Middle School
Year 7 - Year 9
Middle School Overview
Middle School provides each child with a world of opportunity in the classroom and beyond. During these years, we look to build on the skills students have developed throughout Junior School and ensure they are well prepared for Senior School and adult life.
Throughout Middle School, we work with parents and children to ensure students find their passion and pursue it, while being supported by dedicated teachers who have their wellbeing front of mind.
Year 7 & 8 Core Subjects
- English
- Mathematics
- Humanities
- Science
- Physical Education & Health
- Religion, Philosophy and Ethics
- Language - French, Chinese or Latin
- Performing Arts - Music, Dance and Drama
- Art, Design & Technologies
Year 9 Core Subjects
- English
- Mathematics
- Humanities
- Science
- Inquiry Zone
- Physical Education & Health
- Religion, Philosophy and Ethics
Electives
Electives are designed to help student develop breadth and discover potential pathways for their learning into the future. Students choose from two possible combinations of electives:
Possible combinations of electives:
- 1 Language (for the year) and 2x Electives (1 each semester)
- 2x Art studios and 2x Electives (1 each semester)
The wide variety of electives are chosen from a wide range of areas including:
- Language - Chinese, French or Latin (continuing from Year 7 and 8)
- Art
- Design
- Performing Arts
- Technologies
- Agriculture
- Environmental Science
- Science
- Geography
- Psychology
- Media and Film Making
- Commerce
- Fitness and Sport
Curriculum
Middle School at Ballarat Grammar provides a diverse curriculum that gives all students a broad range of subjects and experiences that are tailored to this stage of learning. Core subjects at each year level provide opportunities for explicit teaching of knowledge and skills that are built upon each year. Immersive and diverse subjects provide students with the opportunity to explore a range of interests and areas for students to explore.
Head of Middle School
Relationship Driven Learning
Relationships are central to all our actions. We provide students with targeted support that is developmentally appropriate, and focus on ensuring their learning is engaging, challenging and meaningful.
Community, Relationships, Engagement, Wellbeing (CREW) Mentor
CREW Mentors play a vital role in supporting our Year 7s, 8s and 9s across all areas of school life. Students can rely on their CREW Mentors as their school-based primary carer. They are incredibly experienced at guiding students through the transition to secondary school and setting them up with skills to navigate their learning, make meaningful connections and develop strong social and emotional literacy.
Cross-age Relationship
All Middle School students have great opportunities to build connections and develop positive relationships with others throughout the whole School. Additionally, House provides time for students to interact and build connections with students of all ages, as they share experiences, celebrate House spirit and engage in meaningful activities such as community service, House competitions and wellbeing sessions.
Student-Parent-Teacher Relationship
We recognise that open communication and fostering a positive three-way partnership are essential to supporting our students at this crucial stage in their development. Throughout Middle School, there are several excellent opportunities for parents to meet teachers and other families.
Wellbeing
We know that when students feel happy and supported at school, they have the best chance of learning effectively.
At Year 7, our primary focus is helping students develop positive relationships within the School community. At Year 8, our focus is on assisting students to develop respect for themselves, their community and the wider world. At Year 9, our focus is on assisting students to develop responsibility and independence as they prepare to enter the Senior School.
Wellbeing underpins our whole teaching and learning framework. We continually monitor student wellbeing and academic progress against the Australian Wellbeing Framework and implement social/emotional literacy programs that are age-appropriate and meet our students at their stage of need.
Electives
From Year 9, students can pursue areas of passion and interest by choosing from a long and exciting list of elective subjects.
Elective classes run for a semester and give students further opportunities to develop a wide range of skills, including creativity, communication, critical thinking and collaboration, whilst preparing them for pathways and subject selections in the Senior School.
Outdoor Education
All Year 7 – 9 students participate in Outdoor Education, a developmental program designed to help strengthen relationships and each individual’s sense of self, while disconnecting from technology and connecting with nature.
Students participate in one Outdoor Education camp each year from Year 7 to 9, with international service trips and extended experiences offered in Years 8 and 9.
FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Year 9 Program
To be best prepared for the future, we believe students should be equally engaged and challenged by their learning experiences. Our Year 9 Program has been developed to provide students with learning experiences that require rigorous application and deep thinking.
The Heinz Centre
The Heinz Centre is a unique environment designed to foster students’ growth and development. It is where most learning takes place during this crucial year. The building embodies sustainable design principles and the grounds are home to various native plants, fruits, and vegetables used as part of electives and service activities.
The design and atmosphere of the Heinz Centre promote collaboration and communication, encouraging students to develop strong relationships with their peers and teachers and take responsibility for their learning.
Inquiry Zone
In Year 9 our students experience various learning opportunities that expand their capabilities in the ‘four Cs’: critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration, as well as problem-solving, inquiry, resourcefulness, research and reflection.
Through our interdisciplinary subject, the Inquiry Zone, students use project-based learning to develop driving questions that explore real-world problems, before coming up with solutions and practical ways to address them.
This model respects the importance of disciplinary learning while enriching it through authentic inquiry. The Inquiry Zone fosters future-ready learners who are confident, capable and curious – preparing students to not just answer questions, but to ask meaningful ones.
Year 9 Camp
Throughout Year 9, students have several opportunities to challenge themselves and develop skills for life through hands-on experiences, like our annual rock climbing and abseiling camp in the Grampians and Mt Arapiles.
Set in one of Victoria’s most breathtaking settings, students learn to appreciate their environment and its challenges.
City CITE
Students attend City CITE (Collaborative Immersive Thinking Education) in Flinders Street, Melbourne, for three weeks during Term 4. Designed to begin preparing students for life beyond school, City CITE challenges students in a structured, supported way, helping them build their independence, resilience and confidence while visiting a range of important landmarks. Students also engage with and hear from guest speakers and apply their learning in individual and group tasks.
A highlight of the City CITE experience is the service component, during which students help community-based organisations by learning the plight of others and giving back in a practical way.
Acknowledgement of Country
Ballarat and Queen’s Anglican Grammar School acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we learn, live and work, the Wadawurrung People, and recognises their continuing connection to the land and waterways. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend this to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.
Commitment to Child Safety
Ballarat Grammar maintains a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of child abuse and actively implements measures to identify and manage any risks of harm to students within our school environment. The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people are central and fundamental responsibilities of the School. We are firmly committed to fostering a child-safe culture that provides an environment where students are safe and feel safe, where their participation is valued, their views respected, and their voices heard in decisions that affect their lives. Ballarat Grammar values diversity and strictly prohibits any racist or discriminatory practices. All members of our school community share the responsibility to care for children and young people by promptly raising any concerns regarding their safety, promoting their wellbeing, and protecting them from all forms of harm or abuse.
