As students enter The Peninsula School Senior School they begin the last phase of their secondary schooling and, in some respects, the most challenging stage. It is a time when students need to prepare for life after school, whether that is full time employment, tertiary education or an apprenticeship. The majority of our students undertake tertiary education when they leave Peninsula. Preparing for this pathway, therefore, is a major focus during the final years.


Year 10
Our students undertake at least one, and up to four, VCE studies in Year 10. This enables the students to experience 'choice making' for the first time, as well as the experience of completing a VCE study and the rigour that comes with this standard of work. Most of their VCE studies will be Year 11 studies and the opportunity to be a part of these classes also allows our older students to role model good academic behaviour to their younger counterparts. These studies introduce the Year 10 students to the VCE system and the processes and policies that support the VCE. As the year progresses they begin to develop a pathway through the Senior School and are able to make future subject selections from a point of knowledge and experience. Much of our Year 10 pastoral program is devoted to developing the skills and attitudes required to be a successful VCE student as well as the knowledge required to make informed subject selections for Year 11.


Years 11 & 12
VCAL
Some of our students will have decided to attempt the VCAL (Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning). VCAL is an alternative to the VCE and offers an option for those students who will not be pursuing a tertiary education and need to be prepared for a life of full time work after school. The VCAL is offered at the intermediate level in Year 11 and the senior level in Year 12. VCAL students are integrated into the mainstream as much as possible and they all sit VCE studies in English and Mathematics.

VCE
Our VCE students in Year 11 attempt at least six studies throughout the year. The only compulsory study is English. Year 11 is a time when students begin to branch out into areas of interest and hopefully future careers. With over 35 studies offered, students can pursue interests in the Arts, Science, Mathematics, Humanities Languages, PE/ Health and Music. Many of our Year 11 students take up the opportunity to enroll in at least one Unit 3/4 study. This is a Year 12 study that is offered to capable Year 11 students to develop experience in Unit 3/4 studies and at the same time allow them to complete at least six Unit 3/4 studies throughout Year 11 and Year 12. Unit 3/4 studies contribute towards the ENTER score they receive at the end of Year 12. Some of our more able students will attempt two Unit 3/4 studies at Year 11 allowing them to concentrate on their four primary studies in Year 12 and enabling our Year 12 students time to participate in school activities.

Year 11 students also have the option of completing a VET (Vocational Educational Training) Subject outside the School campus. This is usually an applied learning environment such as Frankston Chisholm or a local Registered Training Organization. VET studies count towards the VCE and the final ENTER score.

All of our Year 12 students attempt at least four Unit 3/4 studies. A normal program would include five Unit 3/4 studies with English the only compulsory subject. Some of our students complete VET studies in Year 12 and some are attempting the Senior VCAL certificate. Year 12 is an exciting and academically rigorous time for our students and it is a year that involves major decision making regarding the future and life after school. Most of our students will have already decided upon their pathway through Year 11 & 12; however, at Year 12 they are required to make decisions regarding tertiary courses, post school employment and future careers. This is a confronting time for the students and as a school we aim to prepare them for any pathway that they wish to undertake.

Although the Senior School curriculum is well defined by the VCAA, the School’s PASS document underlies the critical aspects of teaching and learning that occur every day in every class. Helping our students to achieve their best is achieved through best practice teaching and learning. Our teachers are encouraged to differentiate the curriculum to satisfy the needs of the individual learners within their classes. It is often argued that the predominant form of assessment in the VCE is the examination and we should therefore concentrate solely on preparing students for exams and rote learning techniques and prescribed answers; however, for students who are encouraged to use high order thinking skills and who can critically analyze the subject matter before them, an exam should be a less demanding form of assessment in which they should excel. Our VCE results analysis would suggest that this is the case. When predicted student results are compared with achieved results in each study, Peninsula students, on average, gain 1-4 study score points above expected. This can only be attributed to the classroom environment, the ability of the teacher and the culture of the School.