Year 7 students at St Bernard’s College have a comprehensive study program, covering all core subject areas including Eddie & Bernier (Religious Education), English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities, and both the languages of Japanese and Italian. The time allocation for a Year 7 student can be seen below:

*denotes that students complete one semester of each subject.

Health and Physical Education are an important component of a comprehensive curriculum. Fitness, coordination skills, teamwork and sportsmanship are developed through the College Physical Education program. Students also get the opportunity to participate in sport one afternoon per week.

At St Bernard’s College we believe that learning a language opens doors to new opportunities, fosters cultural understanding, and promotes global citizenship. Our dynamic language program aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world. At St Bernard’s College we offer both an Asian and European language: Japanese and Italian. Students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in these rich cultures from Year 7 all the way through to VCE.

As well as the core subjects above, Year 7 students will undertake studies in the Arts, where they will experience Design Education, Food studies, Digital Technology and Music and also have the opportunity to join a College Band.

Eddie & Bernie

Religious Education at St Bernard’s centres on five Learning Domains of the Curriculum Framework with Year 7 – 9 exploring content under the following domains:

• Scripture and Jesus
• Church and Community
• God, Religion and Life
• Prayer, Liturgy and Sacrament
• Morality and Justice.

In addition, Year 7 RE now incorporates an introductory course in Term One called ‘Eddie and Bernie Program’ which aims to support students transitioning to our college from primary school.

It comprises a variety of activities to support their fresh start including:

• How to use technology, manage homework and be organized
• What does it mean to be a Bernard’s Boy
• A reflection of themselves as learners – My Ideal Self
• An understanding what it means to be at an EREA school learning about the nature of an Edmund Rice Education, and the Four Touchstones that underpin our charism and charter.

The Year 8 study program continues to cover all core subjects including Religious Education, English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities & HPE. Students continue to have an opportunity to participate in the sport program one afternoon as well. The time allocation for a Year 8 student can be seen below:

*students in Year 8 have the opportunity to choose four electives from the following options: Music, Art, Drama, Media, Food Studies & Product Design and Technology (Wood). Each elective is studies for one semester.

Languages continue to be a compulsory part of the curriculum until the end of Year 8, ensuring that students have a solid foundation in either Japanese or Italian. Throughout these formative years, students not only develop linguistic skills but also gain a deeper appreciation for the cultures and traditions associated with their chosen language. During Year 8, students study the same language for the entire year.

Literature Festival

Year 8 students have the opportunity to participate in the annual Literature Festival where they experience a whole day of literature activities. Their normal program for the day is replaced with a variety of engaging and inspirational workshops from some of Australia’s best Young Adult Fiction author, poets, graphic novelists, song writers, and illustrators. Students will be offered workshops where they will be exposed to the craft of poetry, the creation of graphic novels, the first hurdle to leap when starting a short story, or the way to build a horror story so that everyone dies at the end.

Year 9 at St Bernard’s College focuses on supporting and nurturing the students as they navigate a pivotal year in their educational journey. The Resurrection House Campus provides an environment where students are challenged to develop critical thinking skills, exceptional learning habits, while increasing their independence and maturity that will hold them in good stead for the rigours of the senior school at the Essendon Campus.

The Year 9 curriculum at St Bernard’s takes up the challenge of developing a distinctive phase of learning, specifically designed for students at this critical stage in their education, providing them with unique opportunities. At this crucial period of change for our young men, we see it as vital to have a strong support network around them. The holistic Year 9 program plays a vital role in developing wellbeing, resilience and healthy relationships in our young men, and provides lifelong experiences and memories.

The staff that are appointed in all three components of the Year 9 program have specialised experience and passion for working with students in Year 9 and provide an environment for all learners, which is safe, caring, structured, challenging and engaging.

In Year 9 students continue to complete a range of traditional subjects for the entire year including English, Mathematics, RE, Science, Humanities and HPE. The time allocation for a Year 9 student can be seen below:

All other subjects (including languages) become elective based programs. Students have the option of studying 4 electives at Year 9, two per semester. Year 9 students have the following electives to choose from when selective electives:

Art Elective Choices

o Visual Communication Design

o Art

o Media Studies

o Drama

o Music

o Book Club

Technology Elective Choices

o Digital Technologies

o Food Safari

o Kitchen Garden

o Product Design and Technology (Wood)

All other elective choices

o Italian (must be studied for 2 semesters)

o Japanese (must be studied for 2 semesters)

o ACC High Performance Sport

o Advanced Mathematics

o Inquiry Based Science

o Engineering

o Elite Fitness

o Outdoor Adventure: Duke of Edinburgh – Bronze Award

o Civics

o Economics

o Book Club (Literature)

o Critical Thinking (Debating and Philosophy)

Students in Year 9 must complete at least one active from the Art or technology domain.]

In addition to the HPE program, students also have the opportunity to select to be apart of the high performance sport program. This is a program that runs across Year 9 & 10 and gives students the opportunity to represent the college in ACC sports.

Below is what is offered in the High Performance Sport Program each semester.

*note that students move through a selection process for this subject, selection is not automatic.

At Year 10 students begin to diversify their learning choices to be specific for their pathway in senior years. Studdents in Year 10 have core subjects which include English, RE and HPE. All other subjects inlvoes students considering their individual pathways.

The period breakdown foe Year 10 students is as follows:

Mathematics selection

Mathematics study is compulsory. Students will have the choice, students will be required to choose Pre-General Mathematics or Pre-Methods mathematics.

Science selection

Students are required to complete one semester of compulsory Core Science. This is chosen as one of their six electives. If students would like to explore more science subjects they have the option of choosing additional science subjects with their elective choices.

Humanities selection

Students are required to complete one semester of compulsory Humanities study. They may choose any Year 10 level humanities to fulfill this requirement (listed below). If students do an accelerated study (Unit 1-2 in Year 10) which is humanities based (Legal Studies or Business Management) it will count as their humanities selection.

Religion Education

Our Year 10 students head in a different direction for RE. We register mainstream students in a study of VCE Unit One Religion and Society which explores the Role of Religion in Society through three different outcomes:

1. The Nature and Purpose of Religion

• the nature and purposes of religion over time
• the aspects of religion and how they are interrelated
• answers to questions about the origins of life and existence offered by religion
• spiritual and religious narratives that explain truths of all existence
• roles religion has in shaping and giving meaning to needs of individuals and communities
• the role of religion generally in giving expression to beliefs through the other aspects of religion

1. Religion Through The Ages

• spiritual and religious ideas and how religious traditions play a role in society over time
• spiritual and religious ideas that pass through generations via a process of socialisation
• developments in technology, philosophy and science within and outside religious traditions
• other ideas and movements that influenced roles and relevant aspects of religion in society
• reasons why spiritualities and religious traditions were resilient, changed, or ceased to exist
• reasons why ideas from spiritualities and religious traditions become part of other spiritualities, religious traditions or religious denominations

1. Religion in Australia

• distribution of and adherence to religious traditions in Australia, past and present
• the influence of government policy on the religious composition of Australian society over time
• the influence of religious or non-religious trends on the religious composition of Australian society
• ways collective identity is expressed by religious traditions in Australia through aspects of religion
• personal meaning and identity found through engagement with relevant aspects of religion
• interactions between religious traditions and other people, groups and organisations within wider Australian society and reasons for these interactions, in particular:

• the roles of spiritualities, religious traditions or religious denominations in Australian society
• the role of religion in providing social infrastructure in Australian society
• the role of interfaith and ecumenical interaction in Australia

Year 10 Elective choices

Students in Year 10 can study six electives across the school year (3 per semester). In a student elective choices they must include Core Science and the compulsory humanities subject. A list of electives choices for Year 10 can be seen below:

Science (semester length units)

● Core Science

● Biology/Chemistry

● Physics/Chemistry

● Sports Science

● Environmental Science

● Psychology

● Engineering

● Biology (VCE)

● Psychology (VCE)

Technology

● Applied Computing (VCE)

● Food and Health for Life

● Food Studies

● Product Design & Technology (Metal & Plastic)

● Product Design & Technology (Wood)

● Food Studies (VCE)

Visual and Performing Arts

● Art

● Drama

● Film Studies

● Media Studies

● Music Performance

● Music Styles & Composition

● Certificate II and III in Music Industry (Technical Production)

● Photography

● Visual Communication Design

Humanities

● Civics

● Economics

● Geography

● History

● Business Management (VCE)

● Geography (VCE)

● Legal Studies (VCE)

Languages

● Italian - Semester One and Two

● Japanese - Semester One and Two

Health and Physical Education

● Training for Performance

● Outdoor Education

● Sport Science (This is a Science choice covering some HPE concepts as well)

● Environmental Science (This is a Science choice covering some HPE and Geography concepts as well)

● Outdoor Education (VCE)

● Health and Human Development (VCE)

Year 10 Uplift Program

In Year 10 the college offers the ‘UpLift’ program to students who would benefit from extra support in English and Mathematics to experience success in their learning. This is achieved through smaller class group – 12 students; Intensive support- teacher/LSO; and an additional two periods of English/Mathematics per cycle. Completion of a school-based VET Workplace Skills. All UpLift subjects are taught to Year 10 standard to enable transition to a traditional VCE pathway in Year 11.

Accelerated Study Opportunities

Select students in Year 10 can accelerate their study by selecting to do a VCE subject in Year 10. To be eligible students are required to average 80% across all assessment tasks in Year 10. VCE subjects offered to Year 10s are:

• Applied Computing (Unit 1-2)
• Biology (Unit 1-2)
• Business Management (Unit 1-2)
• Legal Studies (Unit 1-2)
• Psychology (Unit 1-2)

Students in Year 11-12 have the opportunity to complete 3 different pathways

1. Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)

1. VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM)

1. SBC Baccalaureate (Year 12 only)

Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)

Students in Year 11-12 have the opportunity to complete a scored or non-scored VCE certificate. students in Year 11-12 have the following subject breakdown:

English Selection

At VCE level students must study at least one English based subject. The follow subjects count as an English:

• English (Units 1-4)
• English Language (Unit 1-4)
• Literature (Unit 1-4)

Religious education

Across the two years of Year 10 and Year 11, students will study the Unit 1 and Unit 2 portion of the VCE Religion and Society course, and this qualification, if passed satisfactorily, shall appear on the VCAA Statement of results.

Year 10 students who show ability and effort, and a capacity to accelerate at a higher level, shall be invited to apply to study Units 3 & 4 Religion and Society when in Year 11 which will provide an additional subject to their five studied in Year 12, a real boost to their ATAR.

A select few shall be able to study Unit 3 & 4 Religion and Society alongside another Unit 3 & 4 subject in Year 11, affording them additional study time in Year 12 to focus on their remaining four subjects. We hope this will be an advantage overall.

VCE Subject Selection

Students at St Bernard’s College have the opportunity to study a range of subjects across the VCE Curriculum. St Bernard’s College is committed to offering as many subjects as possible to maximize student choice. In 2023 42 different subjects were offered to students completing their VCE.

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

VET subjects in the VCE and VCE VM allow students to combine areas of interest and vocational studies, exploring career options and pathways as they learn.

Students gain a nationally recognised qualification or credit towards a qualification that contributes to the VCE and VCE VM - all while developing skills that equip them for the workforce and further study.

VET subjects can be offered onsite at school. However, many are offered externally (offsite) by TAFEs and Registered Training Organisations.

The VET subjects offered onsite at St Bernard’s are.

• Certificate III in Business.
• Certificate III in Community Service
• Certificate III in Music (Sound Production Specialisation)
• Certificate III in Sport, Aquatics and Recreation

Typically, offsite VET subjects can cover trade areas such as Building and Construction, Plumbing and Electrical. Non-trade offsite VET subjects can cover areas as broad as Animal Studies, Games Design, Fashion and Equine Studies. External Training Providers used by the St Bernard’s include KANGAN Institute, Victoria University Polytechnic, Apprenticeship Group Australia (AGA) and the Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE).

Useful Website to learn more about VET

Pages - VCE VET programs (vcaa.vic.edu.au)

Pages - Get VET (vcaa.vic.edu.au)

VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM)

The VCE Vocational Major is a vocational and applied learning program within the VCE. Students will complete the VCE Vocational Major over Year 11 and 12. The VCE VM gives students choice and flexibility to pursue areas of interest and thier strengths, whilst developing skills to succeed in further education, the workplace and as members of society.

Through the VM course students have opportunities to achieve their personal and career goals through their subjects:

• Literacy
• Numeracy
• Personal Development Skills
• Work Related Skills

Students undertaking the VCE VM are on campus at St Bernard’s three days a week, complete a VET study aligned to their personal or career aspirations one day a week and undertake Structured Workplace Learning one day a week.

SWL is vital in empowering them to make informed decisions about the next stages of their lives through real-life workplace experiences. The VM also includes community engagement opportunities which equip our young men with the skills, knowledge, values and capabilities to be active and informed citizens, lifelong learners and confident and creative individuals.

The VCE Vocational Major prepares students to move into apprenticeships, traineeships, further education and training, university (via non-ATAR pathways) or directly into the workforce upon successful completion.