This week Andrew and I presented to parents of our current Year 10 students our plan in regard to senior schooling at St Joseph’s School from 2020 onwards. As part of this, I outlined to parents and students the changes that form part of the new Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), the introduction of the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) to replace the OP system, and most importantly, our plan as a school to support and grow students in their academic performance across their senior schooling years.

As a school, a major focus for 2019 has been centred around the refinement of curriculum delivery and support for students to allow them to grow academically. This year, the school leadership team has engaged continuously in productive and proactive conversations and planning to identify ways in which we can, in particular, grow the curriculum offerings across P-12.

A major part of this review has been to increase the number of electives offered in Year 7-10 from three or four electives to six. Further to this, as part of the development of the senior schooling curriculum offerings, particular emphasis has been given to providing subjects and qualifications that will enable our students greater diversity in post-school pathways.

At St Joseph’s School, we continue to provide strong, proven academic pathways for students focused on obtaining an ATAR rank and tertiary entrance to university through a wide range of general syllabus subject options. Importantly, a major focus for this year has been increasing curriculum opportunities for senior students through offering a greater diversity of applied syllabus subjects options and VET qualifications (Certificate courses).

A key element this year has been re-establishing connections with the Queensland College of Wine and Tourism, the Trade Training Centre (TTC) and various external RTO’s to enable our students to access these qualifications and open doorways to alternate post-school pathways into employment, study and training. This greater diversity of curriculum offerings across the secondary school, combined with apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities through the SBA (School Based Apprenticship and Traineeship) program, will provide the opportunity for all students to achieve their own academic success and set themselves up successfully for post-school pathways.

Curriculum offerings for Year 11 2020 are listed in the table below.

Please contact me at any time to discuss curriculum offerings and what we can do to support your child in their schooling.

Matthew Brown
Deputy Principal (Acting)