A Question and Answer Guide for the Senior Years
For students in Years 9, 10 and 11
Who is in the Senior Years?
Students in Years 10, 11 and 12 in Northern Territory government schools are in the Senior Years.
Students in Years 7, 8 and 9 are in the Middle Years.
What will the changes be and when will they happen?
From 2007, Year 10 students joined the Senior Years of schooling at senior colleges or senior sub schools. Sanderson High School continued to have students in Years 8 to 12 for one year. In 2008, senior students from Sanderson will move to Casuarina Senior College.
In 2008, Year 7 students will join Years 8 and 9 in dedicated middle schools or sub schools.
The department will work with schools and distance education providers to deliver the Middle Years approach to remote students through a combination of distance education and face-to-face teacher contact.
Why move Year 10 into the Senior Years?
Grouping Year 10 students in the Senior Years with Years 11 and 12 has a number of benefits for our students.
Decisions that students make in Year 10 can significantly affect their later education and training pathways. It is essential to make better connections between the Northern Territory Curriculum Framework, as the curriculum for students up to and including Year 10, and the Northern Territory Certificate of Education for senior students.
Greater subject choice, resources and expertise for Year 10 students will be more readily available when they are in the same school environment as Year 11 and 12 students.
Most importantly, it gives senior students access to those senior teachers who are best placed to give them the guidance and preparation they need.
What will happen to my current school?
Details about changes can be found in the Your School section of this website.
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If a high school becomes a dedicated middle school, what will happen to the students in the Senior Years?
Students in Years 10, 11 and 12 will go to senior colleges or senior sub schools.
For example, in the case of students from Dripstone High School, this will be Casuarina Senior College. Students from Nightcliff High School will go to Darwin High School. Students from Anzac Hill High School and Alice Springs High School will go to Centralian Senior Secondary College.
What will happen to our teachers?
Some teachers will decide to stay where they are and some will ask to transfer to another school.
Teachers will be supported, where possible, to transfer with students from their school to help maintain student-teacher relationships.
Are the teachers qualified to teach senior school?
Yes. All Territory teachers are qualified and registered. This means that teachers have to meet the professional standards set by the Teachers Registration Board.
Many of your teachers will have substantial experience in the Senior Years. Some senior teachers might need additional professional development. For example, teachers at senior colleges who usually only teach Years 11 and 12 may need to become familiar with the Northern Territory Curriculum Framework for Year 10 students. The department will provide those teachers with the professional development and support that they need.
Will the schools be ready? Will the schools have sufficient capacity for extra students and staff?
Yes. Schools will have time to prepare for the changes and teachers will have access to the professional development they need.
During 2006 and 2007, the Government made improvements at some schools so that they are better able to meet the needs of all students and teachers. At some schools, this meant making the existing facilities better. At other schools, new buildings have been constructed.
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What will happen to the programs at the school?
Senior schools and senior sub schools will generally offer a wider range of subjects and programs, including Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs and School Based Apprenticeships.
Senior schools have dedicated career advisers and VET Coordinators to ensure students are provided with the support and assistance they need.
Existing programs catering for students of high academic potential, and alternative programs for students, such as Pathways, Alice Outcomes, Gateways and Future Directions, will continue or be enhanced.
Will I be able to choose which school I go to?
Schools will have a priority enrolment area. This means that students who live in the local area will be given priority to enrol at their local middle and senior schools.
You can apply to go to a different school and that school can take you if it has sufficient room.
Attending school information sessions will help you find out what you need to do to enrol in a particular school. You will be provided with relevant information well in advance of the new school year.
Will I get a bus pass? Will the bus timetable change?
The current bus pass policy will continue to apply.
The Department of Planning and Infrastructure has developed bus routes that will support students' transport to and from school. Information on any changes to bus routes and timetables has been provided to schools. Information is also available from the Department of Planning and Infrastructure on telephone 892476666 or visit www.nt.gov.au/publictransport.
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Why focus on Middle Years?
Students in the Middle Years have particular social, academic and emotional needs. It is a time of great change for them.
While ‘traditional’ forms of teaching and learning have been successful for some students, other students feel that what they learn at school during these years is unimportant or boring. As a group, these students are at high risk of becoming disinterested in learning and dropping out of school.
By implementing the Middle Years approach, students will find the ‘way they learn’ and ‘what they learn’ at school is more interesting and relevant to their lives. It will provide a stronger focus on individual needs with more hands-on learning, and a greater emphasis on literacy and numeracy, to better prepare them for the Senior Years.
The concept is not new. Some schools in the Territory already deliver the Middle Years approach and many teachers have the expertise to teach Middle Years students.
Where can I find out more information?
For more information, talk to your local school principal and teachers or contact the Middle Years Hotline on 1800 722 030.
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