Senior Pathways
Information Hub

This site contains details of Senior School Pathways subjects that may be offered to students attending St Mary of the Angels Secondary College and Nathalia Secondary College. 

The details given for each unit are as accurate as possible at the time of finalisation (which can be found on the footer of each page). It may be necessary to change some of these details if course requirements or subject teachers change. 

Each subject page lists a contact teacher you can see if you want to find out more details about any unit. Note that the listed contact teacher will not necessarily be the person who teaches the subject next year but act only as a reference and someone to filter questions applicable to the subject. Not all subjects will be taught, depending on student selections. Final decisions about which subjects will be offered will not be made until Term 4 after students have selected their subjects. 

St Mary of the Angels Secondary College and Nathalia Secondary College share a number of Senior School subjects. This means that St Mary of the Angels Secondary College students may attend classes at Nathalia Secondary College and that students from Nathalia Secondary College attend classes at St Mary of the Angels Secondary College. This cooperative arrangement (shared provision) between the two schools leads to an increased subject offering  and timetable flexibility for all students.

Where a subject is not offered or not run at either St Mary of the Angels or Nathalia Secondary, students may apply to study the subject through Virtual School Victoria  (vsv.vic.edu.au). It should be noted that there are considerable implications that should be taken into account before deciding to apply for study through distance education:

• Course cost will be part subsidised by the College. In 2025, the course cost to the family for a VCE unit sequence through distance education was $405.

• Students need to be able to work independently with high levels of self-motivation.

• Students need to have effective organisational skills and the ability to self-manage their workload.

• Students need to be able to seek assistance, as required, in a timely manner.

• Students need to be proficient at technology - internet, email, webex.

Applications to study a VCE unit sequence through Virtual School Victoria should be made to the Deputy Principal - Learning and Professional Practice in Term 4.

You must decide on your own future. Nobody else can decide it for you!

The following are some steps to consider in making your decision:

• Consider which subjects you are best at and which ones interest you most. These are the subjects in which you are likely to work hardest and achieve the best results.

• Ask for advice from your current teachers about how well you might cope.

• Talk to people already involved in occupations that interest you.

• Talk to your parents about the range of possible careers and courses for you.

• Go to one or more of the Open Days for Tertiary Institutions during Term 3.

• Go and see the Pathways Leader at the school.

• Go and see the Pathways Leader to discuss VET options and possibilities.

• Talk to older students who have done the subjects you are considering.

• Look up written information (such as VTAC Publications. Job Guides) available at school.

• Consult computer databases (such as Course Scan, VTAC Course Search) which allow you to find and compare many different types of jobs.

• If you intend going on to University, TAFE or another tertiary institution you need to consider whether they have prerequisite or recommended VCE Units.

• Use only current information VICTER (Victorian Tertiary Entrance Requirements).

St Mary of the Angels Secondary College and Nathalia Secondary College have contributed to and benefitted from a unique partnership model of education since 1978. 

The Colleges' partnership has enabled a broadening of the VCE curriculum both in terms of the range and number of classes it can offer students. 

More recently, the opening of the Trade Training Centres has expanded VET options for our students. We currently offer a range of VET (Vocational Education Training) subjects offered across St Mary of the Angels Secondary College, Nathalia Secondary College and St Augustine’s College Kyabram.

These partnerships have been and remain vital for their contribution to the quality and range of education options we can offer students which are comparable to schools much larger than ourselves.

When deciding what subjects to complete in your senior years, students have many options from which to choose. We endeavour to meet the needs of all students and to ensure this we continue to expand our Senior School Pathways Program which involve Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Victorian Certificate of Education Vocational Major (VCE VM). A student can choose the following pathways:

Complete a VCE Certificate made up totally of school-based subjects.

Mary is keen to achieve a high ATAR score to receive entry to the university course for her choice. She decides to complete a VCE level 3 & 4 subject while in Year 11. This means she has 6 level 3 & 4 subjects that can be counted towards her ATAR score.

Complete a VCE Certificate combined with a VET Certificate (equivalent to a TAFE Certificate).

Fred is interested in electronics and thinks the range of VCE subjects offered does not give him much opportunity to develop his interest in this area. He chooses to do a Certificate II in Electronics combined with his VCE. He does 5 VCE subjects and Electronics modules. The VET certificate gives him a 10% increment in his ATAR score. It is possible for students to combine VCE with other options and still cope with the workload because the board of studies recognises work done in a part-time apprenticeship or a VET Certificate and allows students to count it towards their VCE.

Complete a VCE VM Certificate

James prefers hands on learning and is interested in developing personal skills that are important for life and work. He wishes to focus on an applied learning pathway to prepare for an apprenticeship, traineeship or employment. His choice to study VCE VM which gives him work related experience and training in addition to literacy, numeracy and personal development skills, in addition to his VET course. If he chooses he could also study a VCE subject as part of his VCE VM certificate.

VCE VM is flexible. The learning program may include VCE VM, VCE and VET units that meet national and state quality requirements. Fully accredited modules and units are selected from VCE VM’s four compulsory strands: Literacy and Numeracy Skills, Work Related Skills, Industry Specific Skills, Personal Development Skills. 

You can gain recognition and credit for part-time work while enrolled in VCE VM.

The pathways included below are very broad in their presentation. If you have a specific pathway in mind it is recommended that you see the Pathways Coordinator or refer to the VICTER (Victorian Tertiary EntranceRequirements) Guide for specific information and to determine the prerequisite subjects needed for selection.

Point of Reference: VICTER (Victorian Tertiary Entrance Requirements) GUIDE

Courscan: It is highly recommended that ALL students complete a Courscan with the Pathways Coordinator. This program will allow you to plug in the subjects that you intend to complete in Years 11 & 12 and then matches these subjects with the University and TAFE courses that maybe an option for you. The other beauty of the Courscan program is that if you cannot decide between subjects it shows you what University or TAFE courses you will lose or gain depending in your selection.