College allows students to prepare for life after school in a supportive & engaging environment

College (yr 10 to yr 12)

Rob Pople – Head of College

Our College provides an engaging, stimulating, supportive environment for students to finish their final years of schooling in, as we know that students learn best in this setting. Our students are encouraged to learn, grow and explore in a safe environment, and to inspire and support others in their learning journey together. Our teachers are passionate about their subject areas and promote learning in a variety of different ways in order to challenge and cater for every individual. Our staff, partnering with parents, endeavour to provide opportunities for our students to develop their individual gifts and discover their future pathways, as they strive to be faithful to God in all areas of life.

Our programs are founded in Christ, which include an excellent academic program, real opportunities to develop character, and the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the world through God’s perspective. Students have an opportunity to develop their existing skills, while establishing the resilience and maturity necessary to enter adulthood with confidence and independence. Students are encouraged to take more responsibility for their learning in Senior School, as they prepare for life beyond the school’s boundaries.

Our area of the school is designed to reflect the growing maturity and independence of students, as they have more opportunity to show how responsible they can be in having increased freedoms, both on and off campus. Some opportunities on campus include a Recreation Room with cooking and recreational facilities for all college students, personal lockers in the Recreation Room, a personal Chromebook device, and an independent study lesson per week.

Overall, our College is a supportive, yet engaging environment where students not only develop, but flourish, as each and every student is treated and taught as an individual.

Year 10

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) is responsible for the design, implementation and management of the Australian Curriculum, and it is their aim that the national curriculum will improve the learning of all young Australians. ACARA have been releasing more and more subjects as they unveil the national curriculum, and it has got to the point now where most subjects are ACARA based. It is now our job to ensure that we are teaching everything that needs to be covered in that year level, so that students can meet ‘the national standard’ that ACARA provides. Most students will be accessing the curriculum of their current year level, but in some cases students may access a curriculum level different to their year; if this is required, it will be a decision made in conjunction with staff and parents.

ACARA subjects that we teach in Year 10 are:

English, Mathematics, Science, History, Health and Physical Education, Work Studies,

(Y10) - All Year 10 students will select a VET (vocational education) course from a list of ten. Each of these courses are delivered face to face by a qualified staff member with relevant industry experience. This will provide practical & engaging teaching allowing students to leave school with a nationally accredited qualification.

Students also have daily Discipleship lessons and a pastoral care lesson throughout the week where topical issues are covered.

Year 11/12

Students in Tasmania are required to stay in school until they have turned 17 years of age, have a full time job, or are being paid for working twenty-five (25) hours, or completed Year 11.  Students therefore must work towards a Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE), which is authorised by the Tasmanian Assessment, Standards & Certification (TASC). TASC is the qualifications authority for education in Tasmania; it makes decisions about senior secondary courses, assessment, certificates, qualifications and the application to these of national and state standards.

In order for TASC to authorise the Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE), a student needs to meet the following standards:

• Everyday Literacy skills

• Everyday Numeracy skills

• Everyday Computer (ICT) skills

The skills above can be attained through the successful completion of specific TASC subjects and VET courses. Each subject and course has a designated amount of credit points. Students need to gain at least 120 points over their two years of secondary schooling in order to gain their TCE, with at least 80 points coming from a level 2 standard or higher.

At CHCS, students who follow a mainstream subject load will qualify for credit points towards the TCE. Subject selections will need to be carefully chosen to ensure the literacy, numeracy and ICT requirements are met. Therefore, the level of complexity and credit point value of each subject must be considered when selecting subjects.

Students who do not meet the above standards after finishing their senior secondary education will be issued with a Qualifications Certificate (QC) which will list all of the subjects and courses that have been completed.  The TCE Certificate can be issued by TASC at any time in a student’s future. This maybe after the successful completion of a Traineeship, Apprenticeship or a number of Certificate courses that will enable a student to attain the 120 points.

TASC Subjects

TASC Subjects provide a broad range of learning opportunities which can lead to employment and further education.  There are many TASC subjects available across a variety of areas, and these are organised into 3 levels of complexity depending on the demands and expectations of a subject. Level 1 is the least demanding and Level 3 the most demanding. Credit points are valued and awarded depending on the complexity level of each subject.  For results to count towards a student’s credit points, an achievement of a PA (Preliminary Achievement) or above is required.

Level 3 Subjects:

These were previously known as pre-tertiary subjects and can contribute to an Australian Tertiary Admission Ranking (ATAR), which students who are wishing to gain entrance to university will need. Students interested in a university pathway must complete at least two Level 3 subject in Year 11 and at least three in Year 12.  TASC calculates a score for each Level 3 subject and combines these to provide a Tertiary Entrance (TE) score; this is then used to calculate an ATAR.

TASC Level 3 subjects available at CHCS in 2017 are:

English Communications, Maths Methods, General Mathematics, Psychology, Physical Sciences, Biology, Health Studies, Outdoor Leadership, and Legal Studies.

Level 1 and 2 Subjects

These subjects do not count towards an ATAR.  They are foundational courses for many Level 3 subjects.

TASC Level 1 and 2 subjects available at CHCS in 2017 are:

English Applied, General English, General Mathematics - Foundation, Maths Methods 2, Workplace Maths, Life Sciences, and Computer Applications.

Flexible Learning Delivery

Some subjects are taught through Flexible Learning Delivery (Network).  This method is an off-campus approach which allows students to enrol in subjects which are not specifically available at CHCS.  Students are enrolled in a class through another college and are taught/tutored by teachers in other colleges. Flexible learning subjects are electronic based and are taught through a mixture of traditional text-based work, telephone and email communication and online delivery.  

The role of CHCS in these subjects is to initially enrol and connect the students in a specific subjects and provide some accountability and support for the students as they study the course. Due to the high level of self-discipline required to complete these courses, it is recommended that students only study flexible learning subjects in Year 12.

Vocational Education & Training (VET)

At CHCS we see the value that VET courses can add to a students’ learning journey. There is a wide variety of VET courses available for students at CHCS - with 10 Face to Face courses offered, and many online* study options. The course levels range from Certificate I to Certificate IV. Vocational Education is a style of learning that focuses on practical, hands-on skills that are fundamental for specific workplace environments. These courses lead to qualifications that are highly recognised by employers and industry. The VET pathway can play a valuable role in preparing students for future studies - whether that is at university or within the workplace - as well as allowing them to gain a formal qualification for life. VET certificate courses have allocated credit points and successful completion of units in these courses will go towards a student’s TCE. Students interested in school-based apprenticeships or traineeships can discuss this pathway with the Head of College or VET Coordinator.

*online study options only available for Years 11 and 12, Year 10 students can choose from the face to face courses.