Catholic Regional College - Caroline Springs (VIC)

Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs is one of five Colleges which forms what is called the Federation of Catholic Regional College. The other 7-10 Colleges are located in St Albans and North Keilor, while Melton is a 7-12 College. Our students, once completing their compulsory years of schooling at Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs, then have the unique opportunity to attend Catholic Regional College Sydenham which offers an extensive range of VCE, VET and VCAL options.

At Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs we offer a diverse curriculum which is designed to engage and challenge students as they develop academically, spiritually, physically and socially.

The College embraces the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS), whilst transitioning to the innovative new AusVELS curriculum which focuses on the essential information and skills students need to live in a modern, changing world.

This framework allows us to develop a curriculum that addresses not only the discipline-based knowledge and skills that have traditionally been taught, but also to explicitly teach skills in areas such as technology, communication, thinking, information communication and social relationships. We aim to develop students thinking skills so that they can deepen their understanding of the subjects they are studying and develop an authentic, deep knowledge. Throughout the curriculum, our focus will be on ensuring that students continue to develop their literacy and numeracy skills so that they can actively participate in all classes.

At Year Seven we use a thematic approach which integrates and connects certain subjects so that students see the connections between subjects and issues. For example, we might look at a thematic study of refugees by reading a novel in English, studying culture in SOSE and looking at a Christian response to refugees in RE. Year Seven is taught through a Team Approach allowing staff and students to ease their way through the transition from primary school to secondary through Inquiry-Based and Collaborative learning. This allows our students to gradually get used to an approach to learning that may differ from primary school.

The integrated curriculum approach continues into Year Eight as students are challenged with the broad topic of Sustainability and are encouraged to explore this through many of their subjects. The social justice nature of our environmental issues is discovered and built upon in our High Resolve Program. High Resolve is a social justice program that encourages our Year Eights to think outside of their own lives and see themselves as members of a global community. 

Our Year Nines continue the social justice aspect to their curriculum through the Outreach Project in the Year Nine specific, DEAL program. The Deep Engaged Active Learning program changes the whole structure of the students’ school week as every Tuesday is devoted to discovering more about themselves as learners and team members as their work culminate in an Outreach Festival. The Outreach Festival is an opportunity for our Year Nines to make the school community more aware of charities and voluntary organisations in our wider community, as well as teach us exactly how we can help make a difference in our world. 

Finally, our Year Tens focus on their pathways as they develop into the people they want to be, they are able to shape the curriculum that will facilitate this through our Elective Program and the overall focus on the transition to VCE. Students undertake Structured Workplace Learning and complete Certificate II in Industry and Enterprise, establishing the foundations of their future schooling career. The curriculum is as varied as our learners are, not only due to elective classes but also choices within Maths and English and for some, a program that helps the more hands-on and practical learners.