Senior School Handbook

Curriculum

Enrolment Options

The Friends’ School senior campus offers a broad range of pathway options for senior secondary students.  All students are enrolled in the Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). As part of their TCE, students may also enrol in Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, some of which are held off-campus. Some students also enrol in the Higher Achiever program or University College Program at the University of Tasmania.

 

Students and parents should refer to the Year 11 – 12 Course Book for details of courses and suggested loads for students undertaking the TCE and/or the IBDP.

 

Homework

Homework is a vital component of school life in the Senior School. Students will be given homework in all their subjects and this must be completed by due dates unless there are valid reasons for an extension. Such issues should be taken up with the student’s teacher and tutor and, in some instances, with senior leaders. 

 

As a guide, it is recommended that Year 11 – 12 students complete a minimum of two hours of homework per night for five nights. It should be noted that students are encouraged to use their study periods at school to complete homework so that night-time commitments can be dedicated to revision and preparing for major assessments and examinations. There are certain places set aside for private study; these are the library or 'Sanctum' for silent individual study and common rooms or breakout rooms for small quiet group study. It is also important to note that students will always have something to do in the way of homework even if they may have completed the specific requirements set down by the classroom teacher. Regular revision is advisable in all subjects.

 

Finally, it is suggested that students complete homework as soon as it is set. It is most inadvisable to allow homework to ‘bank up’, so that it causes unnecessary stress at a later time. It is worth noting that many TCE subjects include a specific criterion to be assessed according to a student’s ability to manage time and complete tasks in a given period.

 

Assessment Deadline Procedure

Students will complete most of their work at School, but it is appropriate for part of it to be done at home. Where a student misses an assessment task through absence, it is expected that they complete the task under supervision either on the following Monday afternoon (2.30pm to 3.30pm) or Thursday afternoon (3.40pm to 4.40pm) in the Senior School Library.

 

For extended, externally assessed tasks in Years 11 and 12, like the Extended Essay in the IBDP or Folio in the TCE, students must submit completed work by the school deadline. This will be published at the start of the year and will include staging points which students must meet to demonstrate the authenticity of their work and ensure sound planning. For this externally assessed work extensions cannot be provided by the School. Students should contact the TCE or IB Coordinator for more information.

 

For other tasks used in the determination of final ratings in the TCE, requests for an extension (for legitimate reasons) must be submitted prior to the deadline. Extension request forms are available from the Senior School Office.

 

Process for Changing Subjects in the Senior School 

There are occasionally valid reasons for students to change their subject preferences during their studies in the Senior School, particularly early in the School year. Subject changes may be for a number of reasons, some of which involve future plans or university requirements, the realisation that a particular subject is not what the student expected, or the subject does not suit the student’s academic interests or abilities. The School does not endorse subject changes based on a student’s wish or preference for a certain subject teacher or to be with their friendship group. The student often initiates subject change requests, though the process can also start with a recommendation from a teacher.

 

The School works hard to reduce the possibility of subject changes during a student’s course of study, the process can be disruptive and may present challenges for the student, teachers and our School timetable. In this regard, counselling and information sessions leading up to pathway and subject choice periods are very important and students are encouraged to seek help and advice, and to take responsibility for their choices. However, under certain circumstances changes can be sought and approved. While the School endeavors to accommodate requests for subject changes from students when valid reasons exist, there may be timetabling limitations, class size limitations or census date cut-offs which make the request impossible to accommodate. It may also be that the subject change would be not in keeping with the students best interests, in the view of the School. The ultimate responsibility for meeting the requirements of the IB Diploma or TCE rests with the student.

 

Before the Start of the School Year

Any proposed subject change before the start of the School year (for Years 9 and 10 students, for Year 11s studying the IB diploma or Years 11 and 12s studying the TCE or VET courses) can be requested in the week before School starts by the student (preferably accompanied by a parent / guardian) attending a formal subject change session at the Senior School campus. Dates for these sessions will be published on the School calendar. Students, parents and/or guardians are advised to seek advice and counsel at these sessions, with the relevant member of staff, for example, the IBDP Coordinator, TCE Coordinator, Pathways Advisors and Timetablers. Students should bring the official subject change form and relevant pathway planning documentation to this session, which is included in the mail-out at the end of the previous year.

 

After the Start of the School Year

It is strongly advised that, where a change is made to a student’s course of study, it occurs early in Year 11 for the IB Diploma or Year 11 and 12 for the TCE. Once School commences, students will not be permitted to change classes until the start of week 2 (at the earliest).

 

The deadline for a change is the end of the third week of February. After this date, a change can be made only in exceptional circumstances. Where, in the opinion of school leaders and in consultation with the IBDP or TCE Coordinator, tutor, parents/guardians, a change of subject is warranted and justifiable, under expectional circumstances, a change may be made in a student’s program after the three-week deadline.

 

What constitutes exceptional circumstances? These may vary and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, but may include consideration of:

  • Long term illness
  • A late admission to the School from another school offering the IB Diploma or TCE
  • Where a post-tertiary pathway has changed in terms of requirements/pre-requisites

It would be highly unlikely that a change could be accommodated after the end of Term 1 in Year 11 (IB Diploma) or after the end of week 5 (TCE).

 

Year 12 IB Diploma students or TCE students who wish to change a subject or alter their program in the later part of the year will only be granted a change if the student’s welfare is at risk or failing conditions are likely to be imposed.

 

Further information can be obtained from the IBDP or TCE Coordinator, the Director of Teaching and Learning, Careers Counsellor or the Head of Clemes.

 

TCE Student Workloads

Students undertaking the TCE program are required to commit to the equivalent of five lines in Year 11 and at least four lines in Year 12. Any request for a variation on this load would need to be discussed with the tutor, the TCE Coordinator or other school leaders.

 

Co-curricular activities

Most Senior School students will have a significant co-curricular activity. Such a commitment may take the form of drama, music, sport, service or a combination of these. All students at Senior School are strongly encouraged to take on some form(s) of co-curricular activity as we see it as an important adjunct to the academic program at the school. Students should be aware that to be eligible for Service Awards, the Friends' Certificate and CAS (compulsory for International Baccalaureate students), they will need to participate in co-curricular activities.

 

It is the responsibility of parents or guardians to oversee the safety and suitability of activities for individual students which occur outside of school hours (including school holidays) and are not part of School co-curricular programs.

 

It is worth noting here that, along with academic achievements, employers, universities, halls of residence, GAP Year organisations and so on, ask particularly for students’ participation and contribution in co-curricular areas in references or testimonials.