Middle School

The Middle School at Nazareth College includes Year 7 through to Year 9, and is a crucial period of learning for all students, as the foundations are developed for an effective and successful education in senior years.

Literacy and numeracy are two key elements for optimal learning outcomes for students, and the College provides strong programs in these key areas to ensure that each student reaches their maximum potential in all areas of study.

The technology-rich environment in Year 7 to Year 9 includes electronic whiteboards, and up to 14 computers per classroom. This allows for staff to cater for a variety of learning styles within lessons, ie: visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic. It also engages students through the use of modern technology, which is a large part of their everyday life.

Students are exposed to a wide variety of subjects in Years 7 and 8 across all disciplinary strands within the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS), in order to provide students with breadth of curriculum. Students complete studies in the core subjects of Religion, English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities, Language Other Than English (LOTE), and Physical Education. Additionally, students study set electives within the areas of Arts and Technology.

In Year 9, students are then able to start making informed decisions about subjects they wish to pursue in more depth. They study the same group of core subjects in addition to electives chosen by students from the areas of LOTE, Technology, Arts, and Specialised Sport.

Students in Year 9 are also involved in an innovative subject, Research and Development, which enables students to put into practice skills learned across the curriculum areas of English, Religion and Humanities. Interdisciplinary units are developed with a focus on hands-on experience and the various learning strands from VELS. Students study topics where the focus becomes progressively broader each term, and include Myself, Wider Community, Australia, and finally, the World. Students participate in a variety of city excursions that relate directly to the curriculum, also fostering a sense of independence within each student.