Curriculum

Year 7 and Year 8 are crucial periods of learning for all students, as the foundations are developed for an effective and successful education in senior years. Literacy and Numeracy are two key elements for optimal learning outcomes for students, and the College  provides strong programs in these key areas to ensure that each student reaches their maximum potential in all areas of study.

Students are exposed to a wide variety of subjects in Years 7 and 8 across all disciplinary strands within  the Victorian Curriculum, in order to provide students with breadth of curriculum. Students complete studies in the core subjects of Religion, English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities, Languages, and Physical Education. In Year 7 students choose the Languages they wish to continue studying in Year 8 and beyond. Additionally, students study electives in the areas of Arts and Technology.

In Year 9, students are then able to start making informed decisions about subjects they wish to pursue  in more depth. They study the same group of core subjects in addition to electives chosen by students from the areas of Languages, Technology, Arts and Literature. Students in Year 9 also have the opportunity to participate in the ‘City Learning Experiences’.

Extensive educational research suggests that Year 9 can be a challenging period for students, where the many changes and developments during adolescence can influence their interest in learning. The staff at Nazareth College understand this challenge. In order to maximise each student’s interest and commitment to learning, a specialised program is utilised at Year 9 level. Engaging students in their studies and providing encouragement and support is a key focus of the Year 9 teaching team. In addition to core subjects, students experience a range of ‘real life’ learning programs. The City Learning  program is an innovative and challenging opportunity for students to combine conventional study within the Nazareth learning community with a range of tasks and activities conducted outside the College grounds. A series of educational excursions into the Melbourne CBD allows students to explore and experience the inner-city precinct, and a series of tasks completed independently of their teacher gives students greater responsibility and a sense of trust as they navigate the city and work cohesively in small teams to complete each task.

In the Year 10 academic program, students continue studies with compulsory choices from the core subjects – Religious Education, Pastoral Program, English, Mathematics, Humanities, Health & Physical Education and Science – and select five other semesterised elective units from The Arts, Languages and Technology, including additional choices from Humanities, Health & Physical Education and Science.

Pathways options are available for Year 10 students. Some students in Year 10 may be best suited to the LEAP program which combines both Applied Learning and Academic Pathways. While this provides an ideal preparation for the Vocational Specialisation Pathway which may be undertaken in Years 11 and 12. Acceleration of a Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) subject is also possible, by invitation, hence providing the possibility for high achievers to eventually complete six VCE Units 3 and 4 study sequences. 

Students undertaking VCE at Year 11 will choose ten semester-based units, plus English, English Language or Literature and Religious Education as core subjects. Alternatively, students in Year 11 have the option of completing the Vocational Specialisation Pathway, studying Literacy Skills, Numeracy Skills, Personal Development, Work Related Skills and Religious Education as core subjects, along with student-chosen VET studies. 

Students at Year 12 choose four Units 3 and 4 elective sequences from across the curriculum and must study English, English Language or Literature and Religious Education as core subjects. The Vocational Specialisation Pathway requires students to study Literacy and Numeracy, Work Related Skills, Personal Development and Religious Education as core units, along with student-chosen VET studies.