Junior School Handbook 2025

A Year of Transition

At Marian College we understand that the transition from primary to secondary education is an important step for all students. The curriculum at Year 7 helps in this transition process by providing a wide range of subjects for the students to experience. Students who have specific learning needs (especially in literacy and numeracy) receive special assistance.

The camp at Year 7 is designed to help students to get to know their new classmates and is held early in Term 1.

Junior School Handbook 2025

A Year of Consolidation

We concentrate on strengthening and developing skills and understandings in the subjects begun in Year 7. A literacy program is offered to these students who have been identified as having needs in this area. The rest of the subjects are the same as for Year 7.

The camp at Year 8 is designed to provide students with an opportunity to move out of their comfort zones.

Middle School Handbook 2025

A Year of Personal Development

At Year 9 we concentrate on assisting students to deal with the challenging task of dealing with adolescence. Year 9 is the year where students need to face the move from childhood to adulthood.

A special Year 9 Program has been developed to enable the students to work in smaller groups and follow programs not constrained by bell times.

The Year 9 curriculum is a mixture of Core subjects and Electives. The students choose from a variety of electives that cover all key learning areas.

The Year 9 camp is an adventure camp that assists them to face change and obstacles and to see the importance of teamwork.

Middle School Handbook 2025

A Year of Considering The Future

Year 10 is the year where students need to consider their future options. At the end of Year 10 students will be choosing either VCE, VCE Vocational major or employment.

The students choose from a variety of electives that cover all key learning areas. They also have a choice of studying VCE General Maths. All students undertake a unit of VCE Industry and Enterprise to help in their career choices. They all do two weeks of Work Experience.

As part of their Religious Education Program, all students do a Community Service for one afternoon a week in Semester 2.

Senior School Handbook 2025

The VCE provides students with a post-compulsory certificate which allows students to access diverse pathways beyond school and attests to their readiness to enter post-compulsory education. It is awarded to students who satisfactorily complete a program of studies as described by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). This program for a full time student at Marian College will consist of units taken over four semesters or two years. At the end of Year 12 students would normally receive an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) which can be used for University and / or Tertiary and Further education (TAFE) entrance.

Victorian Curriculum Assessment Requirements:

To be awarded a certificate in VCE, students must satisfactorily complete a total of no fewer than 16 units over the two years of VCE study.

These satisfactorily completed units must include:

• Three units of the common study of English (1,2,3 and 4) or English language or Literature
• Three sequences of Units 3 and 4 studies other than English

At Marian College, full time students studying under normal conditions would:

At Year 11:

• Undertake five sequences of Units 1 and 2 studies including English or Literature plus Religious Education, OR
• Undertake four sequences of Units 1 and 2 studies including English or Literature, plus one sequence of Units 3 and 4 studies, (approved by Head of Faculty) plus Religious Education

At Year 12:

• Undertake five sequences of Units 3 and 4 studies, plus Religious Education

It is expected that irrespective of a student’s study of a Unit 3 and 4 sequence in Year 11 they will undertake five Unit 3 and 4 sequences in Year 12.

Senior School Handbook 2025

Marian College offers students the opportunity to pursue their own career path with the VM Certificate. The VM Certificate is a recognised Senior Secondary Certificate in Victoria and is suitable for students wishing to pursue further education in TAFE, start an apprenticeship or get a job. VM takes a practical approach to learning while gaining the necessary skills and experience to transition successfully into the workforce.

Students take classes in our newly renovated Applied Learning Centre (ALC) designed specifically for this program. The ALC includes a variety of open classrooms, wet area classroom, workshops and art studio. Our VM program also has access to our Technology classrooms, the Trade Training Centre (TTC - Lab Skills and Winery) and our horticulture block which houses our vineyard, olive trees, vegetable patch and fruit trees.

Students undertaking the VM Certificate must complete units in Literacy, Numeracy, Personal Development (PDS) and Work Related Skills (WRS). In addition to this, students must undertake a VET Certificate (II or III) as an industry level qualification. VM Students can choose any VET subject.

In addition to developing these work skills, students can pursue a Structured Work Placement (one day per week – maximum 20 days) to support their VET Course outcomes. Students can also pursue a School-Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship (SBAT) where they spend one day on the job, and one day in a VET course of their employers’ choice, and three days in school.

Our VM students are proud representatives of Marian College and contribute to both the school and the community with a variety of projects to complete a busy and successful program of applied learning.

Senior School Handbook 2025

VET Courses contribute units to either your VCE (including your ATAR) or VCAL Certificates. VCE/VET Courses have end of year exams similar to other VCE courses and it is compulsory for VM students to undertake at least one VET course.

Students may pursue VET Courses within Marian College, within the VET Cluster, or with other external providers, so you can pursue a qualification appropriate for your career choice. The Central Grampians LLEN (Ararat/Stawell) and Highlands LLEN (Ballarat) co-ordinate courses as a VET Cluster group.

VET Programs within Marian College currently include Automotive, Building and Construction, Business (for VM), Community Services, Early Childhood, Engineering, Fitness (for VM), Furniture Making, Music and Sport & Recreation . Please note that VET courses outside of the school may attract extra costs.