Middle Years Curriculum Handbook - Perth Modern School

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Western Australia’s Only Selective Academic SchoolIntroductionSavoir C’est Pouvoir (Knowledge is Power)The school motto acknowledges the value of knowledge within our society. Perth Modern Schoolcontinues to value its traditions while preparing students to meet the challenges of the future.The Middle Years program strives to empower its students by fostering a love of learning.As Western Australia’s only selective school foracademically talented students, Perth Modern Schooldelivers a program to meet the needs of students whohave been identified as having the potential to achievehigh levels of academic excellence. Students come froma wide range of backgrounds. Some already have welldevelopedtalents whilst others need further opportunitiesto develop their ‘gifts’ into talent. Our Middle Yearsprogram aims to provide a wide range of opportunities toenable students to reach their full academic potential.Perth Modern School has established a learningenvironment that is unique and advantageous to giftedlearners. Students have the opportunity to learn anddevelop with like minded individuals. As a result, teachersare able to effectively modify the curriculum specifically tomeet the needs of their students. Teachers aim to designinstructional activities that foster growth of thinking skills athigh, complex and abstract levels.The Curriculum Framework is the basis of all curriculumin Western Australian schools and is organised within aframework provided by the following eight Learning Areas:• English• Mathematics• Science• Social Science• Languages• Health and Physical Education• The Arts• Technology and EnterpriseEach Learning Area provides students with the opportunityto develop the skills, knowledge and ethos necessary foracademic success. The content of each subject is designedso that students may achieve outcomes consistent withtheir ability and effort.NOTE: The Australian Curriculum is currently beingimplemented in English, Mathematics, Science, History andGeography. This includes the General Capabilities, which arebeing embedded in all learning areas in the middle years.Other courses will be progressively implemented acrossAustralia following extensive consultation.Teachers aim to make learning enjoyable, stimulating andrelevant. Students are provided with a sound platformof understandings within a range of disciplines that willenable them to excel in Senior School.Our curriculum is differentiated on the basis of acceleration,enrichment and extension to engage and challenge ourstudents. Acceleration allows a faster pace of classroominstruction, necessary for gifted learners, and an earlierintroduction of advanced subject matter into the classroom.The Middle Years content is also compacted to allowenrichment focussing on the degree of difficulty of thematerial and on curriculum being studied at greater depth.The use of Information Technology is a key feature inthe provision of the educational program. Students areencouraged to explore ways in which the technology canassist them in their learning.Our ValuesThe following values guide the development and deliveryof our curriculum:• A commitment to the pursuit of knowledge and theachievement of potential, resulting in a dispositiontowards striving to understand the world and how onecan best make a contribution to it.• A commitment to the pursuit of excellence in all fields ofexperience and endeavour.• Self acceptance and respect of self, resulting in attitudesand actions which develop each person’s uniquepotential – physical, emotional, aesthetic, spiritual,intellectual, moral and social.2Perth Modern School > Curriculum Handbook Middle Years 2014
Western Australia’s Only Selective Academic SchoolIntroduction• Respect and concern for others and their rights,resulting in sensitivity to and concern for the wellbeingof others, respect for others and a search forconstructive ways of managing conflict.• Social and civic responsibility, resulting in a commitmentto exploring and promoting the common good;meeting individual needs in ways which do notinfringe the rights of others; participating in democraticprocesses; social justice and cultural diversity.• Environmental responsibility, resulting in a respectand concern for the natural and cultural environmentsand a commitment to regenerative and sustainableresource use.Academic ExcellenceEach student is encouraged to achieve their personalbest and to develop a sense of pride in themselves, theschool, their environment and their society. As well asenhanced in-class learning opportunities, students havethe opportunity to pursue areas of individual interest andto develop a high level of competency by participatingin a range of activities provided by the school andby external providers such as tertiary institutions andprofessional associations.Student ProgressParents receive a Formal Report twice each year. Thereport indicates the grade achieved in each subject. Eachstudent’s progress is monitored closely and parents arecontacted regularly by teachers and the Student Servicesteam so that they may be aware of the progress beingmade. If individual students encounter difficulties with theirlearning, parents are contacted before the formal reportingperiod. Parents are welcome to contact the school at anytime if they are concerned about their child’s progress.Choice within the CurriculumIn Year 8, most subjects are compulsory. Students maychoose the language they would prefer to study. Theymay also indicate which (if any) Music program theywould prefer.In Year 9, students continue to study English, Mathematics,Science, Social Science, a language and Music (if applicable)but have a wide range of electives from which to choose.Career PlanningIn Year 9, students begin investigating career options aspart of planning for the direction their future educationwill take. They will be assisted by teachers in planning andmapping individual pathways.Academic EnrichmentPerth Modern School recognises that although all of itsstudents have exceptional ability, there will be somewhose achievement in, and passion for, a particular subjectrequires a program that enriches them even further.Students have access to Academic Enrichment in English,Mathematics, Science and Social Science class groups.To be placed in an Academic Enrichment group, studentsmust demonstrate outstanding achievement and a welldeveloped work ethic. Placement is decided by the Headof each Learning Area in consultation with subject teachers.Students remain in an Academic Enrichment group whilethey continue to meet the placement criteria.Student SupportEven though our students have outstanding academicability, they experience the same pressures all teenagersface when growing up in a complex society. Thesepressures often impact upon academic performance.The school has in place well established procedures forproviding our students with the support they need whenthey encounter personal or academic difficulties at school.Perth Modern School > Curriculum Handbook Middle Years 2014 3
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Middle Years Curriculum Handbook - Perth Modern School

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