Senior School

During Years 11 and 12, there is a significant emphasis placed on students' literacy skills.  These key language competencies play a pivotal role in their overall academic development and future success. Students are supported to engage critically with a diverse range of texts, developing their ability to comprehend and analyse complex and detailed information. They are supported to refine their writing skills, enabling them to plan, edit, revise and express ideas articulately and persuasively through a range of different text types.

Enrichment Activities & Competitions

• Accelerated English Classes - Years 7 to 10 - At South Oakleigh College, we provide opportunities to students who have been identified as working consistently and significantly above the mainstream expectations. Students work collegiately with their peers and are challenged and extended by their teachers in all areas of the curriculum.
• Debating – Students in Year 7 to 10 learn formal debating skills through our debating club and participate in competitions within and between classes and between other schools in the community. Public speaking skills are also developed.
• ICAS UNSW Competitions – To further challenge students, participation in the prestigious annual University of NSW Writing and English Competitions is strongly encouraged for students from Year 7 to 12.
  *Students are also encouraged to enter national and local writing and poetry competitions.
• Visiting Speakers – Guest speakers, in school visits and external class excursions are used to stimulate creativity and enhance student learning. Students have the opportunity to hear authors and storytellers share the secrets of their craft and can then further improve their skills in classroom Writing Workshops.

The VCE Mathematics curriculum offers a diverse range of courses, allowing students to choose a pathway that aligns with their interests, abilities, and future aspirations. From practical applications to advanced theoretical concepts, these courses prepare students for a wide array of academic and professional opportunities, emphasizing critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and the practical use of mathematics.

VCE Subjects Offered

General Mathematics

This course provides a practical application of mathematics in real-world contexts, covering areas such as financial mathematics, data analysis, matrices, and networks.

Mathematical Methods

A more advanced course including calculus, algebraic techniques, functions and graphs, and their applications in solving real-world problems.

Specialist Mathematics

This course is designed for students who have a strong passion for mathematics and wish to pursue more advanced studies. It covers topics such as functions, calculus, algebra, vectors, proofs and logics, and complex numbers. Specialist Mathematics provides a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and their application in various fields, making it suitable for those aiming for further studies in mathematics, engineering, physics, or related disciplines.

Enrichment Program & Competition

Accelerated Mathematics Classes – Year 7 -10.

Accelerated Math Classes - Years 7 to 10 - At South Oakleigh College, we provide opportunities to students who have been identified as working consistently and significantly above the mainstream expectations. Students work collegiately with their peers and are challenged and extended by their teachers in all areas of the curriculum.

Other Enrichment programs and Competitions.

South Oakleigh College integrates a range of enrichment initiatives into the mathematics program to provide students with unique opportunities for growth and engagement. These initiatives include the Victorian High-Ability Program (VHAP), the ICAS UNSW Mathematics Competition, and a Coding Program. These programs empower students to further develop their mathematical abilities, apply creative problem-solving strategies, and explore the intersection of mathematics and technology.

VCE Humanities at South Oakleigh encompass Ancient History, Legal Studies, Accounting, Business Management and Politics, all of which require students to inquire about the world around them. Through exploration of the humanities, we learn how to think creatively and critically, to reason, and to ask questions. When we spend time researching into the human experience, it adds to our knowledge about the world.

VCE Subjects Offered

Accounting 

Accounting is the process of recording, reporting, analysing, and interpreting financial data and accounting information. Accounting is considered the ‘language of business’ as the information created through the preparation of reports, is used by the various users and stakeholders to make effective decisions. It plays an integral role in the successful operation and management of businesses.

Business Management

VCE Business Management examines the ways in which people at various levels within a business organisation manage resources to achieve the objectives of the organisation.

Students develop an understanding of the complexity, challenges and rewards that come from business management and gain an insight into the various ways resources can be managed in small, medium, and large-scale organisations of various structures and business models.

History 

ANCIENT HISTORY

Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome were major civilisations of the ancient Mediterranean. Each of these civilisations has bestowed a powerful legacy on the contemporary world. In Ancient History, students explore the structures of these societies and periods of crisis in their histories. They explore the rise and fall of empires and how civilisations were shaped by the complex interplay of social, political, and economic factors. Warfare, trade, and the exchange of ideas between societies also influenced the way people lived.

MODERN HISTORY

In this unit students investigate the nature of social, political, economic and cultural change in the later part of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. Modern History provides students with an opportunity to explore the significant events, ideas, individuals and movements that shaped the social, political, economic and technological conditions and developments that have defined the modern world.

Legal Studies

VCE Legal Studies investigates the ways in which the law and the legal system relate to and serve individuals and the community. Legal Studies examines the processes of law-making, dispute resolution and the administration of justice in Australia. Students develop an understanding of the impact of the legal system on the lives of citizens, and the implications of legal decisions and outcomes on Australian society. Students develop an understanding of the complexity of the law and the legal system and the challenges.

Politics 

VCE Politics is designed to give students the conceptual tools, research skills and critical methodologies they can apply to understanding contemporary political and policy debates. Students begin by studying the basics of the Australian system and the features of democracy in comparison to non-democratic systems. This is followed by units on global co-operation and conflict and the way the global community responds to crises and challenges. The subject uses case studies to develops skills in analysis and evaluation of political actors and unlocks an understanding of local and global political events.

Students who engage in senior sciences are supported with additional resources and programs such as EDROLO, SEAMS (Monash and Melbourne Universities), and access to afterschool Masterclasses.

VCE Subjects Offered:

• VCE Psychology 
• VCE Chemistry
• VCE Physics
• VCE Biology

External Connections

South Oakleigh College is an In2Science partner school – we invite mentors (trained university undergraduates) to join with teachers and targeted groups of students to engage and extend students in diverse STEM projects and programs to enhance and promote science, tertiary education and support the exploration of future pathways.

Monash Tech School – use their industry connections and internal creators to design and build targeted units that engage students across years 7-10 with programs that introduce the latest in technological innovations to give our students a unique insight into biotechnology, space, and cyber security.

In VCE, students may elect to undertake specialised studies in Physical Education Units 1-4 or Health and Human Development Units 1-4. 

VCE Subjects Offered

VCE Physical Education: explores the complex interrelationships between anatomical, biomechanical, physiological and skill acquisition principles to understand their role in producing and refining movement, and examines behavioural, psychological, environmental and sociocultural influences on performance and participation in physical activity.

VCE Health and Human Development: provides students with broad understandings of health and wellbeing. Students learn how important health and wellbeing is to themselves and to families, communities, nations and global society.

At the VCE level, students can opt for various arts and technology subjects to tailor their education to their interests and career goals. Arts options include Music Performance, Art Making and Exhibiting (formerly Studio Arts), Media, Drama, and Visual Communication. In the technology realm, students can choose from Applied Computing, Food Studies, Software Development, and Systems Engineering. These diverse subject offerings enable students to explore their passions and develop skills and knowledge in their chosen fields of study.

Art Making and Exhibiting provides a comprehensive exploration of artistic creation and presentation, emphasizing inquiry-based learning and analysis of art elements.

Drama offers a dynamic platform for students to express themselves and explore various performance styles and contexts, nurturing creativity and communication skills. 

Media explores diverse media forms, production processes, and societal impacts, culminating in students creating their own media products. 

Music Performance aims to enhance students' musical proficiency, emphasizing musicianship skills and performance techniques. 

Finally, Visual Communication Design delves into how designers use visual language to convey ideas across different design fields, promoting creativity and design thinking. These courses offer a diverse range of educational experiences and skill development for VCE students.

In VCE Applied Computing, students learn problem-solving methodologies, data utilisation, and programming skills, with an option to advance into Software Development. 

Japanese

At the senior level, students will be learning Japanese according to the VCE Study Design for Japanese Second Language. Languages at the VCE level are scaled highly and offer advantages to students intending to apply for tertiary study. Students who continue their studies into the Unit 3 and 4 courses will be prepared to sit their external written and oral examinations, with an emphasis on comprehension and communication strategies.

High-performing students who study VCE Japanese at an accelerated level can be offered opportunities to consolidate their language skills in Year 12, including Japanese courses organised by the University of Melbourne Extension Program.

For more information, click here.

Greek

The study of VCE Greek as a second language focuses on student participation in interpersonal communication, interpreting the language of other speakers, and presenting information and ideas in Greek on a range of themes and topics. Students develop and extend skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, and viewing in Greek in a range of contexts and develop cultural understanding in interpreting and creating language. Students develop their understanding of the relationships between language and culture in new contexts and consider how these relationships shape communities. Throughout the study students are given opportunities to make connections and comparisons based on personal reflections about the role of language and culture in communication and in personal identity.

Levels of achievement Units 1 and 2

Procedures for the assessment of levels of achievement in Units 1 and 2 are a matter for school decision.

Levels of achievement Units 3 and 4

The VCAA specifies the assessment procedures for students undertaking scored assessment in Units 3 and 4. The student’s level of achievement in Units 3 and 4 are be determined by School-assessed Coursework (SAC) as specified in the VCE study design and external assessment. To receive a study score the student must achieve two or more graded assessments and receive S for both Units 3 and 4. The study score is reported on a scale of 0–50

Percentage contributions to the study score in VCE Greek are as follows:

• Unit 3 School-assessed Coursework: 25 per cent
• Unit 4 School-assessed Coursework: 25 per cent
• Examinations*: oral component and written component: 50 per cent.