Contact person: Mrs Lucas
English in Years 9 and 10 develops skills to enable students to experiment with ideas and expression and to become active, independent learners. Through responding to a wide variety of texts and composing their own texts, students learn about the power, value and strength of the English language for communication, knowledge and pleasure.
Students will experience and respond to a variety of styles of texts including novels, poetry, drama, non-fiction, film, media and multimedia. They will explore texts that include literature from both past and contemporary societies, developing skills to appreciate, question and challenge these texts. In their own compositions students will develop skills in the creation of both imaginative and analytical texts.
Student achievement in Stage 5 will be based upon both classwork and across form assessment tasks. Those students who perform at the highest level will be given the opportunity to apply for Advanced and Extension English in Year 11.
English in Stage 5 will prepare students to take their place as confident, articulate communicators, critical and imaginative thinkers and active participants in society.
Contact person: Mr Chittick
In Years 9 and 10, students are placed in one of three courses depending on their ability. The three courses are Stage 5.3 (Advanced), Stage 5.2 (Intermediate) and Stage 5.1 (Standard). In Stage 5 Mathematics students continue to build on their skills in each of the strands (Working Mathematically, Number, Patterns and Algebra, Data, Measurement, Space and Geometry).
The depth of study incorporating the process of questioning, reflecting, reasoning and proof depends on the course of Mathematics being studied. Students will be given the opportunity to solve meaningful and challenging problems in both familiar and unfamiliar contexts to develop their “mathematical thinking, understanding, competence and confidence in the application of mathematics.”
Assessment is carried out by class or course assignments, tests and formal examinations.
It is important to note that:
a scientific calculator is essential (These are available from the front office at a cost of $20.)
the level of Mathematics studied in Years 9 and 10 may affect or limit a student’s choice of Mathematics course for the HSC
Contact person: Mrs Woolnough
Stage 5 Geography explores the people, places and environments that make our world unique, while investigating the issues that will influence the lives of future generations.
Students examine real-world topics to develop the knowledge and skills to understand an increasingly interconnected world. Through geographical inquiry, students analyse maps, graphs, statistics, satellite imagery and other spatial technologies to investigate patterns, trends and contemporary issues.
Students demonstrate their learning through a combination of two formal assessment tasks and a variety of classroom investigations and activities. They are supported by engaging, in-house resources created by our Geography teachers, helping every student build confidence, develop practical skills and achieve their best.
The topics covered in Stage 5 are shown below.
Contact person: Mrs Woolnough
History is the story of people and the choices they made.
History students investigate the lives of people and the events they lived through, using different sources and artefacts to piece together the past. This allows us to look at our world today with an understanding of how events have unfolded over time. Year 9 and 10 History explores Australia’s history and our place in the world since 1901.
Students are assessed through two formal assessment tasks across the semester, supported by ongoing class work that allows them to build and demonstrate their historical knowledge, skills and understanding.
Students benefit from a comprehensive suite of in-house learning resources, carefully developed by our History teachers to support understanding, build confidence and maximise success.
The topics covered in Stage 5 are shown below.
Contact person: Mrs Brown
The focus of this course is to allow students to develop their own personal wellbeing, enjoy an active lifestyle, maximise movement potential and advocate lifelong health and physical activity. The students are encouraged to adopt a healthy, active and fulfilling lifestyle by developing skills in communicating, decision making, interacting, moving, planning and problem solving.
Personal Development and Health is concerned with enhancing each student’s sense of self, improving their ability to manage challenging circumstances and to develop caring and respectful relationships. It assists students to take action to protect, promote and restore individual and community health.
Physical Education allows for students to develop individual and teamwork abilities through the medium of movement. Students are offered opportunities to participate in a variety of physical experiences.
Assessment is conducted using a range of methods including: presentations, group work, written reports, topic tests, research projects, self-assessment, peer assessment and physical performances. Year 10 has a formal assessment schedule with common tasks across the year group.
Equipment required: Sports uniform, laptop, pens and pencils.
Contact person: Mr Curry
This Stage 5 Science course builds on the concepts and language taught in Years 7 and 8. Students will be asked to become involved in, and ask questions about, simple and complex systems that lead to a greater understanding of how our world works. They will be introduced to the development of technologies to investigate problems. Concepts that they will study include: electrical energy, atoms and chemical reactions, response to disease, plate tectonics and natural disasters, genetics and evolution, astronomy, ecosystems, waves and energy transfer, and the physics of vehicle motion and safety.
As well as undertaking practical experiences conducted in class time students are to undertake a variety of research projects and hands-on practical investigations at home called ‘student research project’.
In Year 9, students are assessed within their classes and across their Year group by common assessment tasks. Year 10 has a formal assessment procedure involving a number of across the course/year tasks.