Providing Education and Training for At Risk ... - Victoria University

Enhancing structures and conditionsThe key school structures and conditions that contribute to the Program’s successes are:• a principal who supports the program with adequate resources;• a head of campus who ‘makes things happen’ e.g. through the timetable;• initial targeting of teachers who were likely to show commitment to the program; and• focused staff development that supports the program through increasing teachers’understanding of its underpinning principles and practices.Practical Education and Knowledge (PEAK):An innovative curriculum at Flinders Peak Secondary CollegeFlinders Peak Secondary College is situated on the northern urbanised outskirts of the City ofGreater Geelong. The school provides a comprehensive curriculum, based on the CSF, forstudents in Years 7-10, and prepares students for study at VCE. A majority of the students whogo on to VCE do so at Corio Community College. Many of the students who attend FlindersPeak come from low socio-economic backgrounds and present with a broad range of social,economic, educational and cultural problems. This is illustrated by statistics which indicatethat 56% of students come from families that receive the Educational Maintenance Allowanceor Austudy; 40% come from families where no-one is in work; and 36% live with only oneparent.While the school has an extensive welfare program in place to assist students with difficulties,it has recognised the importance of linking curriculum, welfare and discipline, and has put inplace a range of activities aimed at making curriculum delivery and content more relevant tothe needs and interests of the students. One of these, Practical Education and Knowledge(PEAK), is the focus of this report.PEAK is a program designed to provide Year 10 at risk students with positive experiences thatwill promote the development of their self confidence and personal capabilities, particularlywith regard to successful involvement with further education and/or participation in theworkforce. PEAK students take all of their academic subjects in the same room which acts asa homeroom thereby encouraging a sense of belonging and stability for these young people.Sixteen students commenced the program this year and it is planned to include another four orfive in semester two.The course consists of a core (16 sessions), electives (8 sessions) and work placement for oneday per week (6 sessions) – a total of 30 sessions per week. The core studies include literacyand numeracy, work education and life skills, and are taken as a separate study from the rest ofYear 10.The Certificate of General Education for Adults (CGEA) is used to deliver the literacy andnumeracy components of the course, and it is expected that students successfully completingthe core will be eligible to receive Certificate 1 in General Education for Adults (Foundation).Assessment of the core is competency based using the guidelines and criteria inherent in theCGEA. It is intended that students completing the program are able to either attempt VCE,pursue a certificated course with a TAFE provider, or demonstrate their value to a potentialemployer.41