Our Year 9 students are the senior cohort of our Junior School and this is an exciting year focused on their personal development and the shaping of a healthy, positive identity.
Year 9 Curriculum Structure
Year 9 students build on the foundation knowledge and skills introduced in earlier years and begin to make choices about their interest areas, selecting elective subjects alongside a core curriculum. The Year 9 curriculum Year 9 students will study a common curriculum for 19 periods per week comprising:
Mentor Program The remainder of a student’s program will be comprised of six elective units of 2 periods each to be taken over the year (three to be completed each semester). Guidelines for the selection of these electives are provided below. Year 9 Program (including Aspire)
Students elect subjects to suit their individual interests, build selfresourcefulness and form valuable connections with the local and global community via the Year 9 Program (Y9P). Our Year 9s also have the opportunity to attend an adventure camp designed to extend them beyond their regular comfort zone and to build a sense of independence and self-accomplishment.
The following material is intended to help both families and students make informed and successful subject choices for 2025. The material in this booklet will be supplemented by information provided from the Year 8 Mentor teachers. Families are also welcome to contact the Mentor teachers or Year Level Coordinators if they wish to discuss options or seek advice.
Alongside Y9P, electives are an integral part of the learning program for our Year 9 students as they develop their more individualised learning pathway. Students’ motivations behind electing into a subject may be as an area of personal interest, to investigate career directions or to explore new and untried areas of learning. Electives encourage student ownership of their learning. With well-chosen subjects in the elective program, students can enhance their enthusiasm for learning and for developing new skills. Guidelines for selecting electives The guidelines for the selection of elective units are as follows: In order to encourage a breadth of experience within the curriculum, over the course of the year students are required to undertake:
The ability to provide students with their preferred subjects will depend upon the popularity of the subject (whether enough students elect it for it to run) and the final timetable that will be designed around a ‘best fit’ for all students across Year 9. Students will be notified of their choices in Term 4 in time to complete the 2025 booklist.
Students approaching Year 9 experience profound physical, social, emotional and intellectual changes associated with the gradual period of transition from childhood to adulthood. Historically, attendance and engagement at Year 9 has been a concern in schools throughout Australia.
The development of our Year 9 Program (Y9P) is in response to this research and highlights the need for a different learning environment for young adolescents at Year 9 level. The program links schooling with the students’ lives outside of the classroom and allows them to explore new ideas in cooperative learning groups. Furthermore it allows the students to interact with teachers who know them well and whose teaching is built on a sound knowledge of this age-group’s learning needs.
The program aims to enhance student awareness of local and world issues whilst also providing a learning environment that supports students to develop a sense of community and self.
A major component of the program is to provide units of study with an emphasis on the connectedness between ideas and concepts across disciplines. At the core of the program is academic rigour delivered in a meaningful, purposeful manner, based upon the Victorian Curriculum Structure of the program.
Year 9 students have one full day per week in Y9P to provide the flexibility required to work within the local community setting. Education outside the classroom setting is widely recognised as having significant benefits for students by involving them in new challenges and learning experiences.
Through this program, students are encouraged to take on greater responsibilities and independence in their learning. They have the opportunity to work in a range of groups, which will vary depending on the task/project/community work that they undertake. This allows students to form new friendships and to develop a range of collaborative skills to apply when working within a team.
Students rotate through eight units, with each unit conducted over a 5 week period throughout the year. These, along with a variety of activities such as the ‘Morrisby Career Profiling’ , health promotion sessions and other relevant activities that occur during the year, are invaluable ways for students to broaden their horizons and take on new challenges and responsibilities.
The Year 9 Program (Y9P) involves units both onsite at the College and offsite. Students are required to wear full school uniform at all times. It is very important that all students are aware that when completing units offsite, they are representing our College in the community and there is an expectation that they consistently display our College core values of Care, Commitment, Respect and Responsibility at all times.
Students approaching Year 9 experience profound physical, social, emotional and intellectual changes associated with the gradual period of transition from childhood to adulthood. Historically, attendance and engagement at Year 9 has been a concern in schools throughout Australia.
The development of our Year 9 Program (Y9P) is in response to this research and highlights the need for a different learning environment for young adolescents at Year 9 level. The program links schooling with the students’ lives outside of the classroom and allows them to explore new ideas in cooperative learning groups. Furthermore it allows the students to interact with teachers who know them well and whose teaching is built on a sound knowledge of this age-group’s learning needs.
The program aims to enhance student awareness of local and world issues whilst also providing a learning environment that supports students to develop a sense of community and self.
A major component of the program is to provide units of study with an emphasis on the connectedness between ideas and concepts across disciplines. At the core of the program is academic rigour delivered in a meaningful, purposeful manner, based upon the Victorian Curriculum Structure of the program.
Year 9 students have one full day per week in Y9P to provide the flexibility required to work within the local community setting. Education outside the classroom setting is widely recognised as having significant benefits for students by involving them in new challenges and learning experiences.
Through this program, students are encouraged to take on greater responsibilities and independence in their learning. They have the opportunity to work in a range of groups, which will vary depending on the task/project/community work that they undertake. This allows students to form new friendships and to develop a range of collaborative skills to apply when working within a team.
Students rotate through eight units, with each unit conducted over a 5 week period throughout the year. These, along with a variety of activities such as the ‘Morrisby Career Profiling’ , health promotion sessions and other relevant activities that occur during the year, are invaluable ways for students to broaden their horizons and take on new challenges and responsibilities.
The Year 9 Program (Y9P) involves units both onsite at the College and offsite. Students are required to wear full school uniform at all times. It is very important that all students are aware that when completing units offsite, they are representing our College in the community and there is an expectation that they consistently display our College core values of Care, Commitment, Respect and Responsibility at all times.
Students develop empathy by analysing the effects of their actions and the actions of others, then apply these to a range of diverse views. Gratitude is the quality of being thankful. We practise gratitude by noticing positives around us.
Students compare and contrast a range of actions that could be undertaken to enhance their own and others’ health, safety and wellbeing.
Students evaluate personal characteristics, strategies and sources of support used to cope with stressful situations/life challenges.
Students propose and evaluate interventions to improve connection to communities and environments.
Students critically analyse factors that influence their identities, relationships, decisions and behaviours. They develop techniques to focus on ‘being present’ and learn strategies to identify the positives occurring in their life.
Students analyse factors that influence different types of relationships. Students critique their abilities to devise and enact working in diverse teams.
Students use, monitor, evaluate and redirect as necessary a range of learning strategies. Students evaluate personal characteristics, and design and evaluate strategies to complete challenging tasks.
Students critique their ability to devise and enact strategies for working in diverse teams, drawing on the skills and contributions of team members to complete complex tasks.
Students reflect critically on their emotional responses to challenging situations in a wide range of contexts. This is done by labeling our emotions, helping us to soften negative emotions and find positive emotions.
Our careers support is delivered by qualified Careers Practitioners and provides an accessible resource at Mount Clear College for our students and their families.
Mount Clear College prepares students for a wide range of career opportunities, including pathways into universities, TAFE, apprenticeships, and employment. Students can access personalized help from subject selection to pathway options and explore a diverse range of possibilities. Our careers department stays up to date with everything from scholarship opportunities to Early Entry Programs, prerequisites for courses, and employment opportunities, including apprenticeships. We have developed close relationships with key networks and stakeholders, giving us a strong understanding of the expectations of industry.
As active members of the Ballarat Careers Education Network, we stay up to date with the latest information. Our students and families have easy access to our extensive resources, available on our College Careers website www.mountclearcollegecareers.com.au or via the Mount Clear College Careers Facebook and Instagram pages.
Students undertake learning tasks to explore their skills, strengths, and attributes and how these contribute to the world of work.
All students participate in career planning as part of the Year 9 program, covering everything from offering students the opportunity to complete a Morrisby Profile, resumes and job applications, to mock job interviews with local stakeholders and industry guest speakers from business and tertiary sectors.
Students receive one-on-one subject selection interviews, course and pathway guidance. Information sessions and the Work Experience Program in Term 3 offer students the opportunity to further investigate future pathways.
Students receive one-on-one subject selection interviews, opportunities to participate in guest presentations with further education institutions, and job seeking. Students and families can schedule a one-on-one interview to discuss pathways, including completing a Career Action Plan.
Every Year 12 student has at least one appointment with one of our qualified Careers Practitioners to develop their future pathway goals and aspirations. Students are supported with the completion of further education requirements, including VTAC and Special Access Schemes applications. Assistance with job-seeking opportunities and the application processes is available.
