School Curriculum
At Caloundra City School, our developmental approach focuses on ‘thinking about thinking’ and uses Essential Learnings, and differentiated integrating themes and technology, as curriculum drivers.
Early Learning Centre Curriculum
For details about our Early Learning Programme visit:
Junior School Curriculum
Our developmental teaching provides a natural, progressive means of learning, which develops self esteem and confidence. It encourages students to become critically-aware decision makers and generates an atmosphere of success for every student.
Downloads:
- Junior School Curriculum Handbook (1.9 Meg PDF)
Junior School students can expect the following from the curriculum at Caloundra City School:
- A planned, linked, cohesive and integrated curriculum with emphasis on continuity from Years 1-7
- Building on what the students know, can do and understand
- Incorporating opportunities to plan and negotiate learning and assessment tasks which are relevant, challenging and achievable
- Learning experiences based on and mapped against the QSA framework
- To be broad and balanced across the Key Learning Areas
- To promote literacy and numeracy across the curriculum with a strong daily focus on these areas
- Explicit student learning outcomes and assessment tasks which clearly demonstrate student learning
- To be inclusive of all students
Across the Junior School years we encourage students to enjoy their learning by providing a variety of learning opportunities. Teachers provide a learning environment that enables all students to achieve their best. The learning programme engages students in both group and individual work, in rigorous structured activities as well as open ended investigations. We value all students and work towards accommodating their diversity of learning styles.
Senior School Curriculum
Senior School reflects a time in the lives of students when they are experiencing rapid intellectual, physical and emotional development that characterizes adolescence. The transition from Junior School to Senior School is an exciting time for students as they commence the next stage in a lifelong educational journey.
Downloads:
- Senior School Senior Handbook (3.1 Meg PDF)
- Year 10 Curriculum Booklet (1.1 Meg PDF)
- Years 11 & 12 Curriculum Booklet
- Senior School Drafting Policy
- Senior School Acknowledging Sources of Information Policy
- Assessment Policy - Senior School
Years 8 – 9 Studies
There is a strong middle schooling philosophy in the lower secondary school from Years 8 to 9, where the number of teachers is minimized to help each student transition from the Junior School to the Secondary School. A core curriculum of English, Mathematics, Science, History and Geography, Health and Physical Education (HPE), ICT, Japanese, Food Technology, Visual Arts, and Drama forms an excellent foundation for the senior phase of the secondary school.
Integrated Study Project
Throughout these two years, students will also undertake Integrated Projects that draw together many different disciplines of learning and will provide an opportunity to work in groups to make a final presentation to a parent audience. Topics will vary from year to year but will involve current and innovative topics of research and interest.
Excellence Projects
Students, with particular gifts, may be invited to research or investigate a semester length negotiated topic as a special Excellence Project. These projects give the students more opportunity to extend their intellectual, organizational and research and presentation skills and culminate in a final presentation to an invited audience at the end of the semester.
Year 10 Studies
Year 10 provides the first step in the senior phase of learning at CCS and is structured so that students continue in foundation core subjects of English, Mathematics, Science, and HPE, but students also have the advantage of selecting semester length units to sample different subjects before selecting for Years 11 and 12.
In addition to the traditional core subjects, students at CCS are fortunate enough to commence studies that contribute to the Queensland Certificate of Education and dual accreditation. All students will study their Certificate II in Information Technology, which is a result of our students’ skills that have developed through the use of the tablet notebook computer and integrated technology at Caloundra City School.
Semester Unit Electives:
- Business Studies, Legal Studies, Geography, History
- LOTE – Japanese
- ICT - Software development and Database Design, Networking and Website
- Development
- Food technology
- Drama, Visual Arts
- Independent unit of study – Excellence Project (by negotiation)
Years 11 - 12 Studies
The transition from the lower secondary school to the senior phase of learning is critical in allowing students to develop more independence of thinking and learning. Vocational Education units will be available to students on a needs basis and it will be possible for Year 10 students to apply for School based Traineeships.
Students will choose from a range of subjects based on their ability, interests and future career ambitions. English, at least one Mathematics subject, Core HPE are mandatory for all students.
Other subjects offered will be determined by the demand for those subjects by students but will most likely include:
- Mathematics A , B and C
- Chemistry, Biology
- Modern History
- Business Organisation and Management (BOM)
- Physical Education
- Drama, Visual Art
- Japanese
- Information and Technology Systems (ITS)
While every effort will be made to provide all the subjects that students wish to study, it may be necessary in the first year or two to offer some subjects through Distance Education, for one or two students.
University subjects
In addition to these subjects, students with the necessary academic ability, will have the choice of doing a semester length, first year university subject. The subjects that are available will be based again on student interest and the subject available on line to the School.
Vocational Education and School Based Traineeships
Students, on application, will have the ability to undertake additional studies in Vocational Education units on line as well as undertake School Based Traineeships.
