Catalyst • Junior Secondary Curriculum • Handbook 2021
Junior Secondary – what is it?
The junior secondary program at Guildford
Grammar School aligns with the early adolescent
learning phase of development.
At this time, students begin to develop strong social
networks and start to show independence, both
personally and in their learning. By establishing a
junior secondary teaching and learning program, the
School can cater for the unique academic, social and
developmental needs of students of this age.
The Guildford Grammar School junior secondary
teaching program has been structured around the
secondary school model of specialist teachers and
a strong student-centred approach to teaching and
learning. Offering students significant choice in what
they study as part of their academic program is also a
key element to our Year 7-9 program.
The emphasis on secondary schooling, rather
than middle schooling, is an important distinction
for our school. As a concept, middle schooling is
often promoted as a bridge between primary and
secondary education. As an experience, it is most
often found to simply be an extension of
primary school.
We believe that students in the middle school years
have a great deal of intrinsic curiosity. They yearn to
be challenged and are ready to have the educational
flexibility to pursue their individual talents and interests.
In response to this need, we have developed the
concept of junior secondary; a program of learning that
is appropriately challenging and flexible for students
in Years 7, 8 and 9, but one that capitalises on the
specialisation that only a secondary school system can
provide. Rather than being taught by a general, middleschool
teacher, when your child chooses Media Film
Production in Year 7, they will be taught by the same
teacher who teaches the subject in Year 12. What’s
more, the class will be the Media Lab, not the room in
which he or she learns English.
In approaching learning through the junior secondary
model, students experience the very best opportunities
to explore problems and challenges in an academically
rich environment.
Actioning learning:
engagement through choice, relevance and rigour
Our Year 7-9 curriculum is designed to offer students
significant breadth in their academic program,
exposing them to rich learning experiences across
all major disciplines. Students also have significant
choice in what they study throughout their junior
secondary experience. In each semester every student
will study two Discovery courses of their own choice.
So a student with a strong interest in technology and
design who is also increasingly curious about business
and finance may choose to study both the Engineering
and Small Business Project courses.
It is this unique structure that enables us to focus on
skills and understandings important for all students
whilst still offering them the flexibility to pursue
subjects that align with their interests, passions and
academic strengths.
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The concept of ‘learning by doing’ is also a key tenet
of our Catalyst model. Positive learning outcomes are
realised when students see relevance in what they are
learning and are invested in a proactive way in the
learning experience. The opportunity for our students
to engage in student-centred projects that challenge
each student to explore the curriculum in interesting
and meaningful ways provides another opportunity
for them to better understand their unique skills and
talents and grow their love of learning.
Through our junior secondary model we continue to
demonstrate our commitment to providing a rigorous,
relevant and diverse education that empowers all
students to reach their potential.