Victorian Certificate of Education and Vocational Education and Training. In addition, a number of students blend their learning with traineeships and school-based apprenticeships. In 2010, with the establishment of a Trade Training Centre, the College will increase vocational options to include Certiciates for Aviation, General Construction and Laboratory Skills. A strong careers education program supports students in selecting appropriate pathways.

To allow for maximum flexibility, classes in the senior school have been aligned and operate in common blocks of time. This allows students in Years 10 and 11 to study vocational programs and undertake higher level advanced placement classes. Advanced Year 12 students have the opportunity to undertake university level enhancement studies if they meet the set criteria.

Click on the links below to find out more about the following programs:

Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning

Victorian Certificate of Education

Vocational Education and Training

Careers Education

For further information about learning in the Senior School contact the This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning

The Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) is a hands-on option for Year 11 and 12 students. The VCAL provides students with a practical work related experience, as well as literacy and numeracy skills and the opportunity to build personal skills that are important for life and work.

At Catholic College, students who choose to do the VCAL are more likely to be interested in going on to education at TAFE, doing an apprenticeship, or getting a job after completing school. All students in VCAL are given the opportunity to develop both their academic ability and their applied learning.

The College's VCAL program provides students with the flexibility to tailor amd undertake a study program that suits their interests and learning needs. At Catholic College a VCAL student will undertake fully accredited modules and units from the following areas:

  • Literacy and Numeracy
  • Work Specific Skills
  • Industry Specific Skills – VET Subjects
  • Personal Development Skills
  • VCE Studies

Email Alison Leahy, the VCAL Coordinator for more information about the College's VCAL Program: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Victorian Certificate of Education

VCE Students are required to take greater responsibility for their own learning, their choice of studies and make a mature commitment to study both within and beyond the classroom. The College offers studies in each of the Key Learning Areas

  • The VCE involves at least two years of continual assessment.
  • Ensures that every student has to meet the same assessment requirements: a combination of externally marked exams and tasks, together with individual tasks.
  • Caters for students of all abilities. All achievements will be acknowledged.
  • Emphasises independent learning through research, investigation and problem solving tasks.

VCE students at Catholic College study six units per semester at Year 11 and five units per semester at Year 12. Most VCE students undertake Units 1 & 2 at Year 11 and Units 3 & 4 at Year 12. The VCE is a certificate completed over two or more years. The College also provides opportunities for acceleration in a number of VCE and vocational studie. This allows students in Year 10 or Year 11 who satisfy the criteria for advanced placement, to study a subject at a higher year level. The timetable has been vertically aligned in Years 10-12 to allow students to study at higer levels.

The College also operates an Enhancement Studies program which provides the opportunity for high achieving  students to extend their learning in a particular subject area by completing the first year of a standard university unit as part of their Year 12 program. The enhancement subject will count as the sixth subject toward their ENTER score and in some cases gains credit for the subject during their first year of university.

Contact the This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information about the College's VCE Program.

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Vocational Education and Training

Vocational Education and Training programs in schools are nationally accredited training courses, which count as VCE Studies or form part of a VCAL program. On-the-job training at workplaces is an important part of the delivery for many of the courses. At Catholic College, a large number of senior students include a VET subject in their program of studies.

Students who successfully complete a VET course will be awarded a nationally accredited certificate. Most VET courses operate at the College, however smaller canditure courses may be operated with industry partners or through partnerships with other providers. Most VET courses take two years to complete the qualification.

Some popular VET courses which currently operate at the Catholic College include Allied Health, Beauty Therapy, Building and Construction,  Hairdressing, Hospitality, Music Industry and Sport and Recreation. From 2010, the College will operate certificates in Aviation (Flight Operation), General Construction and Laboratory Skills from the new Trade Training Centre.

Contact the This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for more  information about the College's VET Program.

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Careers Education

The Career Development Department at Catholic College is well resourced with a full-time, qualified Career Development Practitioner, Sandie McKoy, whose position is dedicated solely to the career education and development of students. Carmel O'Brien provides additional support to students with administration and work experience support.

Students undertake career development activities at each Year Level. Middle School students undertake the Real Game, volunteer work, self exploration of values, skills and identity and they undertake a job seeking skills program in Year 9.

Senior school students have access to career development programs such as work experience, schooll-based apprenticeships and traineeships, individualised pathway programs, volunteering and work placement.

All students have access to career development services such as career and course counselling, transition and pathway planning, vocational assessment, psychometric testing, up to date career development resources and information sessions.

A career information seminar for students in Years 9 - 12 is held each year in March and students are supported to attend local and state events such as the Year 10 Career Expo, the Year 11 and 12 Tertiary Information Seminar and Universities Open Days in August.

Career programs that are developed for students are benchmarked against the Australian Blueprint for Career Development, ensuring program content is national standard and is indicative of best practise.  

The Career Development Department works closely with local employment, apprenticeship, vocational education, tertiary education and industry organisations to ensure that students have access to appropriate transition support.

Sandie is the Vice President of the Albury Wodonga Career Advisers Association and also works closely with other career advisers to share resources and best practise.

Email Sandie McKoy - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   - for more information about the College's Careers Education Program.

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