Senior School Life

Location

Situated on a superb 27 hectare campus on the banks of Melbourne's Yarra River, the Scotch College Senior School offers challenging and co-ordinated programmes for boys from Years 7 - 12.

Scotch College is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of Victoria. Every effort is made to develop Christian ideals of citizenship and personal character within a Christian environment for learning.

Enrolment

The Senior School enrolment is 1460, including about 160 boarders.

The main entry point is Year 7; some boarders enter at Year 9 and Year 10.

The teaching programme

The teaching staff are highly qualified specialists; many are in the forefront of curriculum development and teaching innovation in Victoria and Australia.

The curriculum, though challenging, is broad and comprehensive until the middle years when an elective programme is introduced. Some subject choice is made at Years 8 and 9 but specific choices are postponed for as long as practicable.

Languages form an important part of the curriculum, with Year 7 boys selecting two languages from French, German, Italian, Mandarin Chinese and Indonesian. Year 8 boys continue with either one or both the languages they undertook in Year 7. Latin can be studied from Year 9 onwards.

Year 7 subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Music, Drama, Art, Design Technology, Christian Education, Physical Education and two languages.

 

Educational support

Highly qualified specialists provide support, guidance and counselling to students with academic, language, social and emotional problems to assist in their personal and academic development.

Extension studies

Boys who enjoy an intellectual challenge are well catered for. Each year Scotch students compete in numerous academic competitions and extension activities. For example, students participate in the Olympiad programs in Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Biology, Informatics and Computational Linguistics and regularly gain selection to represent Australia.

 

VCE results (2022)

260 students were granted their VCE.

136 students had an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 90.00 or higher. 35 students received an ATAR of 99.00 or greater and 92 students received an ATAR greater than or equal to 95.00. The median ATAR score was 90.65. (National median is 50). There were 20 'perfect' scores of 50 across 12 subjects.

Five students achieved the maximum possible ATAR score of 99.95, which is awarded to the top group of about 36 students in Victoria.

Music

There are numerous ensembles, including a full symphony orchestra, symphonic wind ensemble, three string orchestras, chamber orchestra, two show bands and three choirs. Chamber music plays a large part in the life of the Music School. There is a large annual season of concerts, five of which are held in major venues, including the Melbourne Concert Hall. Tours within Australia and overseas are features of the music program.

Instruments can be hired for a nominal fee for the first two years. Lessons are organised so that relatively little time is lost from other subjects.

   

Music School facilities

• A specialist staff of more than 70 music educators
• A dedicated music centre, the James Forbes Academy, School of Music
• 2 computer equipped music teaching classrooms
• Extensive number of musical instruments for student hire
• Over 30 piano's in the Music School and a pipe organ in the Memorial Hall
• A 500 seat music auditorium, which is also part of the James Forbes Academy.

Drama and Communication

Many drama productions are staged each year, usually in conjunction with local girls' schools. The plays vary in style and students participate as performers, technicians and craftpersons. The James Forbes Academy provides a 400 seat theatre purpose-built for drama and the spoken word, together with drama and communication classrooms and rehearsal areas.

Art and Visual Communication

In the school's four art studios boys have the opportunity to develop their interests in various art media, including photography, ceramics, painting, print making and sculpture.

Division of the school into small groups involving Heads of Middle and Upper Schools, Heads of Houses, Tutors and Form Teachers allows the school to know and deal with boys as individuals and to create a feeling of belonging.

Form Teachers and Tutors monitor each boy's attendance, academic progress and his involvement in sport and services. The Form Teachers, for Years 7 and 8, and the Heads of House, for Years 9 to 12, organise classes, monitors academic progress and take responsibility for the conduct of each boy in the year level.

Peer support programs and co-curricular activities encourage cross age mentoring.

The school's Chaplains play a key role in the area of student welfare.

Career guidance

Specialist career counselling is provided, including advice on the selection of VCE subjects and tertiary courses.

Library and Information Centre

Featuring an up-to-date collection of fiction, non-fiction reference books, videos, DVD's, magazines and newspapers; electronic databases and network access; library homepage; four class teaching areas; silent study areas; wide reading areas; teaching and literature promotion programs.

Computer Centre

Five computer laboratories - four of 30 networked PC computers with laser printing facilities and another networked lab for lap-top computers. There is campus-wide wifi connectivity.

Language and Culture Centre

This modern building provides for the teaching of LOTE (Languages other than English) and English. The Centre contains flexible classrooms and study areas, seminar rooms and a demonstration kitchen. It is equipped with the latest technology, including a multimedia laboratory, Internet access and audio and video carrels.

Services program

A wide range of activities are conducted on Thursday afternoons. Most involve an end of term camp or activity. This program fosters such personal qualities as self-reliance, initiative, leadership, self-discipline and community awareness. 

Years 7-8
School sport or Scout Troop.

 

Year 9
Many boys are in Cadets with a weekend bivouac and end of Term 3 camp under canvas. Others are members of the Scout Troop, Outdoor Expedition, Sports First Aid, Military Band or Pipes and Drums.

Year 10

• Cadet and Scout leadership courses
• Venturers (continuation of Scouts)
• Pipe Band
• Military Band
• Outdoor Program (bush-walking, canoeing, SCUBA diving, king, cross-country skiing, sailing, mountain bike riding, self-defence, bush first aid, sea kayaking, cycling and rock climbing)
• Sports First Aid
• Outdoor Expedition Group
• Duke of Edinburgh Award

Years 11-12
Some boys continue their Year 10 activity or accept a position of school leadership. Others assist with the Social Services programme, caring for the young, the elderly and the handicapped in the local area or help with other community organisations.

Sport

Summer: badminton, cricket, cycling, diving, futsal, golf, gymnastics, rowing, lawn bowls, orienteering, tennis, squash, swimming, table tennis, touch rugby and volleyball.

 

Winter: football, rugby, hockey, basketball, soccer, cross-country running, gymnastics, fencing and tennis.

Spring: athletics, water polo

There is also provision for rock climbing, scuba diving, cross country and downhill skiing and weight lifting.

Sport facilities

Glenn Centre
25 m heated pool, diving pool, 3 squash courts, gymnasium, weight training centre, large sports hall for basketball, badminton, volleyball, table-tennis, etc.

R. L. Montgomery Sportsfield
Synthetic grass hockey field, 12 tennis courts (in summer)

7 ovals/sportsfields
Catering for cricket, football, hockey, rugby, soccer

26 tennis courts

The Cardinal Pavilion
Storage for canoes, sculls, fours and eights, weights and training centre, changing rooms, meeting room and large function centre.

Off campus facilities

In addition to the Hawthorn property, the School has about 80 hectares of forest in the hills at Healesville east of Melbourne and a residential seaside camp at Cowes on Phillip Island. The camp at Cowes is the site of a one week orientation camp for all Year 7 students early in the year and Healesville is the location of Year 9 retreats. 

Boarding

Three houses provide accommodation of the highest standard for boys from the country or overseas.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available for entry at Years 7, 9 and 10 and provide exemption from tuition fees and, in some cases, boarding fees. Some scholarships are means tested and for boys whose parents would not otherwise be able to send their sons to the school.