Middle Years
Students in Year 7 are supported in their transition into secondary schooling by maintaining a core group of teachers, whilst experiencing a wider range of subjects and specialist learning areas. In Years 7 - 9 there is a defined middle school identity with programs that meet the needs of adolescents, culminating in the acclaimed Rite Journey Program in Year 9.
Year 7 students receive the Sacrament of Confirmation and engage in service to others. The Year 7 SRC Leaders and Sports Captains model and encourage involvement by all students in school activities. Participation in School and SAPSASA teams, regional carnivals and sailing extends sports experiences for students.
Students in Years 7 - 9 at St Joseph’s participate in an exciting and challenging learning program. We implement the Australian Curriculum, which has been designed to allow students to be active and engaged learners. It focuses on students understanding themselves, their community and their world.
All students in these years study the “core” subjects of Religious Education, Mathematics, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS), English, Languages and Health and Physical Education within their care-group.
Students also have the opportunity to experience elective subjects such as Visual Art, Drama, Design and Technology, Digital Technology, CAD|CAM|3D printing, Food Technology and Music, depending on the year level. These subjects provide the depth and breadth required in a holistic curriculum. In Year 9, Languages is an elective along with the ApPLe course, a personalised learning option.
Apart from the academic program offered at St Joseph’s School, students have the opportunity to participate in a broad range of excursions to enhance their learning beyond the classroom. Local excursions to places of interest, such as Tod River, Whalers Way, Poonindie, Sleaford Bay and our local foreshore, are examples of excursions conducted in recent years.
All students in the Middle School participate in a structured Pastoral Care program which focuses on the development of the student in areas such as study skills, Keeping Safe: Child Protection curriculum, cyber safety, mental health awareness, personal resilience and career development.
From Year 7, students bring their own laptop and develop their skills and understandings in ICT to ensure that technologies are used engagingly and effectively to support learning. Co-curricular and extra-curricular experiences also add to the holistic learning of our students, with Year 7 students participating in an exciting and challenging camp to Errappa and Melrose. Our Year 8 students participate in locally based camps at the foreshore and Nyroca, as well as participate in Christian Outreach activities . Year 9 students participate in a bushwalking experience in the Lincoln National Park, where students are trained in basic survival skills. Add to this the opportunity to participate in 9-a-side football carnival, school team sailing, a biennial school musical production, knockout sports, Sports Day(s), community service and retreats, our students have abundant opportunities to develop personal skills in a broad range of areas.
For more information on individual subjects please see the handbook via the link above.