Core Subjects: Years 7-9 

English 

The study of English is central to the learning and development of all Wheelers Hill Secondary College students. It helps create confident communicators, imaginative thinkers and informed citizens. It is through the study of English that individuals learn to analyse, understand, communicate with and build relationships with others and with the world around them. The study of English helps young people develop the knowledge and skills needed for education, training and the workplace. It helps them become ethical, thoughtful, informed and active members of society. 

Mathematics 

At WHSC, we challenge students' perception of mathematics, providing them with a personalised formative assessment model that ensures that each one of our students can experience success at maths. 

We believe that Mathematics classrooms should be places where students: 

• Develop an inquiry relationship with mathematics approaching math with curiosity, courage, confidence & intuition. 
• Talk to each other and the teachers about ideas e.g. Why did I choose this method? Does it work with other cases? How is the method similar or different to methods other people used? 
• Work on mathematics tasks that can be solved in diverse ways and/or with different solutions. 
• Work on mathematics tasks with a low entry point but a very high ceiling, so that students are constantly challenged and working at the highest and most appropriate level for them. 
• Work on complex mathematics tasks that involve more than one method or area of mathematics that often, but not always, represents real-world problems and applications.  

Mathematics classrooms at WHSC are places where students believe: 

• Everyone can do well in math. 
• Mathematics problems can be solved with many different insights and methods. Mistakes are valuable, they encourage brain growth and learning. 
• Mathematics will help them in their lives, not because they will see the same types of problems in the real world but because they are learning to think quantitatively and abstractly and developing an inquiry relationship with math. 

Learning Mathematics at Wheelers Hill Secondary College offers our students options for their futures as it enriches their lives. In the Victorian Curriculum, Mathematics provides students with essential mathematical skills and knowledge in Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. Mathematics develops the numeracy capabilities students require in their personal, work, and civic lives while providing them with the fundamentals on which mathematical specialties and professional applications of mathematics are built. 

Humanities 

At Wheelers Hill Secondary College, the Humanities in Years 7 to 9 covers four areas of study: History, Economics and Business, Geography and Civics and Citizenship. History will study such topics as Skills of the Historian, gaining an overview of the Ancient Past, and investigating ancient societies.  

Economics and Business explores the ways individuals, families, the community, businesses and governments make decisions in relation to the allocation of resources. It aims to enable students to understand the process of economic and business decision-making and its effects on themselves and others, now and in the future. 

Geography is a structured way of exploring, analysing and understanding the characteristics of the places that make up our world, using the concepts of place, space, environment, interconnection, sustainability, scale and change. 

Civics and Citizenship is essential in enabling students to become active and informed citizens who participate in and sustain Australia’s democracy. Through the study of Civics and Citizenship, students investigate political and legal systems, and explore the nature of citizenship, diversity and identity in contemporary society. 

Science 

At Wheelers Hill Secondary College, Science in Years 7 to 9 gives students the opportunity to consider the world around them by thinking and behaving like scientists. It covers the key inquiry and thinking skills required to apply the scientific method and content-specific areas of study involving biological, chemical and physical sciences. 

In biology they examine the cells and how they build into complex organisms as well as how scientists’ group and classify organisms. Chemistry looks at the ways materials can mix and combine as well as the fundamental building blocks of matter and the ways atoms and elements can combine. They also look at how elements are organized and explained in the periodic table. Finally, physics looks at energy, motion and forces, electricity, light and sound. 

Students see how scientific knowledge and understanding of the world changes as new evidence becomes available and that science knowledge can develop through collaboration and connecting ideas across the disciplines and practice of science. Students also examine how science and technology contribute to finding solutions to a range of contemporary issues and investigate ways in which these solutions may impact on other areas of society and involve ethical considerations. 

Languages 

French and Mandarin are the two languages offered at Wheelers Hill Secondary College. This means French and Mandarin will be the languages available at Year 7 and 8. French and Mandarin are also offered in Year 9 and above.  

The language course aims to enable students to communicate effectively in speech and writing in the target language. We aim to develop and build upon understanding an awareness of the similarities and differences between Australian society and those of France and China through the study of language and cultural units. In these units, our students will discover the cultures and ways of life of each language through a variety of texts in the school’s library and a range of traditional movies in the languages studied.  

Students will learn, practice and engage in the languages through a broad range of activities offered by their teachers, such as the creation of videos, plays, games and further activities to help them develop their communication skills and their international and global awareness thanks to bilingualism. 

Students are required to learn one Language in Years 7 and 8 for the entire year and may choose a Language from Year 9 onwards as part of their elective choices.   Health and Physical Education In Year 7 all students study an integrated subject of Physical and Health Education. The course aims to improve student fitness levels and to extend their competencies in the fundamental motor skills through their application to movement, striking, ball, racket, dance, gymnastics and teamwork skills. Students investigate aspects of health including personal identity and relationships, physical changes in puberty and the dangers involved in smoking.  

At Year 8, students continue with Physical Education and undertake units of different sports. Health Education for year 8 covers physical and social development during adolescence, reproductive health, relationships and the effects of alcohol on health. 

In Year 9 Physical Education will evaluate their personal fitness and set goals for improvement. They will evaluate individual and group tactics, together with the skill and movement patterns employed in games, to improve team skills. Students will elect to undertake units in fitness and various sports and activities. In Year 9 Health the focus is on issues that are both significant and of interest to adolescents, such as: adolescent development and health issues; strategies to enhance resilience and minimise harm; cyberbullying; the effects of illegal drugs; and sexuality.