Academic
Academic
Communicating Student Progress
The school aims to keep you informed of your son’s academic schedule and progress continually throughout the school year. Key school to home communication mechanisms include:
Electronic Student Timetable | Online Whole School Calendar |
Parent Information Evenings | Fortnightly Middle School App Notices |
Fortnightly Thistle eNews | MYP Information Sessions |
Term Assessment Schedules | Fortnightly Middle School Assemblies |
Parent Teacher Meetings | ILT and 1:1 Device Workshops |
Written feedback on Assessments | Semester Reports |
Curriculum
The Scotch College Curriculum is built from the Australian National Curriculum and the Western Australian K-10 Curriculum Framework, the Western Australian College of Education Year 11-12 Course of Studies and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes.
Your son will study programmes from nine key learning areas:
- The Arts (Music, Art and Drama)
- Language and Literature: English
- Language Acquisition: French in Year 6 or a choice of either Indonesian or French from Year 7
- Physical and Health Education
- Mathematics
- Science
- Individuals and Societies
- Design and STEM
- Outdoor Education
Middle Year Programme (MYP)
The Middle School delivers the Western Australian curriculum within the framework of the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP). The MYP is organised around eight subject groups: Language and Literature; Mathematics; Science; Individuals and Societies; Design; Arts; Language Acquisition; and Physical and Health Education. This provides a broad and balanced education for adolescents and our students are encouraged to make practical connections between their studies, the real world, and prior experiences through a concept-based approach. Student-centred inquiry is a feature of the MYP. Engaging questions are posed and our students are motivated to find answers to their own questions. The students are at the centre of their own learning and their understanding of the world develops in a manner and at a rate that is unique to them. In every year of Middle School, your son will complete an Interdisciplinary Unit, where knowledge and skills from two or more subjects are integrated to develop new and deeper understanding of concepts. Alongside the content of our curriculum, the Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills are a key feature. The ATLs are a set of essential and transferrable skills that support our students’ success throughout school and into the future. The five categories of ATL skills are: communication, social, self-management, research and thinking skills. In the MYP, teachers select ATL skills that will support success in a unit of learning, and those skills are explicitly taught in the classroom.
The culminating event of the MYP at Scotch is the Year 8 Community Project, which engages our students in a sustained, service action in the community.
Year 8 Course Electives
Students will have the opportunity to complete semester long units to give them a broad knowledge of this subject. They must choose three courses, two from the Arts and one from Design. Their second Design will be STEM which is a compulsory course.
The Arts is sub-grouped into Creative Arts and Performing Arts. Students complete one elective from each sub-group over the year, unless they select Music Specialist, which is a year-long course.
Design (must choose one elective below) | The Arts (must choose one from each subgroup below) |
Design: Food | Creative Arts: Visual Arts Media |
Design: Material | Performing Arts: Drama Music General Studies |
Design: Product | Music Specialist Studies (year-long course) |
Design: STEM (compulsory) |
Music
The Music Programme at Scotch College is an extensive and inclusive one that is built on active participation. Through inquiry, creativity and performance, students begin to find their musical voice, and take ownership of it in a pivotal time of their development. There are three arms to music at Scotch: Classroom Music (courses), Music Tuition (learning an instrument) and Music Ensemble (playing in a band).
Classroom music in Year 6 and 7 is compulsory. Both courses are year long. Music becomes an elective course in Year 8.
In Year 6 all students are provided the opportunity to experience music through a Concert Band context. Each student also receives free music tuition on a concert band instrument and subsidised instrument hire.
In Year 7 students are placed into an appropriate pathway to best facilitate their learning from a practical standpoint. Placements are allocated based on whether students are receiving music tuition on a Concert Band or String instrument and level of experience. Selected new Year 7 students (i.e. those not at Scotch in Year 6) may also apply for subsidised music tuition on a Concert Band instrument.
Year 8 Music elective options consist of Music Specialist Studies, a year-long course for students who hold a genuine interest in progressing their musical knowledge to an advanced level and Music General Studies, a semester long course with less depth and different focus areas to the Specialist course.
At any point in their Scotch journey, students can enrol in music tuition on a variety of musical instruments. Parents are encouraged to visit the Performing Arts website for relevant information on what is available for your son’s age and year group.
Scotch has an extensive programme of co-curricular music ensembles that rehearse and perform throughout the year. There are large and small ensembles for Woodwind, Brass, Percussion, String, Piano, and vocal in traditional Western Art, Jazz and Contemporary music contexts that students can participate in.
For further detailed information about the Music Programme offerings please visit home.scotch.wa.edu.au/performing-arts
Homework Guidelines
The main purposes of homework are:
- An opportunity for parents or carers to interact and talk with their child about their school work in a positive manner.
- To practise many skills learned in class, to reinforce work learned in class or to prepare for work to be covered in class.
- For students to develop time and resource management skills and to build a disciplined and responsible attitude towards learning.
How much homework a student should be doing is a complex issue. Knowing your son, his capabilities, availability of time, home and community commitment is important. There is no fixed rule to be equally applied, however to offer a guideline; in the Boarding House Year 7 students are supervised for homework 1 hour x 5 nights per week, and Year 8 students 1.5 hours x 5 nights per week.
Research indicates that those who do homework or independent study are greater achievers. It is important, however, to note that all children need plenty of leisure time and homework should never be seen as a form of punishment. Homework and assignments are detailed in the student’s dashboard in SEQTA.
As Middle School students are still in the formative phases of their literacy development we advise and recommend they are also reading for pleasure or research equally, at least 10 minutes a night. Reading remains the most critical of our literacy skills. Like fitness, reading skills benefit from consistent practice.Year 8 Course Electives
In Year 8 students select their Design and Arts electives for the following year. Course information can be found on home.scotch.wa.edu.au/courses.
Academic Support
The role of Academic Support in the Middle School is to provide the necessary differentiation, resources, evidence-based instruction, and adjustments within the College’s capacity, so that all students have equal and meaningful access to the curriculum.
Students requiring additional support in English or Mathematics may be offered a place in the smaller withdrawal classes. Selection for these Tier 2 classes is based on analysis of Orientation Day Academic Assessment Services test results, NAPLAN results, school reports, reports from external specialists as well as parent information. These classes are limited to 10 students in Year 6 and 11 students in Years 7 and 8. The classes run at the same time as mainstream classes on the timetable.
What you can expect
- A period of intervention in Mathematics or English support class, depending on the student’s needs
- Support of the classroom teacher in differentiating the curriculum to address student needs
- Liaison with the classroom teacher and Academic Support teacher throughout this process
- An Education Guideline or Learning Disabilities Profile for students with a diagnosed learning disability which is developed by the Middle School Psychologist in conjunction with parents
How students are identified for support
- School assessments including standardised tests such as our Academic Assessment testing and National assessments (e.g. National Assessment Programme Literacy and Numeracy-NAPLAN, University of New South Wales assessments) and teacher-devised tests
- Referral from classroom teachers
- Reports or assessments from previous schools or external specialists
- Background information questionnaires from parents of new students
- Parents’ concerns
If you have a concern
The first point of contact is always the classroom teacher. You may be invited to have further discussions with Academic Support by email:
Middle School Head of Academic Support
Mrs Gill Youngleson
gill.youngleson@scotch.wa.edu.au
Middle School Psychologist
Ms Kim Lorimer
kim.lorimer@scotch.wa.edu.au
Academic Enrichment
Middle School encourages personal academic excellence through the application of inquiry-based learning and higher order thinking skills. In designing rich and challenging learning experiences, our teachers ensure all students have the opportunity for extension within the classroom environment and enrichment beyond the classroom, to support their academic, social and emotional development.
There are many parallels between gifted education and the Middle School’s framework including:
- Concept-based curriculum and instruction, encouraging students to draw connections between facts and understand their place in the world
- Authentic assessment tasks requiring a real-world application of understanding and skills
- Development of critical thinking skills
- Development of students’ independent inquiry
- Higher order thinking skills
- Development of meta-cognitive understanding.
All students benefit from quality teaching and extension by way of differentiation within the curriculum programmes.
The Enrichment Programme (Years 6–8) offers a wide selection of co-curricular opportunities across all subject learning areas. Students are invited to partake in Enrichment Programme opportunities via a number of pathways including:
- Standardised tests
- Teacher nomination
- Information from previous schools
- Student expression of interest
- Parent information
- Off-level testing
Being invited into an enrichment opportunity requires the student to be able to manage the normal curriculum and, at times, be withdrawn from classes or attend before school and after school sessions.
The Enrichment Programme is overseen and coordinated by the Middle School Enrichment Coordinator in conjunction with the K–12 Enrichment Coordinator. Extra-curricular enrichment opportunities can take the form of ongoing or short-term intensive activities.
The following examples provide an overview of some of our enrichment offerings:
Maths Enrichment
Identified students participate in challenging problem-solving activities with like-minded students. The weekly Maths Enrichment programme aims to foster mathematical creativity, develop flexibility in problem-solving, strengthen mathematical intuition and provide for the satisfaction, joy and thrill of mastering challenging problems. Maths Enrichment students are invited to compete in Have Sum Fun, Maths Olympiad and Australian Maths Trust competitions throughout the year.
Philosophy at Scotch
A Philosophy Club is on offer to selected Middle School students. The Philosophy Club offers an experiential and fast-paced introduction to philosophy’s biggest questions. The course challenges assumptions, provokes debate and offers an interdisciplinary approach for exploring ethics, identity, friendship, artificial intelligence, animal rights, happiness and other popular topics.
The annual Interhouse Philosothon is a competition open to all Middle School students in which they investigate ethical and philosophical questions in a community of inquiry. Students are judged on their ability to think rationally, to listen carefully and to communicate effectively. They are rewarded for working together to develop a deeper collective understanding of the question and its related issues.
World Scholar’s Cup
Selected students participate in this enriching and demanding academic competition that unfolds on both regional and global platforms. The World Scholar’s Cup competition includes a Team Debate, Collaborative Writing, Scholar’s Bowl, and a Scholar’s Challenge. Following the regional round, our top students are invited to represent the school at the global round, often situated in an international setting. Here, they have the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the pinnacle of World Scholar’s Cup experiences, engaging in competition and forging connections with students from around the globe.
The World Scholar’s Cup embodies the spirit of “international mindedness” at its finest, boasting an impressive participation of over 15,000 students from 50 different countries.
Public Speaking at Scotch
Years 7 and 8 students can enrol in the Western Australian Debating League (WADL). WADL gives students meaningful access to an interschool debating competition that encourages critical thinking, fosters engagement with global issues, and equips students with lifelong skills and the confidence to pursue their potential as debaters and public speakers.
The annual Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA) Speaker’s Challenge represents the culmination of the Year 6 Speaking programme, which commences within our classrooms. Year 6 students craft concise speeches with the aim of earning a spot in this interschool competition, allowing them to share the stage with other talented young orators. The programme and competition consistently showcase remarkable young individuals who deliver their speeches with unwavering confidence, captivating and inspiring an appreciative audience.
FIRST LEGO League
FIRST LEGO League introduces science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) through fun, exciting hands-on learning. FIRST LEGO League participants gain real-world problem-solving experiences through a guided, global robotics program, helping today’s students build a better future together. The League’s three divisions inspire youth to experiment and grow their critical thinking, coding and design skills through hands-on STEM learning and robotics. Selected students work closely with STEM teachers to complete the FIRST LEGO League challenges and represent Scotch College in competition.
Creative Writing
The Talented Young Writers Programme provides opportunities for students to work closely alongside Australia’s most creative and inspirational authors of Young Adult Literature. Selected students attend intensive workshops to nurture and develop their skills and confidence as creative writers. Students are able to listen, question, write and share with other like-minded students and adults, building up a repertoire of writing samples and pieces.
da Vinci Decathlon
The da Vinci Decathlon is a national and interschool competition set around competing in ten events that require collaboration, problem solving and higher-order thinking skills. Selected students compete in teams of eight across 10 disciplines: engineering, mathematics and chess, code breaking, art and poetry, science, English, ideation, creative producers, cartography and legacy.
ICAS Assessments
ICAS is an online academic competition that is designed to assess students’ higher order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Science, Writing, Spelling and Digital Technologies. Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition and development. Every student who participates receives a printed certificate and an online results report. Top performers are eligible for medals.
Encouraging Excellence
Award Cards
An Award Card system is in place in the Middle School to encourage students to do their best and to acknowledge both their endeavours and achievements. These award cards earn points for the Middle School Houses and are tallied at the conclusion of each term.
Excellence Awards
Students can be presented with an Excellence Award at Assembly by any classroom teacher for demonstrating the attributes of IB Learner Profiles.
By focusing on the IB Learner Profile from Years 1–12 we hope to develop students who are:
Inquirers | Balanced |
Thinkers | Caring |
Risk takers | Reflective |
Communicators | Knowledgeable |
Principled | Open Minded |
IB Learner Profile Awards
At the final Middle School Assembly, a select number of students from each year group are recognised for displaying one of the 10 Learner Profiles across their subjects and life at school. Award winners receive a prize to recognise the importance of students’ attitude and work ethic attributes such as consistency, collaboration, attention to detail and teacher instruction.
Mo Maslin Citizenship Award
At the final Middle School Assembly one student from Year 6, Year 7 and Year 8 will be chosen for this very special award. This award recognises a student who has demonstrated empathy, selflessness, collegiality and friendship throughout the year.
Certificate of Academic Excellence
Years 6, 7 and 8 students who achieve 30 grade points or higher in their best five subjects on their semester report and in addition to this have obtained a minimum of a Grade 5 in their remaining subjects will receive a Certificate of Academic Excellence. This award can be achieved each semester.
Student Achievements
At Middle School Assembly we also acknowledge the achievements students make outside the College. We encourage parents to provide us with this information so we can acknowledge student’s successes outside the College.
Headmaster Commendations
Headmaster Commendations are awarded to students who demonstrate outstanding achievement in an element of the IB Learner Profile. Students meet with the Headmaster individually to receive this award.