Years 10-12
Years 10-12 Curriculum
Students in Year 10 undertake learning inline with the Victorian Curriculum. All Year 10 students complete A Job Well Done in preparation to participate in Work Experience and opportunities to engage in the community. Work experience is offered as a weekly placement over 2 ½ years of senior secondary learning to develop and build skills for students to participate in the work force.
All students participate in the Personal Interdependence Programs (PIPs) over the three years of Year 10-12. This program is aimed at exposing students to employment and pathways options in their community through volunteering and industry exposure, STEM and STEAM opportunities whilst building their resilience and independent living skills.
Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC)
Nelson Park School’s senior secondary students follow the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC). The VPC has been developed by the Victorian Education Department specifically to enable students with disabilities to engage with a fully supported and tailored program to allow them a range of options to work towards their post school pathways. As an applied learning certificate, the VPC teaches skills and knowledge in the context of ‘real life’ experiences. Students apply what they have learnt by doing, experiencing and relating acquired skills to the real-world. It enables flexible, personalised learning where teachers work with students to recognise their personal strengths, interest, goals, and experiences.
Nelson Park School and Northern Bay College work in partnership to operate the Geelong Industry Trade Training Centre to the supports the vocational education development of our students. Students in Year 11 and 12 participate in VET ‘taster’ courses in Hospitality, Automotive and Building and Construction. The school also works in conjunction with a number of external providers to offer our Year 11 and 12 students the opportunity to participate in a School Based Traineeships in Horticulture, Food Processing and Warehousing.
CAREERS DEVELOPMENT
The Careers Development program at Nelson Park is one that we are very proud of and is seen as giving our students the best opportunities to succeed on their chosen pathway. It encompasses Volunteering and Enclaves (school based work skills programs) and Work Experience which can on occasions lead to School Based Traineeships.
Essentially we work to give a wide range of options for students to meet their interest in an industry or business. In the last 10 years, approximately 250 different businesses have hosted our students to provide a Work experience placement. Some are generous and provide a placement almost every term, some are niche employers and cater to a specific student’s needs.
The program is designed to engage our students into school and learning and provide the best opportunity to gain meaningful employment once they have left school. Here are some of our successes:
BF: 4 year apprenticeship in Auto Repair with Winter and Taylor
BB: into 3 year of Viticulture at Banks Rd Winery
TRB: still working at Montessori Kindergarten after 6 years
AA: working at Clifton Springs Golf Club
HP: Completed Cert III, now into Cert IV in Diesel Mechanic.
BOT: dal
CV: Recently landed apprenticeship at Geelong Cats Bistro
TO: self-employed, now working sub-contract with Jim’s Mowing
TM: Cert III Primary Producing, retained by employer for 4 years. Now at Air Radiators for shift allowance so he can buy his own home.
LM: refused to participate in Work Experience until year 12. Completed Bricklaying apprenticeship, now undertaking Carpentry apprenticeship so that he can do most of the building.
However, the program would not be successful if it were not for the generous host employers who guide and mentor our students. Nelson Park School encourages all members of our school community to at least consider these businesses for the goods and services they provide. Here is a short list of some of the more regular employers;
A & D Stockfeeds and Firewood (North Geelong)
Breakwater Pre-School
Brotherhood of St Laurence Op-Shop (Grovedale)
City Learning and Care (the Link- Whittington)
dial –a – lunch (Geelong City)
GDP Industries (North Geelong)
GUF Games (Geelong City)
John Coumans Motors (North Geelong)
Mercy Care Rice Village (Marshall)
Newlanders IGA (Bell Park)
NQR (North Geelong)
Quiksilver (North Shore Warehouse)
RedGum & Iron (South Geelong)
The Paddock, Homestart (Encompass)
Woolworths Corio
Wright Dental Prosthetics (Geelong City).
We also have excellent partnerships with G-Force, 4GR, Apprenticeships Matter who give our students many layers of support and opportunity to be successful.
