Year 7 - 9 Subjects

Mathematics

Year 7 Mathematics provides students with a foundational understanding of key mathematical concepts, setting the stage for future learning. Core topics covered throughout the year include fractions, decimals, and percentages, as well as introductory algebra, linear equations, and graphing. Students also explore probability and statistics to develop data literacy, alongside measurement and geometry to enhance their spatial reasoning and understanding of real-world applications. The curriculum is structured to ensure students gain a broad and balanced mathematical education.

The teaching approach in Year 7 is centred around Direct Instruction and explicit teaching, ensuring that concepts are clearly explained and demonstrated before students begin independent practice. Lessons are carefully sequenced so that new content builds on prior knowledge, enabling students to make meaningful connections between mathematical ideas. This method supports all learners by breaking down complex skills into manageable steps and providing ample opportunities for guided practice and reinforcement.

To ensure students are learning at their point of need, teachers use a consistent cycle of feedback and assessment. Mini-whiteboards are frequently used during lessons to check for understanding in real time, allowing teachers to adjust instruction as needed. Rolling formative assessment strategies are embedded throughout the program, helping to identify gaps in knowledge and inform targeted support. This responsive and student-focused approach ensures that every learner is engaged, challenged, and supported in their mathematical development.

English

During Term One, students dive deeper into the impact of a range of persuasive techniques. They refine their critical thinking skills by analysing written articles and billboard, and applied this to target two intended audiences in their own persuasive campaigns. In Term Two, students watch Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Edward Scissorhands to analyse the creative work of film makers.  To showcase their analysis, students write a film review, applying their understanding of the themes and film techniques. The second half of the year focuses on fiction texts. Students read and discuss a range of different texts, unpacking how authors create characters that undergo transformations in alignment with the text themes.

Humanities

In Year 7, students study the four disciplines within the Humanities domain: History, Geography, Civics & Citizenship, and Business & Economics. In History, students learn about our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, as well as Ancient Greece. Through these topics, students apply historical skills, such as source analysis, to explore how different societies are organised. In Geography, students learn about the connections between people and places. They learn about the importance of water as a resource, and how water can affect communities through hazards such as floods and droughts. Students also learn about liveability, and what attracts people to live in certain places. In Civics & Citizenship, students learn about democratic values and how these apply to Australian citizenship. In Economics & Business, students investigate the different ways businesses operate within Australia. 

Health

In Year 7 students will be learning about Respectful Relationships in the first term. Within this unit they will be focussing on building, maintaining relationships, types of relationships, respect, conflict resolution and support services. They will get assessed through a lotus diagram that will be filled on all of the topics that they have learnt in the unit. In the second term they will be learning about Nutrition and Benefits of Phyiscal Activity. In Nutrition they will be looking at energy, food groups, reading food labels and food packaging. In Nutrition they will be assessed on a test covering all of the conent of the unit. Following this, in Benefits of Physical Activity they will be looking at the physical, emotional and social benefits of sport, while also learning about sedentary lifestyles. The assessment for this unit is to create a promotional poster for a specific sport to increase participation in teenagers. The students need to go over the physical, social and emotional benefits of starting the sport. 

Science

Year 7 Science provides students with their first formal introduction to secondary science, building foundational knowledge across Biological, Chemical, and Physical sciences. In Science Understanding, students explore fundamental concepts including classification of living things, the food web, mixtures and pure substances, and forces and simple machines. This year establishes core scientific vocabulary and conceptual frameworks that underpin all future learning.

Science Inquiry Skills are developed through structured investigations where students learn to identify variables, assess whether an experiment is fair, collect and analyse data, and communicate findings using appropriate scientific language. Practical work is central to learning, with students conducting experiments such as separating mixtures, investigating forces with simple machines, observing cellular structures under microscopes, and modelling Earth's processes. These hands-on experiences help students understand abstract concepts by connecting theory to observable phenomena, developing both practical skills and conceptual understanding.

Science as a Human Endeavour is woven throughout the curriculum, with students exploring how scientific knowledge has developed over time and its applications in daily life. They investigate how scientific discoveries have led to technological innovations that improve quality of life, from water purification systems to understanding weather patterns. Students also begin to appreciate the collaborative nature of science and how cultural perspectives can influence scientific practice, laying groundwork for understanding science as a dynamic, evolving field that impacts society.

PE

Year 7 Physical Education provides students with the opportunity to explore a wide range of sports while developing fundamental movement skills, game strategies, and positive team dynamics. Throughout the year, students will engage in structured lessons that focus on improving individual skills, understanding the rules and tactics of various sports, and working effectively as part of a team. Key focus areas for the year are: fundamental and sport-specific skill development, understanding and applying game strategies and promoting teamwork, communication and fair play.

French

Why French?

French is spoken on five continents and is an official language in over 25 countries. Learning French helps students become confident communicators as well as appreciating diverse cultures and perspectives, becoming culturally aware global citizens. It fosters cognitive flexibility, problem-solving and communication skills, all of which are skills valuable for any future pathway. It can also open doors to international opportunities in travel, education, and future careers. 

For many students, Year 7 is their first formal experience learning French as a foreign language. While some students may have had limited exposure to French in primary school, most are new to the language. Our Year 7 program is designed to be inclusive and supportive of all learners, regardless of their background, building confidence from the beginning.

The program is designed to introduce the foundations of language learning, with a strong focus on developing communication skills. Students begin developing their skills in understanding and using the language, learning to talk and write about their own lives, on topics such as family, friends, and daily routines.

Cultural understanding is a key part of the program. Through our “Song of the Week” series, students explore and engage with music from a variety of French-speaking countries and regions across the Francophone world. This encourages curiosity and students are encouraged to reflect on global cultural differences and similarities as they begin to develop a broader view of the world.

Throughout the year, students work on all four core skills of language learning: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students are assessed through a range of tasks, including short writing pieces, listening comprehension, and spoken presentations. Digital tools are used to reinforce vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation in an engaging way.

Food Tech

In Year 7, students begin to move beyond the skills they have learned at primary school. Students effectively use a broad range of ingredients, equipment and techniques to produce a variety of recipes. They learn about the journey of food in the food chain/system, from farming, to processing, preparing and recycling. They use prior knowledge to respond to a design brief to achieve intended design solutions, including creating a business card and canapé type of food. 

Art

In Year 7 Visual Art, students are introduced to the foundations of art-making by exploring the Art Elements and Principles. They learn how to apply these concepts through a variety of creative tasks, using different materials and techniques to express their ideas visually. In Term One, students are inspired by the Surrealist art movement, drawing on common themes and symbolism to create imaginative still life drawings using oil pastels. In Term Two, students explore the connection between music, lyrics, and visual art. They analyse the visual language found in songs and use these ideas to develop and create a relief print. Throughout both terms, students follow the art-making process, including brainstorming, researching, developing concepts, experimenting with materials, and refining a final artwork for their folio.

Drama

In Year 7 Drama, students investigate the elements of movement, voice, space, character, relationship and situation. In Term One, they explore ways to communicate meaning by integrating these elements to create tableaux scenes. Students work collaboratively to plan, develop and present a tableaux interpretation of an Aboriginal Dreamtime story, The Mimis. In Term Two, students work in pairs to write their own script for a short roleplay scene based on the theme of friendship. They develop their script into a performance and rehearse to refine their expressive skills.

Viscomm

In Year 7 Visual Communication and Design, students develop their technical drawing skills and explore how the Design Elements and Principles contribute to effective visual communication. In Term One, they learn to create realistic shapes, buildings and interior spaces using One and Two Point Perspective. They apply rendering techniques such as highlights and directional shading to enhance depth in their drawings. In Term Two, students investigate how packaging design appeals to a target audience. They analyse existing packages and use the design process to develop their own unique packaging concepts. Drawing on their perspective and rendering skills, students produce flat package layouts and evaluate their effectiveness in communicating their design ideas.

Mathematics

Year 8 Mathematics builds upon the foundational knowledge developed in Year 7, allowing students to deepen their understanding and apply mathematical concepts with greater confidence and complexity. The curriculum covers key topics such as real numbers, financial mathematics, algebra, measurement, ratio and rates, statistics, probability, and geometry. These areas are revisited and expanded upon from Year 7, helping students to consolidate prior learning while introducing more sophisticated problem-solving and reasoning skills.

Teaching continues to follow a Direct Instruction and explicit teaching model, which emphasises clarity, structured lessons, and purposeful progression through content. This approach supports students in connecting new learning to existing knowledge, reinforcing skills through guided practice, and ensuring mastery of core concepts. Mini-whiteboards and rolling formative assessments remain central to classroom practice, providing immediate feedback and enabling teachers to make timely instructional decisions that target individual learning needs.

To further support student growth, regular intervention and extension opportunities are embedded both within and beyond lessons. These may include targeted small-group sessions, enrichment tasks, or participation in extracurricular mathematical activities designed to stretch and challenge. This ensures that all students, regardless of their starting point, are actively engaged in their learning and have access to the support or challenge they need to make continued progress in mathematics.

English

Students begin the year by studying the techniques authors use when creating various text types. During Term 1, students develop their public speaking skills and knowledge of persuasive techniques. Through the preparation and presentation of a persuasive speech, student explore the effectiveness of various spoken and non-verbal techniques when communicating a message to an audience. As part of the Term 2 film as text unit, students examine the Boaz Yakin-directed film, 'Remember the Titans'. Students analyse how filmmakers use a variety of visual, sound, and editing techniques to develop a narrative and characters, and discuss how these are combined to present important messages about the impacts of prejudice and leadership. As they transition into exploring fiction texts, students consider the finer details used by authors to influence their reader's interpretations of key themes, such as sentence structure and text structures.

Humanities

In Year 8, students study the four disciplines within the Humanities domain: History, Geography, Civics & Citizenship, and Business & Economics. In History, students learn about Medieval Europe and Shogunate Japan. Through their investigations of these topics, students discover why civilisations change of time, and how different civilisations impact on each other. In Geography, students learn about different types of landscapes and landforms, and the meanings that these places have for people. Students also learn about urbanisation, and how cities like Melbourne attempt to manage an increasing population. In Civics & Citizenship, students investigate the Victorian legal system and learn how court cases work. In Business & Economics, students learn about the nature of work, including the reasons people are attracted to different types of jobs.

Health

In Year 8 students will be focussing on Respectful Relationships within the first term. Here, students will focus on learning about their own makes up their personality,  as well as understanding sympathy and empathy. Following this, they will be looking in depth at emotoinal responses and how to character strengths and learning what deal with conflict. The assessment for this unit is a role play, where they will act out positive and negative conflict management to different scenarios. The second term the students will have two seperate units to focus on: Think Safe, Act Safe, Be Safe and Nutrition. Within Think Safe, Act Safe, Be Safe, they will look at water safety, sun safety, road safety and first aid. Here they will look at how and why we should stay safe in different enviroments, while also learning basic first aid in preperation for next year. In Nutrition they will look at all the food groups and why we need them. In this unit they will be assessed on their food choices for specific diets e.g. muscle gain, weight loss in scenarios. 

Science

Year 8 Science deepens students' understanding of scientific concepts while developing greater independence in inquiry skills. In Science Understanding, students explore more complex ideas including body systems and their interactions, chemical reactions and the periodic table, energy transfer and transformation, and geological processes including plate tectonics. The curriculum builds on Year 7 foundations, introducing more sophisticated models and explanations that help students understand the interconnected nature of scientific phenomena.

Practical investigations become more student-directed, with learners investigating chemical reactions, energy transformations, and biological processes. Students conduct practicals exploring types of chemical reactions, examining heat transfer, and building electric circuits. These experiences develop critical thinking skills while reinforcing theoretical concepts, helping students understand that science progresses through systematic observation and experimentation.

Science as a Human Endeavour focuses on understanding how scientific knowledge influences decision-making in society and how technological innovations arise from scientific discoveries. Students explore case studies such as medical advances in understanding body systems, the development of new materials through chemistry, and how geological knowledge informs disaster preparedness. They begin to critically evaluate scientific information and understand the importance of evidence-based decision making, preparing them to be informed citizens who can engage with scientific issues in their communities.

PE

The Year 8 Physical Education program provides students with a comprehensive and engaging experience in a variety of sports and physical activities including high jump, javelin, triple jump, hurdles, soccer, table tennis, touch rugby, bike education (Bike Ed), puck hockey, T-ball, and netball. The program is designed to develop students’ fundamental movement skills, advanced sport-specific techniques, tactical understanding, and collaborative teamwork, all within a supportive and inclusive learning environment.
Students will refine both fundamental and specialised movement skills through practice and structured drills. Students will apply their skills within modified game scenarios to deepen their tactical understanding. This will foster decision-making, spatial awareness, and strategic thinking in team and individual contexts. Emphasis will be placed on understanding rules, roles, and game dynamics in sports such as soccer, netball, touch rugby, and puck hockey.

Food Tech

In Year 8, students advance their design and cooking skills, using prior knowledge of basic kitchen hygiene and safety from Year 6 and 7 to independently carry out more intricate and complex tasks, as well as working in consultation with other students and the teacher. Students learn about the guidelines for healthy eating, including recommended daily consumptions, nutritional benefits and food groups. They use prior knowledge to respond to a design brief to achieve intended design solutions, including creating a takeaway box with food labels and decorating food for presentation purposes.

Art

In Year 8 Visual Art, students explore a range of themes and art-making media while following a structured creative process. This includes brainstorming ideas, researching source imagery and artists, developing concepts, experimenting with materials, and refining a final artwork. In Term One, students investigate the theme of Identity by creating self-portrait clay busts. They identify personal identity markers to incorporate into their sculptures and learn foundational clay construction and painting techniques. In Term Two, the focus shifts to Environment and Landscape Painting. Students develop visual planning, drawing, and acrylic painting skills. While the theme and medium are provided, students create their own unique concepts inspired by artists they have researched.

French

Why French?

French is spoken on five continents and is an official language in over 25 countries. Learning French helps students become confident communicators as well as appreciating diverse cultures and perspectives, becoming culturally aware global citizens. It fosters cognitive flexibility, problem-solving and communication skills, all of which are skills valuable for any future pathway. It can also open doors to international opportunities in travel, education, and future careers. 

In Year 8, students continue their language learning journey by using the Year 7 contents as a foundation. Communicating in French and understanding language and culture are still the core of our program. To develop these skills, the students extend their ability to talk about their personal worlds and interests in French, and they develop language to interact in more familiar situations. They also deepen their understanding of grammar and phonetics, both presented as part of a system with communicative purposes.

The program continues to give special importance to teaching cultural awareness and intercultural skills. Topics are contextualised in their sociocultural settings, and students explore those scenarios through a variety of documents, including pictures, artworks, short videos, films, and our recurrent "song of the week" series.

Throughout the program, they discover French and French-speaking countries' culture and language, while they are encouraged to appreciate cultural diversity. In this year, they are also taught some specific functional French that will allow them to understand and navigate Paris as tourists (e.g., shopping in stores, ordering food, etc.). They are taught strategies for dealing with real-life challenges in a foreign language, such as building meaning from texts and using technological tools for communicating.

Students keep working on the four macro skills of language learning: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This is done through a large variety of learning tasks and by using educational games and digital tools to increase engagement. At least one French incursion or excursion is expected.

Media

In Year 8 Media Arts, students explore how visual and narrative techniques are used to influence audiences and communicate meaning. In Term One, they investigate how media can inform, persuade, and entertain, while considering ethical responsibilities in media production. Students analyse how media texts convey messages and explore issues such as surveillance, manipulation, and privacy through visual responses and character-based debates. In Term Two, students are introduced to the media production process. They learn practical skills in photography, cinematography, and editing, and apply these as they plan, film, and promote a short film. Students use purposeful shot selections, sound design, and editing techniques to communicate their story to an audience.

Drama

In Year 8 Drama, students begin to develop their understanding of different forms and styles of performance. In Term One, students explore the comedic conventions of Slapstick and Mime and work in groups to create a slapstick performance. They build characters and situations which reflect the stylistic conventions of the genre and develop expressive skills through face, body language, gesture and dramatic action.  In Term Two, students learn about monologues and duologues. They explore how design elements can enhance a performance to create meaning and shape mood. Students compare the perfomance conventions of stage and screen and develop a duologue based on their interpretation of a scripted scene. 

Mathematics

Year 9 Mathematics is a pivotal year that consolidates prior learning while preparing students for the increased academic demands of Year 10 and VCE Mathematics. Students explore a range of core topics including algebra with a focus on solving equations, linear graphing, and an introduction to quadratic relationships. In addition, the curriculum includes further development in measurement, probability, and geometry, ensuring students build a comprehensive understanding of mathematical concepts and their applications.

The teaching approach remains grounded in Direct Instruction and explicit teaching, ensuring that content is delivered in a clear, structured, and sequenced manner. Lessons build logically on the skills and knowledge acquired in earlier years, with frequent use of mini-whiteboards and rolling formative assessment techniques to check for understanding and guide instruction. This responsive teaching model ensures that students receive timely feedback and learn at their point of need, fostering confidence and competence across all topic areas.

Throughout the year, detailed intervention and extension opportunities are embedded in the curriculum to support and challenge all learners. Students who require additional support are provided with targeted interventions, while those with a strong interest or aptitude in mathematics are offered rich extension tasks both in class and through extracurricular opportunities. These extensions are specifically designed to develop the advanced reasoning and problem-solving skills required for future success in Maths Methods or Specialist Maths, helping to prepare students for the transition into VCE-level study.

English

Students in Year 9 begin their year by comparing how different authors and directors create texts for a range of audiences and purposes. Throughout Term One, students explore how authors utilise their knowledge of the motivating factors that influence audiences (fear, family values, morals) to convince audiences to believe their contention. They develop their speaking and listening skills by composing their own analysis podcasts, responding to snippets of two podcasts that discuss the same topic. In Term Two, students analyse how different directors of short films utlise certain film techniques to build texts with unqiue perspectives about social, moral and ethical positions. Students also evaluated the purpose and aesthetic quality of short films and learn how to write an analytic text response essay that reflects their evaluation. The fiction work of Year 9 focuses on inferring the deeper meanings behind texts, identifying the subtle hints authors use to refer to bigger ideas. 

Humanities

In Year 9, students study the four disciplines within the Humanities domain: History, Geography, Civics & Citizenship, and Business & Economics. In History, students learn about the colonial period of Australia from a range of perspectives. Students also learn about the causes and effects of the First World War. In Geography, students learn the impacts of food scarcity, and how people are connected across distances. In Civics & Citizenship, students compare democracy with other forms of government. In Business & Economics, students learn about managing financial risks and rewards by comparing different types of investments and personal loans. 

Health

In Year 9 students are looking at First Aid in the first term. Within this unit they will look at DRSABCD, asthma, anaphyalxis, burns, cuts, grazes, laceractions and sprains. Here they will learn the symptoms of these first aid issues and how to treat them. They will be practically assessed on their use of DRSABCD, as well as a test. The second term they will be focussing on Respectful Relationships. In this unit they will be looking at how relationships change over time, the power dynamic in relationships, as well as how to make a relationship more respectful. They will be assessed on analysing a relationship of their choice; looking at the components that make up the relationship and how the relationship changes of the course of the book, film or series. Following this, they will be watching the film 'Tangled' and analysing the power dynamic in the film, as well as how the relationship could become more respectful. 

Science

Year 9 Science represents a crucial transition year that consolidates fundamental scientific concepts while preparing students for senior science specialisation. In Science Understanding, students explore sophisticated concepts including atomic structure and chemical bonding, waves and electromagnetic radiation, and global systems including climate change and renewable energy. The curriculum emphasises connections between scientific disciplines, helping students understand that real-world problems require integrated scientific knowledge.

Science Inquiry Skills reach greater sophistication as students design and conduct extended investigations. They learn to control multiple variables, use advanced data analysis techniques including statistical methods, and communicate findings through formal scientific reports. Practical work includes complex investigations such as wave behaviour experiments, and climate data analysis. These investigations develop higher-order thinking skills while demonstrating how scientific knowledge is constructed through rigorous methodology and peer review.

Year 9 Science as a Human Endeavour emphasises the role of science in addressing global challenges and ethical considerations in scientific research. Students examine contemporary issues such as sustainable chemistry practices, renewable energy technologies, and climate change mitigation. This foundation year strategically prepares students for Year 10 pathways, whether they choose to specialise in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Psychology, or take a more integrated approach through Core Science. Students develop the analytical skills, conceptual understanding, and scientific literacy necessary for success in senior science subjects, while also gaining appreciation for science as a tool for solving real-world problems and informing evidence-based policy decisions.

PE

In Year 9 Physical Education, students will explore a diverse range of team and individual sports including basketball, sofcrosse, gridiron, badminton, multi-sport, volleyball, handball, and tennis. The focus of the program is on enhancing fundamental and complex movement skills, understanding tactical strategies, and developing cooperative behaviours essential for effective team play.

Students will engage in activities that develop their physical competence, deepen their understanding of gameplay concepts, and strengthen their communication and collaboration skills. By participating in these varied sporting contexts, students will also reflect on how physical activity contributes to their health and wellbeing. Skill development activities will focus on movement techniques and execution under pressure. Students will develop their tactics to suit team strengths and opposition weaknesses. There is a focus on gameplay and decision-making in modified and full versions of games.

Students also undertake a theoretical component of the subject and will be introduced to a range of topics over the course of the year. Students will work independently and collaboratively to complete a wide range of tasks.

Year 9 Electives Handbook