Year 9 Core Program

The Year 9 Centre offers a ‘real life educational experience’ that is outward-looking and expansive, connecting our students to the wider world of knowledge, ideas and experiences that exists beyond our gates. The Year 9 Centre is based on providing Personalised Inquiry Learning which is student centred and negotiated. It involves students identifying and resolving complex inquiry/s. The rigor is real as many of the tasks are real. Motivation is increased as students have more control of their own learning. In 2025 students have options to develop research projects around such themes as ‘Melbourne – What role can I play?’, ‘My Life: Making Choices that are right for me’, and a ‘Passion Project’ highlighting individual passions. A central part of the program is based on interactions with the local community by providing options for students to participate in community based activities that benefit both the students and the community. 

Explicit skill teaching is still a central part of the program to prepare students for the rigor of the senior years of schooling. Research shows this style of learning to be very successful both in Australia and internationally, particularly for students at this age. It involves large blocks of time over which the student has direct control of what they do and how they choose to meet negotiated outcomes and time lines. Programs of this nature typically show improved attendance, performance, engagement and motivation by participating students.

In 2026, the Year 9 Centre will operate for 3 sessions per week. The other 16 sessions are made up of core studies in English, Mathematics, Science, Physical Education and Humanities and their three electives per semester. All research inquiry activities or projects the student undertakes will require components of these core subjects to be completed.