Year 10 at King's

In Years 6-9, students have completed a wide range of study across the eight Learning Areas of the Australian Curriculum (English, Mathematics, Science, Languages, Humanities and Social Sciences, Health and Physical Education, The Arts, Technologies). In Year 10, compulsory study continues in some of these areas and in other learning areas, students have choice about the subjects they study.

In addition to the Australian Curriculum, King’s offers a number of courses for students to choose from in Year 10 and all students will undertake the first course of study towards their SACE, the Personal Learning Plan (PLP).

At King’s, students undertake 12 semester-long subjects across the year – six each semester. The number of subjects is negotiable and flexible depending on the outside of school studies or the learning requirements of the student. Some students will study variations of Vocational Education Training (VET) competencies and/or Community Learning that is recognised by the SACE Board. These are negotiated with Mrs Swiderski, Leader of Student Futures.

Students’ also select a range of other subjects to suit their individual needs and future pathways. We understand that it is important for students to have more choice and, as such, at King’s we offer a range of flexible options in order to support our students to design a program of learning to meet their individual needs.

In the final years of school, your child should choose subjects that:

Enable them to work from their strengths
Challenge them to make the most of their capabilities
Provide them with the required learning (or pre-requisites) they need to pursue their ambitions after school
Are enjoyable while they study
Offer a range of study that is manageable, with a balance between theoretical and practical subjects
Provide life skills
Are their choice and not the choice of others

Students and families should carefully read the course descriptors for each of the subjects they are considering.

Please note: Subjects will only run if there are sufficient students to form a class. This is also dependent on staffing and timetable constraints. Information about content in the following subject outlines is to be considered as a guide only. Individual staff members reserve the right to tailor courses to students’ and their interests.

Jump to Subject Offerings

Year 10 Subjects

In Year 10, students continue to learn through the Australian Curriculum. All students will study English, Mathematics and Science for a full year. Students will also study History for at least one semester and Health and Physical Education for at least one semester.

Students commence Stage 1 of their SACE through completion of their Personal Learning Plan.

All students study English for a full year. Most students will complete English, however some students that have selected a flexible SACE pathway may choose Work Ready English.

All students study Mathematics for a full year. Most students will complete either General Mathematics or Mathematical Methods, however some students that have selected a flexible SACE pathway may choose Work Ready Mathematics. In addition, some students are invited to begin Stage 1 Mathematical Methods at Year 10 level.

All students study Science for a full year. Over the course of the year, students will study a rotation of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Psychology.

Students will study each of the following subjects in either Semester 1 or 2 depending on the timetable:

Exploring Futures and Identities
Health and Physical Education
History (or a language - the Content Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach is used within the full year language subjects to ensure students are exposed to historical content and skills

Students select an additional four subjects for study from the following:

Child Studies (*)
Creating Change: Economics, Law and Business Innovation (*)
Creative Arts (Musical Theatre) (*)
Digital Photography (*)
Food and Hospitality (*)
Furniture Construction (*)
German (+)
Global Citizenship (Stage 1 Integrated Learning) (*)
Japanese (Stage 1 Beginners) (+)
Modern History (*)
Music (^)
Outdoor Education (#)
Racing and Engineering (#)
Software Design (*)
Specialist Physical Education (#)
StudyRight (by invitation only)
Visual Art - 2D/3D (*)

Legend

+ = To be studied for a full year - both Semester 1 and 2
^ = We strongly encourage students who wish to continue their music studies in SACE to undertake two semesters of Music
# = Can be studied for either Semester 1 or 2, or both
* = Can only be studied for one semester

Learning Beyond the Classroom

At King’s, our Senior School students are encouraged to continue to learn about who they are, what their interests and abilities are and what they might like to do beyond school. Whatever the answer to these questions, we want our students to leave King’s understanding that they are lifelong learners with much to offer in the areas they wish to pursue.

King’s seeks to provide curriculum opportunities to build students’ general capabilities, support their interests and aspirations, and encourage them to make informed decisions about their subject choices and pathways.

We want our students to see links between curriculum and their future; feeling engaged and motivated about what their future holds. By learning about themselves and setting goals, students will be able to make informed choices about their learning and their next steps in order to construct a career pathway.

Career Education and Development is fostered at King’s in two ways: Firstly, career education opportunities are provided for students to experience different industries, areas and learning environments throughout the year; and secondly, career guidance is provided to assist individuals make choices about possible pathways.

At subject selection time, we encourage families to come in for a pathway discussion with key leaders in the Senior School.

We would encourage all students and parents to visit our King’s Career Hub website as this is the portal of all information related to career development and post-school options for students.

For any further questions please contact Mrs Nicola Swiderski, Leader of Student Futures.

Email Nicola Swiderski King's Career Hub

The South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) is a modern, internationally-recognised secondary school qualification designed to equip your child with skills, knowledge, and personal capabilities to successfully participate in our fast-paced global society.

SACE Brochure

VET stands for Vocational Education and Training, and gives students skills for work, particularly in the traditional and non-traditional areas of industry. Students are able to build pathways in their SACE through VET, and students are encouraged to complete, or make significant progress towards completing, VET qualifications while completing the SACE.

Students that identify a trade or technical pathway and wish to pursue a VET course should make this clear when choosing their subjects. All students will choose a “full load” of subjects at subject selection and once VET arrangements are confirmed, students will be able to negotiate a study line or a modified subject load to suit their pathway. Most VET courses will begin in Year 11, but it is important to identify pathways early as there may be opportunity for ‘taster’ courses to be provided.

VET learning should not be seen as an ‘easy’ alternative. It requires commitment to the course as well as on-the-job structured work placement. It also comes with a financial cost, as all VET courses have out-of-pocket expenses paid for in addition to regular school fees. Good time management is essential so that subjects at school are still successfully completed along with the training requirements. Students may be out of school one day per week or for one-week blocks of time and they may also be required to use some of the school holidays for their workplace learning. This should all be considered if contemplating VET learning as an option.

There are many different VET providers with different locations, requirements, qualifications and costs. Each VET qualification will be recognised as equivalent credits at Stage 1 or 2 level. To determine what credits a course might be worth, students should check the VET recognition register:

VET Recognition Register

Community learning includes community-developed programs or self-directed programs approved by the SACE Board.

What is a community-developed program?

Organisations such as those listed below develop and accredit their own programs that are eligible for recognition towards the SACE. For a list of approved programs, please see: Recognised community-developed programs.

Defence Cadets (Air Force, Army, etc.)
Music Examinations (AMEB, IMEBA, SCSM, ABRSM, TCL)
Dance Examinations (ATD, Cecchetti, CSTD, RAD)
Coaching (Netball Australia Foundation Coach, SANFL Umpire)
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Equestrian Australia
Microsoft Certification Program
Royal Life Saving (eg. Bronze Medallion, Lifeguard, etc.)
SA Country Fire Service
St John Ambulance Cadets

If the program is listed in the document, students can apply for recognition towards their SACE by bringing in a copy of their certificate or evidence of completion to Mrs Swiderski, who will lodge this with the SACE Board.

What is a self-directed program?

Individual students can participate in activities that are not formally accredited. Examples of this type of learning include:

Creating media productions (eg. films, websites) outside of school
Performing in sport at an elite level or officiating at sporting events
Planning and coordinating community events
Taking a leadership role in community groups
Taking a leadership role in the workplace
Taking responsibility for the care of an older adult or person with a disability
Teaching others specialised skills (eg. dance)

Students need to submit an application form and attend an interview at their school to have their self-directed community learning recognised as part of their SACE. Students that wish to discuss their ideas around gaining recognition for a self-directed program should discuss this with Mrs Swiderski, Leader of Student Futures.

For more information on all community learning programs, please visit the button below.

SACE Community Learning Information