Secondary School

Transition is the overarching theme of Year Seven. Our student cohort nearly doubles from Year Six to Year Seven. Students from all over Albany and Boarders from all over WA come to join our current students and it is a time for a fresh start for everyone.  

At GSG, we will support your child every step of the way. Our Year Seven Transition Programme is designed to make your child feel welcome and confident as they start Secondary School. 

This support system includes: 

• Transition planning - Before attending GSG, students' parents are invited to have a conversation with the Deputy Principal to get to know the student better and how we can best support them. Boarding students participate in a series of online meetings throughout Term Four that help families best prepare for boarding. Orientation Day in Term Four is a big day to introduce students to each other and to key staff in Secondary School to start building those trusting relationships. 

   

• Homeroom - This is your child’s home base. Your child will see their homeroom teachers every day and they will have a holistic view of your child’s development. Our vertical homeroom structure has a small number of students from each year group in the same homeroom, which allows for peer-to-peer mentoring. Your Year Seven will be assigned a senior student buddy in their homeroom to help look after them and answer questions they may have. 

   

• House system - Each House has five homerooms and a Head of House will oversee all students in the House. Our Heads of House are experts in pastoral care. They will support homeroom teachers in developing a thriving house culture while also helping provide individualised care for each student based on their needs. The Head of House oversees your child’s pastoral care and academic tracking and serves as a key contact for parents.

   

• Engaging learning - In Year Seven, your child will have the chance to experience all that GSG has to offer in terms of subjects. Apart from the core subjects they are probably expecting, they will try several new subjects over the course of the year. Everything from Sustainable Production, Music, Hospitality and Technologies is on offer. Trying new things means our Year Seven students discover new interests, build self-confidence and discover new skills.

   

• Outreach - Year-group activities and House events give our Year Seven students a chance to forge relationships with student leaders across Secondary School, laying the groundwork for the years ahead. They can not stay in Year Seven forever! Regular exposure to whole-school activities and events will help your child develop a strong connection to the school community. On top of that, they will get a sense of the privileges and responsibilities that being a GSG student offers them. 

Thanks to broad subject exposure in Year Seven, your Year Eight child will be ready to make some decisions about their educational path, including choosing elective subjects. 

They will be making choices in other parts of their life, too. 

• Social life - From peer groups to cocurricular activities, your Year Eight child will choose and learn to manage commitments and expectations in a positive, proactive manner.

   

• Physical wellbeing - As your child gets older, they are more responsible for their physical health. In Year Eight, we focus on choosing healthy activities and educating them on the physical changes that might be occurring during puberty.

   

• Mental health - When tough times arise, your child will learn to respond appropriately, choosing resilience and learning positive life lessons in a safe environment.

   

• Academic rigour - Our students are held to higher expectations with regards to their academic rigour in Year Eight and we help to equip them with study skills that foster a strong work ethic and reward for effort. Students are encouraged to set goals and achieve their personal best, without worrying about comparing themselves to others. 

By Year Nine, your child will be involved in a Rites of Passage Programme that focuses on developing a strong sense of self and awareness of where we sit in the wider world. 

Year Nine is a milestone year, where students start to leave their childhood identity and develop their independence. This is the start of our transition to adulthood programme. We also provide opportunities for them to be a role model for younger students and develop a service mindset. Your child will be presented with the following challenges: 

• To know themselves, including their values and preferences 
• To acknowledge the impacts of their behaviour 
• To work collaboratively with others for the greater good 
• To help others, in the school community and beyond 

In this year, your child will look ahead and make some decisions about their academic and cocurricular paths in Year Ten and beyond. Challenge: accepted! 

Your child will work through a rich, rigorous programme, driven by the Australian Curriculum.   

As students move into Year Ten and beyond, we offer many positive pathways to cater to your child's unique interests and abilities.  By this time, your child will be on the final leg of their journey towards higher education and the workforce. 

They will be developing personal independence and starting to make choices about their academic pathway. Not only that, they will be building an idea of what success looks like to them and making plans to bring that idea to life. 

Year Ten is exciting and important in your child’s learning and they will be exposed to a new world of opportunities. Personal development and increasing choices sit alongside our focus on each child following their passions and developing their talents. Year Ten students head into the workplace on Work Experience, supported by our specialist Careers Coordinator and have the option of rafting on the Blackwood River or sailing on the Leeuwin. We will guide your child in their academic and social development, helping them discover their potential as they begin their journey towards Years Eleven and Twelve. 

At Great Southern Grammar, your child will choose a distinct pathway for Years Eleven and Twelve. Each pathway is constructive and tailored to your child’s needs and interests. 

We're here to help

Years Eleven and Twelve pathways can feel confusing and overwhelming, but we are here to help. Using data collected from teachers, as well as input from you and your child, our Heads of House provide support to each student as they make choices about their studies. 

Your child’s progress is carefully monitored, so when the time comes, we can tailor the most appropriate pathway to your child’s needs. 

With a broad range of offerings, including Certificate IV in Business, a UniReady enabling programme, vocational training, or a rich choice of ATAR courses, your child has the space and choice to grow into their own future. 

Students also participate in our Work Ready, Life Ready programme, gaining life skills such as financial literacy, leadership skills, career advice, healthy living and enhanced study skills.