Secondary Years (7-12)

The school and the teachers working with students will ensure that every opportunity is provided to achieve the best possible results from studies during Secondary Years. However, we expect and encourage students to demonstrate commitment, self-discipline and responsibility in order to maximise their learning.

We create a learning environment where the needs of all students are catered for.

At each year level students are placed into mixed ability home groups, with roughly equal number of boys and girls.

Students in Years 7-9 follow the Australian Curriculum and students in Years 10-12 adhere to SACE Policies and Performance Standards.

Current Priorities

  • Transition

    We will further develop our links with feeder primary schools.

  • Student Achievement

    We will continue to map the Year 7 to 9 curriculum in line with The Australian Curriculum.

  • Curriculum Development

    We will improve student engagement and success through more relevant and contemporary curriculum.

The Year 7 students have their own class teacher with whom they do the majority of their work. Depending on the skills and interests of the teachers, a system of rotation for different learning areas may occur.

The Year 8 students are taught by a team of teachers. Generally each class will have the same teacher for English and Society and Environment, and another teacher for Science and Mathematics. This ensures that nearly 50% of their week, students are taught within the Secondary Years, by 2 teachers. For the remainder of the week, students move to other learning area sites with subject specialist teachers.

Year 9 students are placed in to home groups so that have at least 1 learning area taught by their home group teacher.

Each year level has a year level mentor, who with class and home group teachers, meet regularly to discuss the needs and specific programmes for that group of students.

Each week a pastoral care lesson occurs that supports students with social and life skills.

Students in our Years 10-12 are offered individualised educational opportunities to cater for their personal educational needs, based on their own aspirations for their future after school. Our aim is to ensure that every student who leaves The Heights School has the capabilities and skills to take control of their lives in ways that will benefit not only themselves, but the community and society in which they live and contribute to.

We do this by providing expert teachers who deliver rigorous teaching and learning programs which encourage students to become optimistic, powerful and independent critical thinkers and learners. Our students do this by modelling the school’s values of “have a go, go hard and keep going” by focussing on extending inquiry, critical thinking and problem solving.

 

Student Led Conferences and Round Table Assessment

Over the course of the year, all Year 7-9 students present their work to their parents and teachers.

The Year 7 students do this midway through the year at Student Led Conferences where they describe their learning and show their parents all their work books and folders.

As part of the end of year assessment, all Year 8 and 9 students at The Heights School participate in a Round Table Assessment process which has proved to be very successful. The process focuses upon not only student knowledge, but also the broader skills that are required in the workforce and the Australian Curriculum General Capabilities.

Students are given an opportunity to plan and organise a presentation, which involves the student speaking about, and demonstrating some of their learning that has occurred over the past year. The presentation is given to a panel that consists of the student’s parent, Home Group teacher and possibly a community representative. After listening to the student’s presentation, the panel provides feedback.

For students in Years 10 -12 , we provide:

  • Flexible and individualised curriculum within a timetable that allows for the diverse and varied interests and post school aspirations of our students. These include opportunities for our students to study external VET (Vocational Education Teaching) programs, Flexible Learning Options (FLO) and subject acceleration for identified gifted learners who also have opportunity to apply for the Headstart Program and the University of Adelaide.
  • Dedicated senior study space
  • Access to new and specialised STEM teaching and learning spaces and teaching practices
  • Personal Development curriculum that is based on the school’s $50 000 Career Development Strategy
  • Mentoring of individual students
  • Dedicated expert Research Project team of teachers, who consistently achieve outstanding results
  • Pathways which provide a seamless transition from school to employment, TAFE or University