Junior Mini School

The Junior Mini School is comprised of students in years 7, 8 and 9. The Junior mini school looks to provide high quality support to students to enable them to demonstrate the high expectations that we have of students around their learning, behaviour and attendance. The mini school focuses on learning, behaviour and attendance, the daily learning experience of students as well as other aspects for all students in year 7, 8 and 9. Our Mini School Team model these high expectations with all interactions with students, staff and parents/care givers.

The Junior Mini School structure consists of a Junior School Principal responsible for daily life, learning, attendance and behaviour within the mini school. Each year level has a Director who is responsible for these areas at their year level. Each Year level has Learning Coordinator and also Year Level Coordinator to work with students around these areas after teachers have completed their normal practices. There are also amazing Education Support staff who work within the mini school to support teachers, students and parents/care givers in this space.

Open communication and a partnership between the College and parents/care givers is a vital part of the work within the Junior Mini School to support student success. We encourage parents/care givers to contact subject teachers first for learning and any other aspects related to subjects and then the mini schools with other aspects that may need to be discussed. XUNO is the primary method of communication at the College and should be used to contact teachers directly. All families have access to XUNO and can use XUNO to communicate at any point of time.

Highlights of Junior School Program include strong, academically rigorous subjects that prepare students for VCE, the inclusion of the SEAL program to accelerate and enrich students with exceptional academic abilities and the BYOD program, which matches ICT proficient staff with a technology rich learning environment. . The mini school also has Junior School Captains and Vice Captains that work with the Directors and Junior School Principal to focus on the daily life of the students in the mini school and develop the leadership capacity of our students.

Year 7 and 8 Programs

Staughton College is dedicated to helping students make a smooth transition from primary school. We put a lot of effort into our transition, to ensure students feel safe, happy and stimulated – ready to begin their learning future in a new school environment.

Once students start, we get to work with our Year 7 program which is geared to helping students develop the values, drive and perseverance they need to achieve at school and ultimately in life. To develop these qualities, we create a broad range of learning experiences for students in their subjects and activities inside and outside the classroom. We maintain the positive connection with primary school learning by ensuring that students are based in one classroom with two core teachers for two-thirds of each week.

Students new to our College comment on the exciting new subjects, specialist teachers and colourful surroundings. We try to create real life learning experiences and insist that students persevere in order to achieve success.

Students in Years 7 and 8 are supported heavily by Year Level Coordinators and by a Learning Coordinator. This ensures a holistic monitoring of welfare, attendance, learning progress and learning outcomes.

Years 7 – 8 Core Curriculum

All students in Year 7 and 8 follow a core curriculum that emphasises literacy and numeracy. Our core subjects have specifically designed extension and support curriculum, and our Year 7 and 8 English and Mathematics classes are timetabled to deliver more one-on-one and small group extension along with support. Our Year 7 and 8 curriculum offers the equivalent of a full day’s tuition devoted to English and Mathematics every week. While this extended learning time offers lots of time for group and team activities, independent learning skills are instilled from the very start.

Core subjects include a range of Arts and Technology subjects, each with an increasing emphasis on ICT applications: English, Humanities, Mathematics, Science, Health and Physical Education, Technology – Food and Materials, Drama, Music, Media and Art.

Year 7 students have access to the school’s BYOD program and ICT rich curriculum, and access to the gym and scholarships for Outstanding Leadership. Our NAPLAN data shows that our students improve at a faster rate than the state in literacy and numeracy. In Years 7 and 8, our attendance rates at Year 7 are higher than state average and we are in the top 10% of the State for Student Satisfaction in these year levels.

Year 9 Program

Year 7 and 8 gives students a strong foundation for their secondary education. It includes learning the practical skills and knowledge as well as the required behaviours and resiliency required for the years ahead. Key skills include using their diaries and netbooks to stay organised, learning how to understand and seek out feedback, and how to take advantage of resources like our library and Homework Club. By Year 8, students are aware of their own strengths and goals so that they can make informed choices about their subjects as they progress to Year 9. In order to make informed choices, students need to consider their desired post-schooling destinations, and through Career Action Plans and university visits so that they become aware of these options available to them.

In Year 9 students undertake core studies in English, Mathematics, Humanities, Science and Health and Physical Education. Students are able to select two elective units from the Arts and Technology domains are also completed throughout the year.

Recognition of Achievement in the Junior Mini School

Staughton College acknowledges and rewards students who are consistently displaying the correct behaviours as per our Behaviour Matrix, maintaining high attendance and showing learning progression in all their subjects. Each semester students who met this criteria will receive invitations to attend a rewards afternoons.

Students attending the rewards afternoons met the follow criteria –

• Clearly demonstrating learning progress on their reports in all subjects
• 90% attendance rate as a minimum
• No incident or buddy reports throughout the term

All students are encouraged to consistently work hard throughout the school year to ensure their place on the rewards afternoons.

Supports in the Junior Mini School

Tutoring

Staughton College is now offering tutoring in Maths and English to all students in Years 7-9. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to get extra help in these core subjects. Tutoring is on every Wednesday from 3:15 – 4:00 in the library. Extra support for students can be helpful in improving your child’s learning progress. All students welcome.

Learning Intervention

Learning coordinators work with students who are identified as needing support around their learning to boost their achievement. They do this in a variety of ways such as 1:1, small group, during tutoring time and during tutorial. The aim of the Learning Coordinator is to complete short cycles with students to get them on track for success around learning.

Behaviour and Attendance Intervention

Year level coordinators work with students who are identified as needing support around their behaviour or attendance to increase their engagement and achievement. They do this in a variety of ways such as 1:1, small group, during tutoring time and during tutorial. The aim of the Year level Coordinator is to complete short cycles with students to get them on track for success around behaviour and attendance and ultimately learning.