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Click to download pdf version

Curriculum Policy

OVERVIEW

• Introduction

• The Award of the School Certificate

• Requirements for Award of Higher School Certificate

• Distance Education

• Course Selections

• Changing Courses

• Assessment of Student Achievement

• Assessment Procedures Years 7 – 9

• Assessment Procedures Year 10

• Assessment Procedures Years 11 and 12

• School Review of HSC Assessments

• Examinations

• Literacy Across the Curriculum

• Numeracy Across the Curriculum

• Accelerated Progression

• Gifted and Talented Policy

• Special Needs

• Special Education

• General Life Skills ~ Careers Stage 5 – Years 9/10

• Learning Information Centre

• Homework

INTRODUCTION

The formal curriculum at St Joseph's College is the means by which we attempt to realise the goals of the College. An essential part of the curriculum policy is a commitment to life long education; learning to learn, a commitment to a sense of community, to the Gospel values and to the education of the whole person. Coupled with this is a commitment to the investigation of learning modalities and a need to address the teaching and learning environments challenging and engaging students in the pursuit of excellence in an ever changing world.

Thus the curriculum at St Joseph's aims to provide students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to address and participate in life, Church and society.

The curriculum of the College is founded on the beliefs that:

• There is a Christian concept of life which places fundamental emphasis on the dignity and equality of every person;
• Jesus reveals God and provides the model for life;
• Religious development is central to human development;
• Every student is uniquely individual and is to be given a diverse range of opportunities to grow spiritually, emotionally, physically, intellectually and creatively;
• A wide range of learning abilities and interests must be recognised and attended to;
• Development of moral and spiritual values, beliefs, attitudes and relationships is a prime focus of teaching and learning;
• The informal curriculum is as significant as the formal curriculum in promoting each student's development;
• The development of a love of learning and a desire for learning on the part of each student is a primary task for educators.

The College curriculum provides a course of study in each of the eight key learning areas in accordance with the requirements of the School Certificate as outlined by the Board of Studies in the Education Reform Act.

The Education Reform Act of 1990 states:

All students will be provided with a broad, balanced, quality, contemporary curriculum which takes into account the needs of students of differing abilities and backgrounds and seeks to provide for all students an enriching school experience which develops their potential.

KEY LEARNING AREAS:

1. Religious Education
2. English
3. Mathematics
4. Science
5. HSIE (Human Society and Its Environment)
6. TAS (Technological and Applied Studies)
7. PD/H/PE (Personal Development, Health and Physical Education)
8. CAPA/LOTE (Creative and Performing Arts/Languages Other than English)

Board Developed Courses Years 710 (Stages 4 and 5) at St Joseph’s College by Key Learning Area and Content Endorsed Courses

           

English	Mathematics	Science	Technologic	Human	Personal	Creative	Languages
			al and Applied Studies	Society and Its Environment	Developmen t Health and Physical	Arts	Other Than English
					Education
English	Mathematics Years 78 Mathematics Years 910 (Stages 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3)	Science	Technology (Years 78) Information & Software Technology Food Technology	Commerce Geography History Catholic Studies	Personal Development, Health & Physical Education Physical Activity & Sports Studies	Drama Music Visual Arts Photographic & Digital Media	French
			Graphics Technology
			Industrial TechnologyMultimedia
			Industrial TechnologyTimber

COURSES FOR THE HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE ON OFFER AT ST JOSEPH’S COLLEGE

 

Subjects	Courses	Extension Courses
Ancient History Biology Business Studies Chemistry Community & Family Studies Drama Economics English Food Technology Geography Industrial Technology Information Processes & Technology Legal Studies Mathematics Modern History Music Personal Development, Health & Physical Education Physics Senior Science Studies of Religion Visual Arts	Ancient History Biology Business Studies Chemistry Community & Family Studies Drama Economics English Standard English Advanced Fundamentals of English Food Technology Geography Industrial Technology Information Processes & Technology Legal Studies General Mathematics Mathematics Modern History Music 1 Personal Development, Health & Physical Education Physics Senior Science Studies of Religion I (1 Unit) Studies of Religion II (2 Units) Visual Arts	HSC History Extension Preliminary English Extension HSC English Extension 1 HSC English Extension 2 Preliminary Mathematics Extension HSC Mathematics Extension 1 HSC Mathematics Extension 2 HSC History Extension
	Languages
French	French Beginners French Continuers	HSC French Extension

 

Board Developed (School or TAFE Delivered) VET Courses
Accounting	Accounting
VET Curriculum Frameworks
Automotive Business Services Electrotechnology Information Technology Retail Hospitality	Business Services (120 hours) Business Services (240 hours)* Information Technology (120 hours) Information Technology (180 hours) Information Technology (240 hours)* Retail Operations (120 hours) Retail Operations (240 hours) * Hospitality Operations (120 hours) Hospitality Operations (240 hours)*	Business Services Extension (60 120 hours) Retail Operations – General Selling (60 hours) Retail Operations – Fresh Food Selling (60 hours) Retail Operations – Clerical Administrative (60 hours) Hospitality Extension (60 hours)
Tourism
Board Endorsed Courses
Exploring Early Childhood	Exploring Early Childhood (1 Unit) Exploring Early Childhood (2 Units)
Sport, Lifestyle & Recreation	Sport, Lifestyle & Recreation (1 Unit) Sport, Lifestyle & Recreation (2 Units)
Photography & Digital Imaging	Photography (1 Unit)
Life Skills
English Mathematics Personal Development, Health and Physical Education Citizenship and Society Science Creative Arts Technological and Applied Studies Work and Training	English Life Skills Mathematics Life Skills Personal Development, Health and Physical Education Life Skills Citizenship and Society Life Skills Science Life Skills Creative Arts Life Skills Technological and Applied Studies Life Skills Work and Training Life Skills

Note:

1. Fundamentals of English is a Preliminary course and is not examinable for the Higher School Certificate. It can only be studied in conjunction with either English Standard or English (ESL). It may be studied in Year 11 or Year 12 or both Years 11 and 12.
2. Courses in the VET Curriculum Frameworks can be studied as Preliminary and/or HSC courses. For the VET courses marked with an asterisk (*) in the table above an optional written examination will be offered for the Higher School Certificate.
3. Students studying both Ancient History and Modern History may undertake one HSC History Extension course only.

Vocational Education and Training Courses (VET) VET Courses can be studied as a part of Stage 6. Some VET courses are available at St Joseph’s College eg. Hospitality and Retail Operations whilst others are available through local TAFE institutions or local high schools. Senior students studying TAFE outside the school timetable usually leave normal classes during Period 5 on a Monday and travel to Kingscliff or Murwillumbah TAFE. Some VET Courses are flexibly delivered or delivered during a whole day at TAFE (eg. Construction 4 Unit). Lists of students involved in VET courses outside of the College timetable are available from the Careers Advisor.

THE AWARD OF THE SCHOOL CERTIFICATE

Requirements for the award of the School Certificate are available on the NSW Board of Studies website www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au in the Assessment Certification and Examination Manual (ACE Manual). A hard copy of the ACE Manual is available from the Curriculum Coordinator. Students who are not satisfying a School Certificate course may be sent warning letters (See appendix).

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE AND RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT

Requirements for the award of the Higher School Certificate are available on the NSW Board of Studies website www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au in the Assessment Certification and Examination Manual (ACE Manual). A hard copy of the ACE Manuel is available from the Curriculum Coordinator. Students who are not

satisfying requirements in either Preliminary or HSC Courses may be sent warning letters (See appendix).

DISTANCE EDUCATION

Students who wish to access courses not offered at St Joseph’s College can study through Distance Education eg. Southern Cross School of Distance Education, OTEN or via the Lismore Diocese Online Courses. Any student considering this mode of study must be well organised, highly motivated and have good reasons for pursuing courses by this method. The Curriculum Coordinator will interview students and liaise with parents to determine a student’s eligibility to study in this mode. The Curriculum Coordinator will monitor the workload of students and their commitment to courses.

COURSE SELECTIONS

Year 7 ~ study Catholic Studies, English, Mathematics, Science, HSIE, PD/H/PE, Music, Art and Technology.

Year 8 ~ continue to study courses commenced in Year 7. 100 hours of French is studied throughout Year 8 to meet the Language Other Than English requirements set by the Board of Studies.

Years 9 – 10 ~ study Catholic Studies, English, Mathematics, Science, HSIE, PD/H/PE and two elective choices. The process of choosing electives for Year 9 begins late Term 2 in Year 8. Students normally continue their chosen electives into Year 10. Year 10 students become involved in the process for subject selections for the senior school late Term 2/early Term 3. The Curriculum Coordinator and Deputy Principal are responsible for the subject selection process.

Year 11 ~ Courses selected during Year 10 are commenced, culminating in the Preliminary HSC at the end of Term 3. All students at St Joseph’s College must study Religion as part of their pattern of study.

Year 12 ~ Most students continue with the pattern of study commenced in Year 11. Students wishing to alter their pattern of study must meet with the Curriculum Coordinator to discuss possibilities.

CHANGING COURSES

Students must meet with the Curriculum Coordinator to discuss patterns of study before any change of course can be considered. No student will be admitted to an alternative class or deleted from a class list unless signed documentation is sighted. The Application to Alter Senior Student Pattern of Study (see appendix) is completed by Year 11 and 12 students – these forms are available from the Curriculum Coordinator. Years 9 and 10 students will meet with the Curriculum Coordinator if they wish to alter elective courses. A Subject Transfer Form, available from the Curriculum Coordinator, is completed for Year 9 and 10 elective changes (See appendix).

ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

Assessment is used at St Joseph's College as a process of gathering information in order to make judgements and to give information about a student's achievement. Assessment is seen as an integral part of each course of study and is linked closely with the course's Aims, Objectives and Outcomes.

ASSESSMENT POLICY

At St Joseph’s College, Tweed Heads we believe assessment should:

• Be conducted regularly on a formal and informal basis.
• Be integral to the teaching and learning program.
• Be reflected in the reporting process – on a semester basis.
• Enable students to be clear about what they are expected to know and do.
• Provide students with adequate notice to prepare for the assessment.
• Reflect the outcomes of the teaching and learning of the course/unit/module.
• Be conducted in an environment which allows students to perform at their optimum level.
• Be varied according to the specific needs of subjects and syllabus requirements.
• Incorporate the preparation of the task, the administration, marking, feedback and evaluation components of the task.
• Allow for students to receive meaningful feedback about their performance and progress.
• Allow teachers to reflect on their teaching practice and to modify where necessary their approaches to the teaching and learning process.
• Permit teachers to make consistent judgements about student performance.
• Teachers should exercise professional judgement where necessary to determine final gradings for students. An ‘onbalance’ judgement of student performance relative to defined standards should be employed.
• Use a variety of task types to incorporate the learning styles of all learners.

NOTIFICATION OF UNSATISFACTORY PROGRESS

Students who are not showing commitment in the areas of classwork, homework, assessments and equipment will have a note written into the student diary. If the student commitment remains unaltered, the unsatisfactory progress is followed up with Unsatisfactory in a School Certificate Course letter and, if necessary, an “N” Award in that subject. Senior students not satisfying requirements will be sent an Unsatisfactory Progress in a HSC Course letter. These warnings letters are posted to the student’s parents/carers.

Years 10-12 students who do not complete a formal assessment task by the due date and have not submitted an Assessment Variation Form to explain such, will receive zero mark and a Zero Mark Letter posted home. Students in Years 79 who do not complete a formal assessment by the due date and have no explanation written in the College Diary will receive a zero mark and a Zero Mark Letter posted home. Students receiving Zero Mark Letters are to report to the Library after school until the task is completed and submitted.

STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Students with special needs will be treated according to guidelines published by the Board of Studies.

Depending on the circumstance, special arrangements will be made for these students at the time of specific School Certificate assessment tasks in Year 10 and formal assessment tasks in the senior school.

REPORTING

Students and parents will receive regular reports on student achievement in each course of study. Term reports are issued at the end of Term 1 and Term 3 and Semester Reports at the end of each semester.

Levels of achievemen