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Introduction
The curriculum provided to students at St Norbert College recognises that our students have different learning needs and aspirations. We therefore offer a wide and varied curriculum suited to the needs of students who are University bound, TAFE bound, seeking an apprenticeship or employment on graduating from Year 12. This booklet outlines the range of courses, subjects and electives available at the College in 2009. It will help students and their parents decide on an appropriate set of subjects or courses of study to prepare them for future study or the world of work.
‘Nothing ever comes to one that is worth having except as a result of hard work!’
Booker T Washington
Year 10
Year 10 represents the transition year prior to entry to Years 11 and 12. Students in this year need to examine their career options and the pre-requisites they will require for Years 11 and 12. Therefore students commencing Year 10 need to set the highest standards they can for personal academic performance. Parents can assist by challenging their children to strive for excellence in their studies in order to maximise their potential and future choices.
Year 11
Year 11 is an academically important year and provides the foundation for study in Year 12. Research supports the fact that there is a strong correlation between performance in Year 11 and success in Year 12. During Year 11 students should also be ensuring that they have the necessary pre-requisites for courses and pathways after Year 12.
Year 12 Year 12 is academically a year of great significance. As the year is short it is crucial that students, from the beginning of the year, set realistic goals and have a good revision program. Year 12 should also be the one that completes their formation so that they are able to go into the world “prepared for all good works”.
In addition to this booklet, other sources of information that should be referred to when making a decision about next year are; • “Courses and Careers 2009 A guide for Year 10 students” - a TAFE publication. Each Year 10 student will receive a copy.
• The Curriculum Council website: www.curriculum.wa.edu.au.
• The TISC website: www.tisc.edu.au – this website also has links to the public universities.
Glossary of Terms
| CC | Curriculum Council | | COS | Course of Study | | NDA | University of Notre Dame Australia | | TAFE WA | Technical and Further Education Western Australia | | TEA | Tertiary Entrance Aggregate | | TEE | Tertiary Entrance Examination | | TER | Tertiary Entrance Rank | | TES | Tertiary Entrance Score | | TESS | Tertiary Entrance Scoring Subject | | TISC | Tertiary Institutions Service Centre | | VET | Vocational Education and Training | | WACE | Western Australian Certificate of Education | | WSA | Wholly School Assessed |
Factors to Consider In Selecting Subjects
Academic Ability
In order to achieve success in many Senior School courses, students need to have demonstrated a high degree of academic ability and achievement in courses from their previous year of study. Without this background, students invariably have difficulty with the course content. It is essential to take careful note of subject pre-requisites and teacher recommendations when selecting courses to study.
Interests
The course choice system gives students the opportunity to pursue their particular interests at whatever level they are able to perform.
Career and Aspirations
Whether planning to seek early employment, employment after Secondary Graduation or to continue with further studies (TAFE, University or other); students should choose subjects that will maximise their options for the future.
Students should also be aware that many TAFE qualifications could lead to University entry with advanced standing (i.e. a sufficiently high TER is not the only avenue to University entrance).
Types of Courses
All subjects or Courses of Study offered at the College are accredited Curriculum Council courses and will gain credit towards Secondary Graduation. Students in Year 12 aiming for University entrance in 2010 need to be aware that subjects now fall into 2 categories:
Category 1 Courses Of Study (COS)
Courses of Study will contribute to the requirements of the Western Australian Certificate of Education. They also count towards selection for TAFE and University. Assessment in Courses of Study will be determined by a combination of external assessment (TEE or WACE exam) and school assessment results.
Category 2 Tertiary Entrance Scoring Subjects (TESS)
These subjects, not yet phased in as courses of study, will contribute to a student’s Tertiary Entrance Aggregate (called Tertiary Entrance Score in 2007). A final score in these subjects is determined by a combination of external examination (TEE) and school assessment results.
Unacceptable Subject Combinations
Certain subject combinations are not acceptable in relation to the calculation of the TES. Both subjects may be taken but the result in only one may be used to calculate a TES. For the subjects offered at St Norbert College, the following combinations are unacceptable.
• Discrete Mathematics and Calculus
• Discrete Mathematics and Applicable Mathematics
Endorsed Programs
Endorsed programs offer students the opportunity to use workplace learning, VET stand alone and nationally accredited courses, University studies, community organisation and personal development programs to meet the completion requirement of the WA Certificate of Education (WACE). Students can be involved in any of these types of learning activities during or outside of school time through a variety of strategies.
Endorsed programs are given 'unit equivalence'. This effectively means that one or a combination of programs is considered equal to one unit of a WACE course. A maximum of ten unit equivalents can be counted towards the WACE. Endorsed programs are categorised into one of five types of learning.
• Workplace learning
• VET stand alone and nationally accredited courses
• University studies
• Community organisation
• Personal development
Equivalence is awarded in ‘units’ for workplace learning, VET stand alone and University studies.
In the community organisation and personal development categories, programs that are less than one unit equivalent will be awarded points. Five points is the equivalent of one unit. Points can be accumulated across categories over Years 10, 11 and 12. On exit from school, the points tallied will be converted to unit equivalents.
For more detailed information about endorsed programs, refer to section 3 of the WACE manual.
Western Australian Certificate of Education WACE Guidelines for 2009 - 2015
The table below provides a comparative overview of the WACE requirements for 2009 and beyond.
| | 2009 | 2010 - 2015 | | Subject/course/endorsed program completion | Complete at least 10 full year (or equivalent) subjects. Up to 50 per cent can be endorsed programs. A single course unit equivalent will count as a half subject equivalent. For every six course units at least one two-unit combination must be included | Complete at least 20 units, including at least three two-unit combinations Up to 50 per cent can be endorsed programs Completion of a full-year D or E code subject will equate to two course units. | | Subject/course/endorsed program achievement | Achieve an average of C grade or better in at least eight full year (or equivalent) subjects. At least four subjects/ equivalents must be at Year 12 level (E code). Up to three subject equivalents can be endorsed programs. Achievement of an industry specific VET course unit equates to a C grade | Achieve an average of a C grade or better across 10 course units from at least five courses/subject equivalents (at least three two-unit combinations must be included) Achievement of an industry specific VET course unit equates to a C grade Up to 10 unit equivalents of endorsed programs can be included to reduce this load to six course units from three courses (endorsed programs do not count toward the C grade average). | | English language competence | Complete four units from an English course (two units must be studied in the final year of schooling) or subject equivalent. Meet the language competence standard, as defined by work samples or pass the English language competency test | Complete four units from an English course (two units must be studied in the final year of schooling) Meet the language competence standard*, as defined by work samples or pass the English language competency test. | | Breadth of Study | Include all 13 overarching learning outcomes in an overall program of study | In their final WACE year (Year 12), at least one course from each of list A (arts/languages/social science) and list B (Mathematics/ science/technology). The new lists are similar to those previously required for the tertiary entrance rank (TER). Council acknowledges that the breadth requirement may also constrain the course selection of students taking a vocational pathway. Council has agreed to waive this requirement for students in their final year of senior secondary schooling whose study program comprises 50 per cent of endorsed programs, including VET. | | Community service | Complete 20 hours of community service | Complete 20 hours of community service | | Examination | WACE courses: all students in their final year who are enrolled in stage 2 or 3 units sit the exam (unless exempt) TEE subjects: optional exam | WACE courses: All students in their final year who are enrolled in stage 2 or 3 units sit the exam (unless exempt) |
Statement of Results
A Statement of Results will be issued to all students at the end of Year 11 and also at the end of Year 12.
The Statement of Results will record the following types of achievements:
- Grades achieved in Year 11 and/or Year 12 Curriculum Council Accredited Courses (A, B, C, D, E).
- Grades achieved in Courses of Study
- Whether Curriculum Council English Language competence has been achieved.
- Whether Secondary Graduation has been achieved.
- Awards associated with Secondary Graduation (such as the Certificate of Excellence).
- National Training Modules.
- Endorsed Programs and credit received.
- WACE exam results from 2008 (or TEE Results prior to 2008).
Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER); Tertiary Entrance Aggregate (TEA)
The Tertiary Entrance Rank is the basis of admission to most University courses. You are ranked in order of merit based on your TER.
What is the TER?
The TER ranges between zero and 99.95. It reports your rank relative to all other WA students of Year 12 School leaving age and takes into account the number of students with a Tertiary Entrance Aggregate (TEA) as well as the number of people of Year 12 School leaving age in the population of this state. A TER of 75.00 indicates that you have an overall rating equal to or better than 75% of the Year 12 School leaving age population in Western Australia.
The TER is derived from the Tertiary Entrance Aggregate (TEA). The 2010 TEA will be calculated by adding the best four or five scaled scores in Stage 2 or 3 Units and remaining E Code TEE subjects, providing that for school candidates, at least two different units of the Course have been completed. No course can be counted more than once.
In calculating the scaled score for TER courses, equal weight is given to the final school score and the final examination score, except where courses are taken on a private basis.
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