Year 11 Course Handbook 2021 | Page 2

Introduction Guildford Grammar School is committed to ensuring that all students work to achieve personal excellence. As they move into the final two years of their formal schooling, it is vital that students are guided into a choice of courses which will enable them to enjoy working to their strengths, which will challenge but not exceed their capacity, and which will equip them with the qualifications and skills they need to pursue their careers and ambitions after they leave school. This handbook is part of that process. For each course offered, clear information is provided and a contact person who is best placed to give further, detailed advice is listed. All Year 10 students and parents will be guided and advised about their proposed course selections by their Mentor, Head of House and the Careers Advisor. The first consideration of any parent and student is the achievement of a WACE Certificate (“secondary graduation”). Further details of the requirements related to Graduation are outlined on page 4. The appropriate selection of courses is crucial to ensure success. To leave school, without Secondary Graduation, means fewer education or training opportunities exist post Year 12. All students in Year 11 study six courses. To graduate, students are required to achieve seven C grades in Year 11 and 12 units. At least 3 of these C grades must be achieved in Year 12. We initially offer students a free choice of courses. From these preliminary selections, we construct a timetable which gives the maximum number of students their chosen combination. This inevitably means that some students need to change their initial choices. For this reason no student can be guaranteed their initial choice. Formal prerequisites are given for entry into some courses. These are carefully chosen, based on what we know about each course and indicators of success we have found over the years. All students must choose at least one English course and one Mathematics course. (Some students may choose the Mathematics Specialist course which must be taken in conjunction with Mathematics Methods). Students then choose four other courses according to their interests, aptitudes, and career goals. You will receive teacher recommendations regarding the subjects they should select, based on their grades achieved at the end of Semester 1. Year 10 students should discuss their course choices with you and choices should be entered online between Monday 20 July and Sunday 26 July. If you have a query about a course, please contact the relevant person listed in the handbook. If you would like a careers interview with your son or daughter before the subject selection meeting, please call our Careers Advisor Ms Celine Noort on (08) 9377 8553. If you have any questions about the course selection process, please contact me on [email protected] We look forward to working with you as the students enter the exciting and important last two years of their secondary education at Guildford Grammar School. Dr Julie Harris Director of Teaching and Learning 2