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Senior College

Complete year 11 and 12 in an adult-learning environment with our alternative education option. Our Senior College program is perfect for 15 to 17-year-olds in the Greater Brisbane area who are looking for a practical and independent alternative to the traditional high school system. 

Do Year 11 and 12 differently

Offered exclusively at our Alexandra Hills campus in Brisbane, this program allows students to complete Year 11 and 12 in a flexible, personal, and mature learning environment. Complete your Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) and work towards gaining an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR), if you choose to.

Best of all, choosing to do Year 11 and 12 differently gives you direct entry into the TAFE Queensland course of your choice after you graduate. Whatever your goal may be, we can help you make great happen.

Why choose Senior College

A supportive program

TAFE Queensland offers a holistic range of student support services including:

  • Qualified counsellors
  • Career guidance via counsellors
  • Tutorial support
  • Mentor program
  • Career hub
  • Student events
  • Accessibility Support Officers.

Mentor program

All Senior College students are enrolled in our mentor program which is designed to prepare you for the challenges of study, regardless of your initial academic ability.

This program is embedded into the Social and Community Studies subject, allowing students to develop essential life skills while gaining four credits towards your QCE upon successful completion. This program is comprised of a variety of activities, discussions and guest speakers.

Our mentor program supports students throughout your time with us, enabling you to set and achieve clear, realistic goals for your future.

Year 12 students will also join the Career Hub in semester two of their mentor program. This prepares students for the completion of Year 12, equipping you with key skills required to be job ready. Focus on your career pathways and hear from an exciting roster of industry guest speakers to discuss various career choices.

Career hub

Year 12 students will also join the Career Hub in semester two of their Mentor Program. This prepares students for the completion of Year 12, equipping you with key skills required to be job-ready. You will get to focus on your career pathways and hear from an exciting schedule of industry guest speakers to discuss various career choices.

AccessAbility support

TAFE Queensland has AccessAbility Support Officers who:

  • offer confidential, friendly advice and support for any life situation
  • assist students to achieve their educational and career goals
  • encourage students to be independent and take responsibility for their course of study
  • liaise with relevant external agencies, organisations or government departments to gain assistance
  • undertake vocational training connected to that particular work area.

Understanding your options

Our Senior College program allows you to earn a QCE and ATAR outcome at the end of Year 12 by studying Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) registered subjects. Depending on your goals, these qualifications can help you transition to tertiary study or secure a job.

I want to go to university

The ATAR and QCE pathway:

  • we recommend six QCAA subjects
  • optional vocational certificate
  • could include a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SAT)
  • mentor program.

Leads to:

  • gaining an ATAR and QCE
  • employment
  • entrance to a TAFE Queensland diploma/university degree.

I want to start working

The employment pathway:

  • we recommend four QCAA subjects and one vocational certificate or five QCAA subjects
  • to complete, students need to have accumulated 20 points, including at least 12 core credits
  • mentor program.

Leads to:

  • QCE
  • vocational certificate(s)
  • employment
  • entrance to a TAFE Queensland diploma/university degree.

Senior College subjects

Course overview

  • ATAR and QCE pathway subject
  • QCE and/or employment pathway subject.

English is a two-year course that is highly recommended if you want to gain an ATAR. For entry into most university courses, you must have completed four semesters of Senior English. Assessment is predominantly written with some compulsory spoken tasks. You will have opportunities to engage with diverse texts for a variety of audiences and purposes.

Topics covered:

  • Language use (oral and written)
  • Literary appreciation
  • Representations of teenagers within texts
  • Australian literature and film perspectives (including Indigenous).

Students will gain an understanding of:

  • writing for a variety of audiences and purposes
  • how to deliver and record a formal presentation
  • textual analysis
  • exploring text structures through analysing and comparing a variety of mediums.

Course overview

  • QCE and/or employment pathway mandatory subject.

Essential English develops and refines students’ understanding of language, literature and literacy to enable them to interact confidently and effectively with others in everyday, community and social contexts.

Topics covered:

  • Language that works
  • Texts and human experiences
  • Language that influences
  • Representations in popular culture and texts.

Students will gain an understanding of:

  • skills to communicate confidently and effectively in a variety of contemporary contexts and social situations
  • structure, language, language features and technologies to best convey meaning
  • imaginative thinking to explore a variety of perspectives
  • using language effectively to communicate meaning, analyse and deconstruct texts.

Course overview

  • ATAR and QCE pathway subject
  • QCE and/or employment pathway mandatory subject.

General Mathematics is a QCAA subject that can contribute to an ATAR for university entrance. General Mathematics will equip you with the skills to manage the mathematics you will encounter in everyday life, as well as those you will experience in non-science university courses.

Topics covered:

  • Financial mathematics
  • Applied geometry
  • Data exploration and analysis
  • Investing and networking.

Students will gain an understanding of:

  • the knowledge and skills of computation, estimation and measurement
  • how to interpret and analyse information presented in a variety of forms
  • the ability to make judgments based on evidence and reasoning
  • how to justify and communicate results in a variety of forms.

Course overview

  • QCE and/or employment pathway subject.

Essential Mathematics provides a broad foundation of practical mathematics if you are planning a vocational outcome. The course has a focus on numeracy and basic mathematical skills that are encountered in day-to-day living with practical applications relating to vocational areas.

Topics covered:

  • Reading maps, tables and graphs
  • Learning, spending, borrowing and investing money
  • Taxation and Good and Services Tax (GST)
  • Renting, buying and renovating property
  • Business planning.

Students will gain an understanding of:

  • calculations used for basic financial management
  • skills needed to interpret data displayed graphically
  • knowledge required to plan for and solve real life scenarios.

Course overview

  • ATAR and QCE pathway subject
  • QCE and/or employment pathway subject.

Studying Biology, you will gain an understanding of the complex and diverse world of organisms and the natural systems that affect them. You will get the chance to undertake experiments that investigate problems pertaining to the living world including plant and animal physiology, genetics and ecology.

Topics covered:

  • Cellular biology
  • Animal and plant physiology
  • Genetics and diversity
  • Ecological studies
  • Contemporary global issues in science.

Students will gain an understanding of:

  • developments in biology and their impact on modern society
  • the link between biology, technology and economic development
  • basic anatomy and physiology of plants, animals and microbes.

Course overview

  • QCE and/or employment pathway subject.

This course is based on a thematic, life-related approach to the study of science. It draws from the disciplines of biology, chemistry, earth sciences and physics. Science in Practice uses a contextualised approach, where units deliver the core through electives to enhance your scientific understanding of the physical world.

Topics covered:

  • Science for the workplace
  • Resources, energy and sustainability
  • Health and lifestyle
  • Environments
  • Discovery and change.

Students will gain an understanding of:

  • scientific literacy and working scientifically
  • workplace health and safety
  • effective communication and self-management skills.

 

 

Course overview

  • ATAR and QCE Pathway subject
  • QCE and/or employment pathway subject.

Social and Community Studies aims to foster an appreciation of, and respect for, cultural diversity, and encourages responsible attitudes and behaviours essential for effective participation in the community. This course fosters critical, creative and constructive thinking, and predominantly focuses on personal development and social skills, with emphasis placed on developing communication, personal, interpersonal and citizenship skills, problem-solving and decision-making, resilience, self-esteem and self-confidence. Essential workplace, learning, and study skills are also incorporated.

Topics covered:

  • Growing and developing as an individual
  • Living with and relating to others
  • Receiving from and contributing to the community
  • Health and nutrition
  • Career advice
  • Money management.

Students will gain an understanding of:

  • the development of personal, interpersonal and citizenship skills
  • social contexts and issues
  • language conventions and features to communicate ideas and information
  • communicating the outcomes of social investigations
  • appraise inquiry processes and the outcomes of social investigations.

 

Course overview:
  • ATAR and QCE pathway subject.

This course provides opportunities to develop business knowledge and skills to contribute to society, the workforce and the marketplace. You will investigate the business life cycle, develop skills in examining data and learn business concepts, theories, processes and strategies relevant to leadership, management and entrepreneurship. You will engage with the dynamic business world, the changing workforce and emerging digital technologies.

Topics covered:

  • Business fundamentals
  • Establishing and growing a business
  • Competitive markets
  • Strategic marketing
  • Business evolution and transformation.

Students will gain an understanding of:

  • business environments and situations
  • concepts and strategies
  • utilising data for business
  • decision making and proposal strategies
  • responding to markets and customers.

Course overview

  • QCE and/or employment pathway subject.

Once enrolled in Business Studies, you will be involved in a range of contemporary real-world activities. Business learning involves a range of experiences that provide knowledge, processes and skills that can be applied to business in the real world.

You will gain an understanding of business environments and have the opportunity to engage in practical business projects.

Topics covered:

  • Events and sports management
  • Marketing
  • Real estate.

Students will gain an understanding of:

  • the technologies utilised in day-to-day business operations
  • how teamwork facilitates innovation and success in business
  • communication strategies to sell ideas and build partnerships.

Course overview

  • QCE and/or employment pathway subject.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a practical course designed to train you to produce solutions to simulated problems. Through practice in problem solving in a variety of contexts, both individually and collaboratively, it will contribute to your development as an adaptable, competent, and self-motivated user and consumer of ICT who can work with clients and colleagues to identify issues and solve problems.

Topics covered:

  • Digital imaging and modelling
  • Document production
  • Online communication and application development
  • Technology
  • Web page production
  • Technology and society.

Students will gain an understanding of:

  • current and emerging hardware and software combinations
  • social, environmental and legal impacts of your actions
  • skills needed to solve technical and creative problems
  • rapidly changing ICT practices and protocols.

Course overview

  • QCE and/or employment pathway subject.

Visual Arts in Practice encompasses art forms that communicate and express meaning through visual perception. This program gives you the opportunity to apply your knowledge and understanding of visual arts practices, visual mediums, art-making technologies and techniques to communicate meaning through visual forms.

Topics covered:

  • 2D media processes including drawing, painting and printmaking
  • Digital media processes
  • 3D media processes such as ceramics and sculpture
  • Visual literacy
  • Artwork realisation.

Students will gain an understanding of:

  • how to seek creative solutions to design problems
  • how to apply critical thinking to meet deadlines
  • how to demonstrate creative and technical skills
  • relevant workplace health and safety practices.

Course overview

  • QCE and/or employment pathway subject.

Engage in the performing arts industry with the Drama in Practice course. Get hands-on experience in various styles of acting, through involvement in various plays, monologues, auditions, performances and events throughout the year. This course is not only for ambitious actors but also those who want to be involved in all areas of performing arts, film, entertainment and music, and for those who want to build confidence in public speaking.

Topics covered:

  • Arts management
  • Performance principles
  • Career pathways
  • Acting (stage and screen)
  • Stage and lighting.

Students will gain an understanding of:

  • how to confidently perform on stage for an audience
  • the business, marketing and administration that goes into funding and planning performances
  • the intricacies of establishing a career in the performing arts.

Course overview

  • QCE and/or employment pathway subject.

In this subject you will develop skills in all areas of music including performance, management, technology and creation. This is a hands-on practical subject where you can regularly rehearse, set-up, perform and market.

Topics covered:

  • Music theory and production
  • Music composition
  • Recording processes
  • Marketing in the music industry.

Students will gain an understanding of:

  • developing and refining self-created musical pieces
  • technologies involved in the recording and mastering of musical work
  • business and marketing practices utilised in funding and promoting music.

 

 

Course overview

  • ATAR and QCE pathway subject
  • QCE and/or employment pathway subject.

This fascinating subject allows students to explore factors that affect the health of individuals and communities whilst applying recognised health theories and frameworks to real-life situations. Drawing from the health, behavioural, social and physical sciences, this course offers students an opportunity to investigate various health issues. Students then design, implement and evaluate action strategies to combat these issues.

Topics covered:

  • Resilience — an individual health resource
  • Alcohol — using peers and family as a health resource
  • Road safety — using the community as a health resource
  • Respectful relationships.

Students will gain an understanding of:

  • factors that affect health
  • health theories and frameworks
  • developing and promoting healthy initiatives.

Course overview

  • QCE and/or employment pathway subject.

Aquatic Practices is a practical course designed to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes associated with the safe and responsible use of the marine environment. Completing this course, you will be equipped to participate more safely in a variety of marine pastimes.

The delivery methods used in the Aquatic Practices course involves practical application of knowledge and skills using Moreton Bay and its facilities as the focus of learning and practice.

Topics covered:

  • Weather, tides and currents
  • Personal water safety and safe working practices
  • Recreational fishing and snorkelling
  • Boat handling and navigations.

Students will gain an understanding of:

  • essential skills for safety on the water across a variety of vessels
  • professional practice in commercial maritime setting
  • local maritime laws and regulations.

Course overview

Our vocational courses are available in a variety of different industries such as engineering, health care, computer technology, tourism, office management and skilled trades. These courses are offered as part of our TAFE at School program.

The vocational courses we offer:

  • provide job-focused training for specific roles or careers
  • are developed with industry
  • offer you a nationally-recognised qualification
  • give you valuable credits towards your QCE.

Course overview:

Based at our Wellington Point Boat Shed, students will develop the skills and knowledge to conduct recreation sessions safely in a range of aquatic and recreational environments. This exciting, hands-on course allows students to become competent in performing core skills in outdoor recreation environments whilst developing their skills in teamwork, self-management, problem-solving, planning, organisation, and communication skills — all while developing their confidence and initiative. Our passionate, industry-experienced teachers will give students the support and guidance they need to succeed.

 Students will gain practical skills in areas such as:

  • Paddling
  • Fishing
  • Aquatic safety
  • Sailing and operating a motorboat.