One of our key missions as a College is to ensure that students are life ready. In addition to providing students with a well-rounded and rigorous academic education and attending to students’ emotional, social and spiritual development, a key part of preparing students for life is delivering a solid and carefully sequenced pathways education. This education begins early at the College, with students receiving guidance via the College’s Pathways Coordinator in Years 8 and 9 as a part of their Pastoral Care program. In Year 10, the overall focus of students’ program shifts slightly to intentionally emphasise future pathways and planning, with our Year 10s completing a student-directed Future Pathways program at the end of Term 2 which leads seamlessly into the Upper School course selection process. Students are also regularly exposed to a comprehensive range of pathway and career options in the form of taster programs (e.g., Try-a-Trade days through local TAFEs), presentations, guest speakers, and workshops.
“In addition to providing students with a well-rounded and rigorous academic education and attending to students’ emotional, social and spiritual development, a key part of preparing students for life is delivering a solid and carefully sequenced pathways education”
Intertwined with our sequenced pathways education program, the College has also purposefully created a resource-rich environment where students have multiple places that they can go to access pathways guidance and information. The College’s Pathways Coordinator plays a key role in this and is always available to students and parents via email, appointments, and scheduled pathways events. Senior staff, including the Deputy Principal – Curriculum, are also always available in relation to providing guidance. We have a dedicated careers section of this website that is available to our school community and that is updated regularly with a wide range of resources for both students and parents that are suitable for various stages of the senior schooling journey. The College also holds an annual career expo which is designed to give students, parents, and the wider Mandurah community one event they can attend to obtain a comprehensive and wide range of pathways, post-school and careers information.
Finally, in students’ final few years at the College, the pathways education and support made available to students is intentionally increased to ensure that all students have the experience, knowledge, and information they need to successfully finish their high school studies and move onto whatever post-school pathway they have chosen. We have a well-developed Vocational Education and Training (VET) program with a variety of courses that students can choose to study, both in-school and through arrangements with various registered training organisations. Students are also given the opportunity to learn in a workplace setting through our Workplace Learning program which is facilitated by our Pathways Coordinator. The Pastoral Care program in students’ senior years is also focused on future pathways and options, with many guest speakers and external providers coming to the College to expose students to a wide variety of pathway options and industries, and to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to make well-informed decisions regarding their studies and future.
“Pathways education and support made available to students is intentionally increased to ensure that all students have the experience, knowledge, and information they need to successfully finish their high school studies and move onto whatever post-school pathway they have chosen. “
Diverse Options
One of the guiding principles which shapes our approach to preparing students for their future is that each student is an individual who requires unique supports and options. As such, we ensure that our course offerings are varied and comprehensive. The breadth and depth of courses that we offer provide a strong foundation for variety of post-school pathways. We also have a range of alternative university entrance options, including the Curtin UniReady In-Schools program.
