Overview - Year 7 to 10
Geelong High School is a vibrant, inclusive and creative learning community where students develop caring and respectful relationships and become intelligent and reflective learners. We aim to empower our students to realise their potential through effort, responsibility and teamwork. The curriculum has been designed to provide valuable and engaging learning opportunities which build on each students’ skills, knowledge and understanding in all eight learning areas. Our dedicated staff pride themselves on selecting and using High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS) that reliably increase all students learning regardless of their starting point.
At Geelong High School, there is a strong focus on recognising where students are in their learning and the provision of quality learning experiences that cater to student’s individual needs and interests. The delivery of the curriculum also focuses on developing the problem solving, creativity and time management skills necessary for the remainder of their education.
Geelong High School has developed its teaching and learning programs by ‘mapping’ its curriculum. This ‘mapping’ process ensures the school:
- defines the ‘essential’ learning and allows students ample time to learn it.
- designs assessment which allows students to demonstrate what they know, understand and can do and gives an accurate judgement of student achievement at a point in time
- sets individual learning goals and measure student progress over time
- shares its curriculum with all members of the school community
As part of the curriculum, all students will complete Common Assessment Tasks (CATs) for every unit of work. Common Assessment Tasks (CATs):
- provide an evaluation of student achievement, against the curriculum standards. The learning feedback for CATs is made available to students and parents on Compass
- provide opportunities for ‘differentiated’ checkpoints of learning, which are appropriately scaffolded to support students in reaching their full potential
- are completed at school, during class time. This ensures fairness and equity for all students and an accurate judgement of student achievement
- include an instructional rubric which supports students in understanding the success criteria
- allow students to receive feedback to support future learning
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Students will receive an indication of their level of achievement for each CAT. This will be included as part of the learning feedback, available on Compass, within 14 days of the due date. |
CATs will be graded according to the following scale:
WA | Well above the expected level |
AB | Above the expected level |
AT | At the expected level |
WO | Working towards the level |
EM | Emerging skills |
Instructional Framework
Our instructional framework has been collaboratively developed with the school community and reflects our vision to:
- Develop Caring And Respectful Relationships
- Empower People To Realise Their Potential Through Effort, Responsibility And Teamwork
- Build Healthy, Resilient And Productive Global Citizens
The instructional framework identifies 8 broad evidence-based instructional strategies, each with specific teaching techniques, which have a significant influence on student achievement. These teaching practices are consistently applied and visible in all classrooms.
The framework provides our school community with a clear and united way to continue working together to ensure high quality teaching focused on lifting the achievement of every student. It also provides the catalyst for teacher professional development, professional dialogue and curriculum planning.