Welcome to the Senior School!

Our Senior School encompasses Years 10, 11 and 12.

Students entering this level of schooling are nearing adulthood and are expected to be active participants in the decision-making process. No longer do students make the critical decisions regarding their post-secondary schooling in their final year; we expect that students will be carefully considering their options throughout all three years of senior school.

Students will be guided through their final years of secondary schooling with a clear and open counselling process. The Senior School team includes the Senior School Leader and Co-ordinators, and the Careers Co-ordinator. This team provides both students and parents with information regarding VCAA requirements for the completion of VCE or VCAL, entrance requirements for courses and monitors student performance.

Parents and teachers too, have a vital role to play in supporting students through these critical years and we work together to ensure positive outcomes for all students. Open, honest discussion between students, parents and teachers is crucial for successful post secondary education pathways.

Other information and policies relating to student learning, engagement and wellbeing can be found in the student handbook / course guides and elsewhere on this site.

VCE / VCAL / VET

At Orbost Secondary College we pride ourselves on providing a range of pathways for our students. Through our offerings, students are able to pursue a Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or the alternative Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) with Vocational and Education Training (VET) subjects available in each course.

The College actively encourages the extension of our students with provision made for students to commence VCE and VET studies in Year 10. A consequence of this policy is that students entering their final year (Year 12) may have already accrued credit for Units 3 and 4 studies and may, therefore, study fewer than the recommended five subjects

All Year 12 students are required to attend the Year 12 study seminars which are held each February. These seminars provide students with pertinent information and practical skills in relation to wellbeing, future pathways, study skills and administrative requirements.

The Senior School Course Guide contains further information about the content of Years 11 and 12 subjects.

In 2023, VCAL will be replaced by the Victorian Certificate of Education - Vocational Major (VCE-VM). Further details will be provided to our school community in due course.

Year 10

The Year 10 Curriculum continues on from the Middle School program. It is based on the belief that all students should be provided with the opportunity to organise their studies to cater for their individual strengths and interests whilst providing and establishing the foundations for future study.

Students have the opportunity to select a learning program that best suits their educational needs, career aspirations and interests but need to do so with discussion and guidance involving college staff and parents.

Read further information regarding the Middle School program here.

Year 10 and VCE / VET subjects

Increasingly, the commencement of Senior School studies is in Year 10 for many of our students as they select a VCE or VET subject. A Year 10 student may select one VCE or VET subject, however Year 10 entry into a senior study will depend on student readiness for accelerated study, availability of places in a subject and possible career pathways. Students considering accelerated study will be guided through their selections by the Sub-School team.
In planning a 2-3 year learning program, be aware a number of VCE subjects are offered in alternate years.

Work Experience and Structured Workplace Learning

Year 10 students are expected to undertake a week’s work experience late in Term 4. Students will be required to work with the careers counsellor to identify possible work places and to make contact with potential work placements.

Structured Workplace Learning is where students are either required to, or request, opportunities to incorporate work placement into a VET course of study. Students are released from normal classes, usually on a day a week basis, and subject work outcomes are negotiated and modified so as not to penalise students because of their absences from normal classes.

Students participating in these programs are supervised by the Senior Sub-School Leader, the Careers Co-ordinator and a workplace supervisor.

Parents are most welcome during the school year to contact the Senior School Team.

The 2022 Senior School Team is:

Senior School Leader – Robert Clay
Senior School Co-ordinators – Taryn Farley & Lisa Mitchell
Careers Co-ordinator – Jenny Smith & Sharon Jones