O'Connor Catholic College Newsletter

Assistant Principal  -Curriculum

Mr Stephen Chapman 

Dear Parents, Guardians, Students, Staff, and Friends,

 

We have just entered what we refer to as Subject Selection Season.  Over the rest of this term, students in Year 10, Year 9 and Year 8 will choose their subjects/electives for Year 11, Year 10 and Year 9, respectively.  Year 10 has their turn first, followed by Year 9 and Year 8.  Here is a summary of the key dates for each year group.  Year 11 2026 is in Red, Year 10 2026 is in blue, and Year 9 2025 is in green.

 

Subject Selection Key Dates - O’Connor Catholic College

 

Year 11 2026 - Key dates for Year 10 2025

 

Term 2 2025   

Week 10 Monday 4 pm

  • Year 10 Conferences

 

Term 3 2025

Week 1 Tuesday 9 am

  • Assistant Principal Curriculum talks to Year 10 and releases the Google Site.

 

Weeks 1 and 2 

  • KLA Leaders of Learning (LOLs) talk to Yr 10 about the subjects.

 

Week 3 Monday

  • Year 11 2025 Parent/Carer Information Evening Monday 4/8/25

UPDATE:  This was cancelled due to weather.  Here is the video that replaced it.  Also, here is the Google Slides presentation I went through in the video.

 

Week 3 Tuesday (after the information night) 

  • Edval Choices released

 

Week 4 Monday 11/8/25

  • Edval Choices completed (due)

 

Weeks 4, 5 and 6

  • Which subjects will run?  Staff construct lines. Interviews with students with clashes.  For reference, here are the lines for this year's Yr 11. Yr 11 2025 lines  It will be different, depending on the Yr 10 2025 choices.

 

Week 7

  • Final lines handed out to students.

 

Week 8

  • Wednesday. Year 10 into Year 11 Interviews. 

 

Year 10 2026 - Key Dates for Year 9 2025

 

Term 3 Week 6 

Assistant Principal  Curriculum talking to all Yr 9 about the site and process + Email out the Site to parents and students

 

Week 6  

  • KLA Leaders of Learning (LOLs) talk to Yr 9 about the electives.

 

Week 7 Monday 

  • Edval Choices sent out for Yr 9 into 10.  For reference, here are the Yr 10 2025 Lines (Remember, they will be different for 2026)

 

Week 8 Monday 

  • Edval Choices form due for Yr 9 into 10

 

 

 

Year 9 2026 - Key Dates for Year 8 2025

 

Term 3 Week 9   

Assistant Principal  Curriculum talking to all Yr 8 about the site and process + Email out the Site to parents and students

 

Week 9 

  • KLA Leaders of Learning (LOLs) talk to Yr 8 about the electives.

 

Week 10 Monday 

  • Edval Choices sent out for Yr 8 into 9.  For reference, here are the Yr 9 2025 Lines (Remember, they will be different for 2026)

 

Week 10 Friday (last day of term 3) 

  • Edval Choices form due for Yr 8 into 9

 

One of the key messages I want to give is that there are loads of people you can talk to to get advice.  Perhaps the best source for advice and information is our Leader of Student Pathways, Mrs Rachael Galvin.  In addition, you will see from the above dates that the Leaders of Learning (LOLs) for each Key Learning Area (KLA) will be talking to each year group about the subjects offered in their area.   Also, other teachers will give advice, especially if they are a specialist teacher for a subject that is offered.  You are also invited to talk to current and past students who are studying (or have studied) the subject you are interested in.  If you prefer to read through the information yourself, look through the Subject Selection Google Site for each year group.  Here are the Google Sites for Year 11 2026, Year 10 2026 and Year 9 2026.  

 

Here is another key message.  Not all of the elective subjects that are offered will be run.  Each subject will only run if enough students choose it.  Also, the lines (the groups of subjects that are on together) are put together to minimise the clashes for students.  This is why the lines vary so much from year to year.  

 

Finally, students need to choose subjects that are suitable for them.  This is especially relevant for Year 11 where nearly all subjects are free to be chosen by students.  The level of the subject needs to be appropriate.  Not too hard, but not too easy.  Students also need to choose subjects they are interested in.  If you want to read more about this, there is great advice on the NESA website about subject selection.

 

Good luck, students, with your decision-making.  Feel free to ask me for help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yours sincerely,

Mr Stephen Chapman

Assistant Principal - Curriculum

 

 

Never stop learning; for when we stop learning, we stop growing  - Jack Lewman