Year 9

The unique Year 9 program at Beaconhills is delivered from purpose-built centres at each of our campuses.

Year 9

In 1997, Beaconhills became the first school in Victoria to establish an on-campus, specialised Year 9 program.

Year 9 is a time when students begin to explore their world view and personal identity. Our program gives students the best framework to help develop their personal and academic skills.
The sustainably-built Year 9 centres are multimedia-rich places of learning, staffed by teachers with special skills in teaching Year 9 students.

The program encompasses the six Learning That Matters pillars in and out of the classroom, a holistic approach to curriculum that emphasises the skills, understanding and behaviours essential for our students’ futures.

Each student is supported by a Learning Mentor who is their daily point of contact and guide throughout the year.

The school week is broken into four academic days and one Experiential Learning Day. The core academic disciplines of English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities, Languages (French or Japanese) and Physical Education usually take place at school, while experiential learning may be off campus and involve a range of activities. Students also undertake one elective per semester.

Experiential Learning Program

The Experiential Learning Program aims to enrich student learning and model the values and character our students need to become positive and active global citizens.

 

  1. Personal Best

    Personal Best enables students to follow an area of interest or passion and to complete an individual project that has research, skill-building and presentation components. Students spend a term planning and creating a major design project. They might restore a car, run a marathon or write a book. The choice is theirs.

  2. City Experience

    City Experience is an opportunity to explore the cultural, historical and geographical aspects of Melbourne and is designed to promote independence, confidence and teamwork.

  3. Common Good

    The Common Good project enables students to explore social justice issues in small groups and take part in community service activities. Students often partner with local not-for-profit organisations.

Camps and co-curricular

Year 9 is the peak Outdoor Education experience for students. The nine day program along the Great South West Walk explores three national parks, hardwood forests, Aboriginal heritage sites and vast sand dunes. The program has a focus on individual routines, leadership and resilience. Canoeing, hiking, mountain biking and community service (collecting sea waste on a 16km beach hike) is part of the experience.

Co-curricular opportunities in Year 9 also include numerous options of private music tuition, bands, ensembles, drama and dance, along with sporting teams and special interest clubs.

Year 9s also participate in the various SEISA sporting and cultural competitions during the year.