Course Selection
To enter your subject preferences, there are three key steps that must be completed. Ensure you read below carefully to ensure you don't miss a vital step.
Stage 1: Course planning.
Our Senior Pathways Guide (this website) has been designed to give students and families as much information as possible to establish a well informed pathway plan. As a general checklist, students are encouraged to complete the following before moving ahead to Stage 2.
Browse this site and ensure you have discussed post school destinations and the senior certificates required to get there.
Select at least 2-3 post school destinations that engage and motivate the student.
Identify and choose the most appropriate senior certificate (also consider if VET might be an appropriate or necessary addition).
Browse subject choices and consider any necessary pre-requisite subjects or requirements for tertiary entrance.
Consult with teachers and careers staff to clarify questions.
Log in to Edval Choice to select some DRAFT subject preferences.
Personalised emails are sent to each student in years 9-11 via their school email account. The email contains their unique webcode and a link to the Edval Choice webpage.
Stage 2: Course Selection
After completing Stage 1, the College timetabling team will close web choices and refine the subject offerings based on student choices. Some classes may be cancelled or new choices added based on the draft choices selected by students. The key steps for course selection include:
Students should have a draft COURSE PLAN signed off by a Year Level Coordinator before making a COURSE SELECTION.
Note that fees are indicative only and are provided for family budgeting purposes only, confirmed fees are customized each year, once course selection is completed.
1:1 family appointments can be scheduled where additional support and clarity is needed to help students understand and complete course selection.
Once submitted, students should retain a copy of their COURSE SELECTION receipt and await their COURSE OFFER.
Stage 3: Course Offer
Once course selection closes, our team will immediately start timetabling for the next school year. This can be a long and arduous process, so your patience is appreciated. We will always aim to provide a personalized course offer to each student before the end of term 3, although the timeline remains flexible depending on the complexity of each cohorts choices. Key points for the COURSE OFFER stage include:
Students will be provided with a COURSE OFFER before the end of term 3 wherever possible, after all course selections are reviewed and processed.
Students will be granted a 2 week window to request changes. Changes can be requested by obtaining a SUBJECT CHANGE FORM from Mr McGee and returning it to him ASAP.
Once students are satisfied that the offer is complete, it should be signed by both student and a parent/carer before being returned to the admin office.
The admin team will use this signed offer to prepare student fee statements in order to confirm course placements.
Families should plan to have adequate funds available to complete course confirmation early in term 4.
How does the preference system for course offers work?
a. Course offers are developed based on a preference system. Complex algorithms are used to provide the best possible combination of student preferences, within the bounds of class size, staffing and specialist room requirements.
b. Priority 1 is given to year 12 students continuing a year 11 course of study.
c. Priority 2 is given to year 11 students continuing VCE Access programs and all other year VCE and VCE-VM programs (including year 10 VCE Access courses).
d. Priority 3 is given to all year 10 courses, starting from preference 1.
e. NOTE: our program is customised every year to accommodate each individual cohort of students.
Stage 4: Course Confirmation
Having completed all of the planning for a senior pathway, families must now confirm the students course. Parents/Carers should ensure their Compass access and notifications are up to date, as students are NOT notified when a course confirmation request is sent to parents. The key steps for course confirmation include:
Parents should ensure they have Compass login credentials and can access the portal.
Altona College will send a notification to each family, including the following:
a. User agreements and general permissions for the following school year
b. Subject list and associated fees
c. Options for payment in full or payment plan
Once confirmed with a payment arrangement started, students will be placed into classes.
CAUTION: No student is guaranteed placement in a class until Course Confirmation has been completed by the parent/carer.
Stage 5: Timetable
Once course confirmations are finalised, our team will populate classes and finalise the timetable. Again, this is a customised process completed each year, depending on staff availability, student choices and room requirements. The task is arduous, so please be patient.
Timetables will be loaded into COMPASS over the school holidays and will be available to students at least one week prior to the commencement of the school year.