Year 9 Curriculum

Our Middle School supports each girl in exploring her identity as she develops her character and voice.

Welcome to Year 9. As you continue to discover your strengths and skills, elective options open up for your final year of Middle School.

You will be able to explore your unique interests while still keeping a range of pathways open as you move towards cocreating your own bespoke pathway to take you through your senior years of schooling. The Middle School curriculum allows opportunity for student agency in learning as well as developing the application of our learning principles across the subject range.

Core Subjects

Year 9 Core Subjects

In Year 9 you will continue your learning in English, Geography, Health and Physical Education, History, Mathematics and Science. You will develop your critical thinking skills in the subject ‘Analyse this!’, where you explore current events, consider the impact of technologies such as AI and think about how you consume information.

A culmination of your Middle School experience is the ‘Her World Project’. Here, you are empowered to act on a cause you feel passionate about, apply the Walford Learning Principles and produce a truly personal and authentic outcome.

You also choose four semester electives linked to your skills and interests from The Arts, Humanities, Languages and Technologies. Some students will have Learning Support as an elective each semester.

Due to the progress that students make in languages at Walford, students of Chinese and French complete the Year 10 course during Year 9, enabling them to commence Stage 1 Chinese or French when in Year 10.

Student Choice

Year 9 Electives

In Year 9 you can explore opportunities to exercise choice in your learning. In addition to common, compulsory subjects, you can make choices about a variety of elective subjects. You can choose four semester electives linked to your skills and interests from The Arts, Humanities, Languages and Technologies. For more information, click the arrow on the subject.

Full year (two semesters)

Continue to build your proficiency in Chinese so that you can communicate authentically while learning more about the world around you. Becoming fluent in another language is a significant achievement, leading to wide range of personal, social and career benefits. Language students at Walford are on an accelerated pathway so that all continuing students will have the opportunity to complete Year 12 SACE Chinese (continuers) while in Year 11. 

Semester

You will use creativity and imagination to investigate, design and create products that solve problems within a variety of contexts. You will apply skills, processes and techniques in the related context. You will investigate sustainability issues related to design solutions.  

Semester

You will lead all Walford Middle School students through producing a public performance of a devised or scripted play. Elect to lead through adopting onstage roles or offstage roles such as stage manager, lighting/sound design, set/costume design, front of house and/or hair and makeup. 

Full year (two semesters)

Continue to build your proficiency in French so that you can communicate authentically while learning more about the world around you. Becoming fluent in another language is a significant achievement, leading to wide range of personal, social and career benefits. Language students at Walford are on an accelerated pathway so that all continuing students will have the opportunity to complete Year 12 SACE French (continuers) while in Year 11. 

One or two semesters

Learning Support lessons provide structured opportunities for you to receive help in a small group setting. The nature of the support will be according to your needs and will include input from subject teachers. You will need to meet criteria to be granted entry to this course.

Semester

You will arrange popular music for small ensembles, explore history of musicals and create a class musical, building your knowledge in a practical environment. This exciting course will give you a firm grounding in how to compose and arrange music using computer software, prepare effectively for performances (both solo and small ensemble) and build on your theoretical knowledge in a practical environment. You will increase your theory and aural skills through practical and written tasks. If you wish to undertake music in Year 10, you must complete this semester course. To undertake this subject, you must be having an individual instrumental or voice lesson and are encouraged to be part of the Middle School Choir or a co-curricular ensemble.  

Semester

Through a variety of Visual Art disciplines you will engage in critical and creative thinking, developing concepts to create resolved works of art. You will visually experiment and respond to an idea or theme, developing your personal aesthetic. You will document your ideas and explore a range of styles, artists, media and techniques. 

Semester

You will study a range of businesses from local cafes to global enterprises to gain an understanding of the world of business. You will investigate the risks and rewards of business through case studies, learning the power that consumers have to influence the world of business and the decisions that businesses need to make to achieve success. 

Further Information

We are here to help!

We are here to help you finalise your subject selection and support you in creating your own bespoke pathway. Please contact either of us for further information.

Brian Parsons
Director of Learning and Teaching
Email

Alice Speirs
Head of Middle School
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