What is Pathways?

Our Year 9 and 10 program is about student choice and engagement.

Moving from the breadth of the Middle School program, the Pathways years focus on areas of enthusiasm, allowing you to forge your own academic journey.

You can study subjects from all learning areas, but free choice allows you to pursue a particular learning area and expand your understanding and skills. Pathways prepares you for Senior School.

We wish you all the very best with making your Pathways subject selections.

Year 9

For the past two years you have experienced all Catholic College has to offer and we’ve deliberately made sure you completed a variety of subjects. Now, we ask you to explore in-depth the subject areas that have really interested you, so you can determine your own Pathway into the VCE years.

It is important that your choices are guided by your interests and not what your friends are choosing, so choose what you love, not who you’re with.

To help you pick, you will get support from your Learning Mentor, your Year 8 teachers and Year Level Leader in Term 3. These conversations and those you have at home should help you think more deeply about life after school and therefore which subjects will be most suited to you over the next two years.

Programs

There are two programs available as a Year 9 Pathways student. The difference between them is whether you study a language or not. See below how studying a language affects your minimum requirements for each domain.

Advancing into Year 10 Mathematics

Year 9 students may also want to advance into the Year 10 ‘Pre-Methods’ (Maths) subject. If so, you are encouraged to speak to your LM, or your Year 8 Maths Teacher. Students need to complete an application form and a selection process is involved.

Advancing Options

It is unusual for a student in Year 9 to advance into a Year 11 subject. However, if you are interested in this option, please see your Year Level Leader or the Domain Instructional Leader of the subject you would like to advance in.

Subject Availability

Every subject offered is dependent on staffing, facilities, resources and timetabling constraints. Therefore, electives may not run. The timing of when a subject is offered in Semester 1 or Semester 2, or when a student studies a subject, is determined by these same constraints. This is another reason why you choose reserve subjects.

Year 10

The subjects you completed in Year 9 make up part of your Pathways program, therefore every student will have a different Year 10 program.

Remember, there are a minimum number of subjects required from each Domain across Year 9-10. What you have completed in Year 9 will mean your Year 10 subjects are partly chosen for you.

Guided by your teachers and Learning Mentor, you take part in activities that help you decide your Year 10 subjects and reserve subjects during weeks 1-3 of Term 3. Study a broad range of subjects that you enjoy and find challenging.

Making your Choices

Your Year 10 subjects are determined by what you have studied in Year 9. The Pathways Selection Website will guide you on what subject domains you need to complete in Year 10.

Early Advancement

Looking to expand your knowledge and get a taste of VCE? Our Early Advancement Program is for high achieving students who are up for a challenge.

Advancement Subjects

Although most students undertake a course of study in keeping with their year level, the curriculum is timetabled against Year 11-12, giving you access to VCE and VET subjects to accelerate.

At Year 10 level you can apply for the Early Advancement Program in one Unit 1-2 sequence in VCE or VET.

Applications for early advancement are made on the recommendation of classroom teachers and are always dependent on the availability of places. Students are interviewed as part of that process.

Interested? Have a conversation with your Learning Mentor, Year Level Leader or the VET Leader

Subject Availability

Every subject offered is dependent on staffing, facilities, resources and timetabling constraints. Therefore, electives advertised on the subject selection website may not run. The timing of when an elective is offered in Semester 1 or Semester 2, or when a student studies a subject, is determined by these same constraints. This is another reason why you choose reserve subjects.