Melba College’s Year 9 curriculum aims to provide students with significant choice. The program encourages students to focus on their interests to increase engagement with school during their middle years of schooling. Research indicates that in Year 9 scores in English and Maths are the most important indicators for Year 12 marks. The research also reflects that students often underachieve in Year 9 because they are disengaged from school.

To ensure Year 9 students are engaged and given an opportunity to achieve in their later years of schooling, they undertake studies in Mathematics, English and PE/Health as core subjects. Students also get to select a wide variety of semester-based electives where they pursue their interests within the areas of Humanities, Science, Technology, The Arts, Language, Health and Physical Education. The high level of choice in this elective based program encourages student connectedness with their studies and overall engagement.

Over the course of the year, students will complete 8 electives (4 Semester One, 4 Semester Two). To maintain pathway options in senior school, students must choose at least one semester of Humanities, Science, The Arts and Technology. They may, however, choose more than one in a given area after they have made one choice in each of those areas. For example, students may choose several Technology subjects or Arts subjects depending on their interests.

Year 9 Course Overview