UPPER SCHOOL
MR TIM RAYNER HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL
CHOOSING AN EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY
SEMESTER 2 BRINGS OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOYS TO SELECT THEIR SUBJECTS OF INTEREST
While I would not say that every boy in the School welcomed the return of Semester Examinations in June , it was evident that a great many boys rose to the challenge and did their best . A testament , perhaps , of the perseverance and willingness to put the COVID years behind them . With Year 11 having examinations covering six days , and Years 9 and 10 having examinations covering four days , it is a time when all parties need to be focused and organised .
Organising a schedule , writing papers , and supervising over 700 boys , after a two-year hiatus , was a challenge . Mr Woolacott , Dean of Studies , was front and centre in ensuring the whole experience worked like clockwork , but the boys did their part too ; arriving on time and following our expectations to the letter . Our Centre for Learning ( CFL ) also played an important role in supporting boys . Without the care and diligence of our CFL staff , led by Ms Herbert , many boys would not get the opportunity to perform on a level playing field . Such experiences , for teachers and boys alike , make the holidays that little more fulfilling and enjoyable !
Another certainty of school life is subject selection , and having the opportunity to choose an educational pathway is extremely important . Semester 2 brings opportunities for boys to select their subjects of interest and find a pathway that could lead to a university course or occupation . Being a big school does bring certain advantages in regards to the large suite of subjects we can offer . In Years 9 and 10 , the choice of elective subjects is very broad , from Robotics to Philosophy , Renaissance and Reformation to Environmental Science – there really are lots of subjects to choose from , and boys are encouraged to explore subjects that take their fancy . It also means boys are exposed to a variety of teachers , with differing teaching styles , as well as working with boys they may never have spoken to before . This broadening of experiences is beneficial for future learning as it builds resilience and flexibility .
Of course , our curriculum dictates that we have a core number of subjects that all boys have to study . In Years 9-10 all boys have to study English , Mathematics , a language , and History , as well
as Christian Education and Physical Education . The latter two subjects are a School requirement throughout a boy ’ s time at Scotch . Again , due to the fact we are a large school that values languages , we offer boys the choice of Indonesian , Chinese , French , German and Italian . In fact , 31 per cent of Year 12 boys studied a VCE language at Scotch last year .
At Victorian Certificate of Education ( VCE ) level , a requirement when choosing subjects is that one subject has to be an English subject , which includes English , Literature , English as an additional Language ( EAL ) and English Language . No wonder getting the right advice from teachers and Careers practitioners is important – there are so many choices , but also the broader requirements for studying at VCE level do need explaining , which is why we put a good deal of time into providing information to families and boys .
We encourage boys to select subjects they enjoy , but also to select subjects they find both challenging and interesting . If they do that , then they are at least on the road to doing their best , and that ’ s as much as we can ask .
22 Great Scot Issue 166 – September 2022