Curriculum
For a more detailed breakdown of our whole school curriculum please visit this page.
The curriculum offered at TC is delivered to meet the requirements of AUSVELS and the National Curriculum in accordance with guidelines set out by the VCAA.
Entry
All students at Entry level will study the following core subjects:
Mathematics
English
Science and the Environment
Health and Physical Education
Students will also choose 2 electives per semester.
When you have demonstrated, through various methods of assessment, that you are working at a high Year 8 level in Maths and English, these subjects will no longer be compulsory. You will be able to access your other subjects from the Flexible Learning Environment.
There is no restriction or pre-determined timeframe for when you are ready to graduate into the Flexible Learning Environment. Movement into this is available at any time and will be judged on an individual basis through a variety of tasks.
Electives
TC has a vast range of electives to choose to study and students will be able to access them throughout their time at the college. These will take the format of both Student Led Electives (SLE) and Curriculum Specified Elective (CSE) within the Flexible Learning Environment (FLE). For more information on these, see the Subject Selection Handbook.
Flexible Learning Environment (FLE)
If you have demonstrated that you are working at a high Year 8 level in either English or Maths, then you may move (space permitting) into a subject in that area in the Flexible Learning Environment. This will give you the opportunity to further pursue areas of interest in subjects that lead to your planned career path.
Subjects on offer in the FLE include a range of electives, pre-VCE and VCE subjects.
Montessori
The Montessori Adolescent Program (MAP) is an alternative program aimed at students of Years 7 to 9 age, teaching students in the third plane of the Montessori approach to education. If you are enrolled in the MAP program, you will also undertake electives. For more information, please click here.
VCE
VCE subjects are available to all students as part of the FLE (Flexible Learning Environment).
As part of the VCE, you are able to choose from more than 90 study or subject areas. A VCE program generally consists of 20 to 24 studies taken over several years, and you can vary the number of units you complete in a year.
When choosing you study areas you should consider:
what interests you
what you are good at
if the subject leads to a job you are interested in
if the subject prepares you for further training or tertiary courses you are considering
if the subject leads to a VET qualification within the VCE
Each VCE ‘Subject’ is divided in to 4 units which are generally completed over 2 years. A Unit of work lasts for 1 semester at school. Each unit has outcomes that describe what you are expected to know and be able to do. The decision about satisfactory completion of units is based on a student's ability to demonstrate outcomes specified for each VCE study. There are also two types of graded assessment in the VCE: school based assessment and external examinations.
External examinations – written, oral, performance or electronic – are set and marked by the VCAA. Most exams are held in November, although the General Achievement Test (GAT) is held in June and oral and performance exams are held in October.
For more information on the VCE processes at TC please refer to the VCE Handbook on our policies page here.
VCE VM
The VCE Vocational Major is a new vocational and applied learning program that sits within the VCE. It takes what is called an ‘Applied Learning approach’ and shares many similarities with our existing VCAL program. The VCE VM will be delivered at TC on a Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Students will attend their Vocational Education and Training (VET) internally or externally on a Wednesday and are expected to undertake Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) on a Friday.
Applied learning involves students engaging in relevant and authentic learning experiences. It is a method of learning where theoretical information comes to life for students in a real-world context that relates directly to their own future, is within their own control and is within an environment where they feel safe and respected. Students' knowledge grows and expands as they take action to learn, reflect on that action, and plan how to improve it in the future.
The VCE Vocational Major is the replacement for the Intermediate and Senior VCAL. It is a two-year program over years 11 and 12.
The VCE Vocational Major will prepare students to move successfully into apprenticeships, traineeships, further education and training, university through alternative entry programs or directly into the workforce. There are no external examinations for the VCE VM studies and therefore students do not receive a study score and are not eligible to receive an ATAR.
Students who have completed the satisfactory completion requirements of the VCE VM will receive a Victorian Certificate of Education with the words “Vocational Major” on it to recognise their achievements.
Students should consider a VCE Vocational Major pathway if…
they are in their final two years at TC (Year 11 or 12)
they are looking at beginning an apprenticeship, TAFE or employment pathway
they have a clear pathway in mind (that does not require an ATAR)
they would benefit from gaining industry work experience (SWL)
they are mature enough to manage a more complex timetable (3 days at TC, 1 day at VET and 1-day SWL)
For more information on VCE VM please visit out subject website.