The development of the Senior School is driven by the needs of the child. The prescribed Western Australian Curriculum is supported by an inclusive, student centred Pastoral Care Program and a variety of enrichment and extension opportunities. A comprehensive co-curricular program is available to all students as well as a number of additional activities for students to access, such as Theatre, Music and Sports.
Embedded in the mandated curriculum are opportunities to develop skills which reflect the needs of today’s workplace. Resilience, leadership, problem solving, critical thinking, creativity and initiative are recognised and promoted through a variety of tasks and experiences. Students spend time exploring the wide variety of pathway options available to them during the annual Careers Week and they are encouraged to develop a global perspective and become active citizens. The core values of faith, excellence, justice, respect, integrity and diversity are an integral part of all learning tasks and experiences.
Students are prepared for a variety of pathways post Year 12. Those who wish to follow a university pathway are provided with the necessary skills and knowledge required for this. Those who wish to gain employment or continue on a vocational pathway are provided with experiences and guidance to maximise their chances of success. Information sessions are available for parents to access in order to develop their own knowledge of what lies ahead for their children.
In Year 7, the focus is on the transition from Junior School to Senior School as students acquire growing independence, develop decision making skills, explore values and further refine their social and collaborative work skills. Students are encouraged to embrace a wide variety of opportunities in order to begin identifying their own interests. They are encouraged to question and explore other ways of thinking and world views. Students are provided with opportunities to establish relationships with the other students in the School through a variety of organised House Time activities.
In Year 8, students continue to develop their exploration of the physical, social and technological world and gain familiarity and confidence with the methods and languages of particular disciplines. They are encouraged to understand that they are active participants in their own continuing development and that of their society and the world. Students are provided the opportunity to explore their own interests and endeavours through the selection of options as they move into Year 9. In Year 8, students are exposed to examinations for the first time as they develop time management, resilience, goal setting and study skills.
In Year 9, students are increasingly encouraged to see the links between areas of learning and the interconnectedness of various fields. Teaching programs help students develop a broader and more comprehensive understanding of the context of their lives and the world in which they live. Students spend additional time exploring their own interests and endeavours through participation in option subjects. Pathways post school are explicitly addressed and a variety of enrichment opportunities are provided to explore these pathways including mock interviews, career exploration, TAFE Trade opportunities and workshops. Students experience semester examinations in Year 9 which further develop study skills, resilience, time management and goal setting.
In Year 10, students are further encouraged to develop an open and questioning view of the world. They are provided opportunities to explore the variety of pathways available to them in Years 11 and 12 and identify their areas of interest, strength and endeavour. Option subjects are chosen to consolidate this awareness, and guidance is provided to each student and family on subject choices for Year 11. Students and families are invited to attend a variety of information evenings, guest speakers, seminars and workshops on pathways. Work experience is introduced in Year 10 and provides further insight into life post school. Year 10’s also undertake semester examinations in order to further develop some of the skills required for success in Years 11 and 12, such as revision skills, time management, goal setting, growth mindset and literacy and numeracy capacities. In addition to examinations, those eligible Year 10’s complete their Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment in preparation for achievement of their Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE).
In Years 11 and 12, students have a stronger sense of their own strengths, interests and goals. These play a major role in determining their decisions over the course of the two years. Students are involved in tasks that require them to clarify goals, show initiative and perseverance and continue to develop their ability to seek, use and evaluate information for a range of purposes. Students are monitored constantly as they move towards the achievement of their Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE). Guidance is provided to maximise success in both Year 11 and 12 and life post Year 12.
(Source SCSA, 2018)
Pathways and Careers
What comes after school? Once the initial excitement of the thought of their final years at school sink in, students begin to cement their understanding of their endless post school options and the connection it starts with their life and career journey. Some individuals are already set on a preferred pathway and others who are unsure will work be encouraged to diligently finish their studies with their best academic results and a successful repertoire of soft skills to ensure their career success once they leave secondary school.
St James’ Anglican School aims to provide quality support and counselling dedicated to assisting students in making informed decisions about their career pathways, inclusive of school and post school education, training and employment options. The focus is on empowering students to plan their transition from high school to their ideal post school option through identifying their strengths, passions, future goals and preferred learning style; all in relation to their career journey.
St James’ Anglican School educate families about the variety of pathways that exist after school from an early stage. Each year, a parent information session is held for all parents and carers who wish build on their understanding of what ATAR, General Education and Vocational Education and training is and what these pathways mean for their child. Over the course of Senior school, students will be exposed to a wide variety of guest speakers, attend excursions, workshops, off-site Try-A-Trade opportunities, work experience and career shadow weeks and information sessions about the choices available to them as students and post year 12.
In addition to this, each year St. James’ runs a Careers Week. The focus of this week is to further develop the students soft skills and expose them to a variety of age related topics which can include interviewing skills, building a portfolio and resume, understanding their resilience and growth mindset and more job and study exploration. Guest speakers include TAFE, the Defence Forces, University representatives, current and past Year 12 students and inspirational speakers whose ultimate aim is to educate students on what Year 11 and 12 look like and inspire and motivate them about life after high school.
St James’ has a dedicated careers website which collates important information for all students, but most importantly for Year 11 and 12 students who may be seeking information on their chosen career path. The website can be accessed via www.stjamescareers.com
There are also a number of websites available to students and parents/carers which also explain the different pathways available to students. These include but not limited to:
The school holds a membership to the my-future resource, which is Australia’s national online career information and exploration service. Students are encouraged to use this resource to develop their understanding and knowledge of career decisions, the variety of career pathways and further understand the transition to the workforce.
In Year 10, the parents and students are invited to an information session which explains the Year 11 and 12 pathways in greater detail. Before students make their final subject selections, individualised counselling and interviews are held with the parents and student to ensure all options have been considered to optimise their chances of success and fulfilling all the requirements for WACE. Every step of the way, St James’ aim to encourage and provide guidance to ensure students are able to access their preferred pathway and, if unsure of what they want to do, have options and choices at the end of Year 12.
St James’ Career counselling and pathway support can be offered in many ways and will be a culmination of the following experiences:
- Providing information on ATAR subject choices and how these affect student eligibility to enter university courses or a specific career pathway
- Researching employment and tertiary course pathways
- Applying to TAFE and other registered training providers for Certificate and VET qualifications
- Investigating occupations that reflect their interests and talents
- Researching university courses and their relevant ATAR’s
- Encouraging students to apply for employment opportunities, both full-time and part-time
- Providing individual students with information about pre apprenticeships and traineeships and relevant School based traineeships
- Preparing resumes, letters of applications, collating a portfolio, preparing for a job interview and learning how to apply for a tax file number and USI
- Utilising diagnostic tools and the multitude of resources available to assist students to make informed decisions and support families to make the career education process a positive and exciting experience
- Assisting students where possible to apply for relevant scholarships and opportunities
