Middle Years

Years 7-9 are a time of upheaval and change for young people as they navigate the next stages of their physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development.  At Upwey High School we work hard to smooth the transition from primary school to high school and the subsequent transition from year to year by gradually exposing students to a broader range of subjects, experiences, and teachers.

Learning Commons and Teaching Teams

Our buildings and timetable/staffing are purposefully designed around Learning Commons. Each Learning Common has a devoted space and teaching space.  This becomes a home base as students spend at least 50% of their week within this environment.  The Learning Commons are equipped with kitchenettes that are accessible by students and their lockers are located close by.  The teaching team works hard with students to develop classroom and year level norms that create the foundation for a positive learning environment. These facets enhance the sense of safety for students and facilitate the development of positive relationships between students and staff.  Our aim is for every student to be very well known by at least 2 different teachers each year.  Each year level is led by a Team Leader and Assistant Team Leader who work with the significant teachers to develop and maintain a positive learning culture in the learning common.

Curriculum

Students undertake a core curriculum built around the eight learning domains of English, Maths, Science, Humanities, Health and PE, The Arts (Art, Music and Drama), Technology (including Digital Technology and Food Studies) and Languages.  As a school we offer both French and Japanese with students completing a semester of each in Year 7.  In Year 7 our students dip a toe in the water with their first elective choice through the Student Talent Program.  This is an enhancement program with students choosing from a range of offerings designed to stretch and challenge them in an area of passion or strength.

When students reach Year 8, the core program continues with a small increase in elective choice.  Students will have decided the Language they will study in Year 8 and 9 and they continue with the choices in the Student Talent Program.  They also choose an area of specialisation in Art.  In Year 8 students have their first exposure to the workshop in their study of Materials Design where they are able to design and build projects in the mediums of fabric, metal and wood.  Digital Technology is replaced by the study of Media in Year 8.

The core subjects continue throughout Year 9 as there is an increase in electives as students select three Art or Technology subjects for the year.  New Horizons is a class that Year 9 students take once a week. They work with their homegroup and significant teacher on personal development, the program includes The Resilience Project, Careers and Pathways Education, Leadership development and preparation for City Experience and adventure camps.

Inquiry Learning

At each level in the Middle Years students will undertake a major inquiry.  Students choose a research focus in line with the theme for the year level and complete a major research inquiry.  They learn various forms of research including accessing primary and secondary source material and collecting and collating data.  Students prepare a presentation of their learning and we celebrate their achievements in a showcase with families.

Science

Year 7 Science develops an understanding of scientific concepts, and how technological advances have influenced our culture and environment. Modules include: animal classification and habitats, chemical molecules and water interactions, physical forces, simple machines and Earth’s interaction in space. Year 8 classes explore the study of the four main areas of Science: Earth Science; Biological Science, Physical Science and Chemical Science. The Year 9 Science course encourages students to deepen their understanding of these areas, through the development of scientific concepts, skills, and an understanding of the impact advances in these fields have on our modern world.

Humanities

Humanities is the study of human society in different places and times and its interaction with a range of natural and built environments. Year 7 students delve into an exploration of the world’s ancient past, also looking at geographical concepts, disaster resilience and water, and are introduced to the basics of economics and parliament. In Year 8, students develop further skills in investigation, participation and communication and complete a major inquiry project.

Year 9 Humanities combines skills and tasks that embodies Civics and Citizenship, History and Geography with a strong emphasis on the Critical and Creative Thinking and the Personal and Social Domains of the Victorian Curriculum. Students study Australia’s past and present, including the political and legal frameworks and their development.

Languages

French

The Year 7 and 8 French programs offer learning through a variety of different learning channels and experiences- interacting with the language across different texts and conversational scenarios. Students gain an understanding and appreciation for French culture and learn foundational speaking and writing skills with an awareness of language patterns. In Year 9 they can advance their knowledge and are encouraged to acquire and use new information and language in new contexts.

Japanese

Year 7 and 8 Japanese is designed to promote enthusiasm and interest in the culture of Japan, to actively engage in verbal practice, in the context of everyday scenarios, and to make sense of language patterns. Students will focus on language that would typically be encountered by a visitor to Japan- becoming comfortable with simple introductory and conversational phrases- and are later introduced to the use of the hiragana script. In Year 9 we move towards the use of the Katakana script and students are given the opportunity to steer their language knowledge towards their particular interests.

The Arts

In Year 7 Art students identify, analyse and evaluate how other artists use materials, techniques, technologies, processes and visual conventions to express ideas and convey meaning. Year 7 Art is designed to allow students to experiment with different ways of creating works in contemporary, traditional and digital forms. Students will experience a variety of two- and three-dimensional activities, which require skill development, solving of artistic problems and the correct use of tools across different mediums.

In Year 8 students cycle through several specialist areas throughout the year including; Visual Art, Ceramics and Sculpture, Photography, and Graphic Design. Our course offers something for every student and allows them to harness their creative language, whether it be through drawing, printmaking, clay modelling, or photographic film development.

For Year 9 students our subject structure changes again to accommodate personal interests and strengths. Students partake in Digital Technology and Media classes exploring the evolution of the video gaming industry and film production, take an in-depth look at the various technologies associated with building content for the internet. In addition, students can also select their own electives from a choice of 2D and 3D Art, Graphic Communication, Photography, Wood, Metal, Music and Drama.

Music/Drama/Media

In Years 7 and 8 the basics of performance skills are introduced, and students learn their application in theatre and other media areas. Beyond that, students will have an opportunity, through Short Scene Drama and Scripted Drama, to make plays from a variety of stimulus material including existing scripts.

In Year 7 Music students learn about the instruments of the orchestra, what they sound like and how they are used. Students learn about rhythm and melody, composing and practising their own music as well as learning music to perform. Students listen to a wide variety of music, incorporating music terminology into their analysis.

Year 8 Music students learn using technology to compose and create audiobooks in their entirety. Students will work both independently and in groups to develop their musical knowledge through the use of digital interfacing, studio equipment, and orchestral instruments.

Year 9 Music comprises; performance, learning and practising music using an instrument or the voice; a film score study, investigating the use of music in film and its contribution to the story and sequences; and composition using the notation software MuseScore. 

In Year 9, students progress to a Media course and will learn the art of making films. Students will be involved in the creative process of filmmaking from inception and planning, all the way through to making films.

Experiential Learning

Early adolescence is a time to exploring your world and getting to understand who you are and who you want to become.  To support this, we build in a range of experiences for students.  Our students have access to the Yarra Ranges Tech School and will undertake a series of incursions and excursions where they can become immersed in the STEAM (Science, Maths, Engineering, Arts and Maths) and have access to the latest technology.  Learning to program robots, pilot drones and create designs for the digital printer or laser cutter are all accessible.

We know how much most students love a school camp, as a great opportunity to develop relationships with peers but also try things that sit outside our comfort zone.  High ropes courses, orienteering, surfing, abseiling, giant swings and flying foxes may feature in our Year 7 and 8 camps.  Our Year 9 camps step it up for students who are required to self-cater, camp outdoors and build skills around water (swimming, surfing, kayaking), bushwalking/hiking and bike riding.