Contect

What is the Middle School?

The Middle School at Mountain Creek State High School encompasses Year 8 and 9 and responds effectively to the specific developmental needs of young adolescents, (predominantly 12 to 14 year olds). Like all students, young adolescents have a range of personal, intellectual and social needs. With the onset of puberty, there are also particular physical, emotional and cultural needs that should also be addressed. Mountain Creek State High School’s Middle School provides opportunities for young people to learn and grow in ways that acknowledge and respect this unique and special phase of their development.

Mountain Creek State High School’s middle school curriculum incorporates the following principles:

• The curriculum should be relevant, and have a ‘connectedness’ to the real world of the student.
• Learning should be exciting, and engage the student at a personal level.
• Learning experiences should be intellectually challenging and motivating.
• Students should master the skills and knowledge to prepare them for future challenges.
• Cooperative learning should be encouraged, exploiting the positive potential of peer group influences.
• Transition from primary school to middle school, and from the middle school into the senior school should be seamless.
• The social development and participation of all students is a priority.
• Information and Communication Technology strategies should be used to encourage higher order thinking skills.
• Teachers should work collaboratively in professional teams.
• Teachers should demonstrate an extensive range of effective pedagogical approaches.

Curriculum

Mountain Creek State High School has seen the introduction of three innovative tiers into the Middle School to ensure quality education outcomes for all students. These tiers include the:

• Zenith Program
• Mid Band Program
• Focus Groups

Year 8

All students in Year 8 study a core curriculum. Subjects include English, Mathematics, Science, Study of Society and Environment, Health and Physical Education, Japanese, Arts (Art, Drama, Music) and Production Design Technology.

Year 9

All students in Year 9 study a core curriculum that includes English, Mathematics, Science, Study of Society and Environment, and Health and Physical Education.
A broad range of elective subjects supplements the Year 9 Core Curriculum. Students study 4 elective subjects (2 electives each semester). Please refer to the Year 9 Subject Selection Handbook for more detailed information on each subject area.

Transition from Primary School into the Middle School

In term 3 of each year, Year 7 students enrolling at Mountain Creek State High School once again visit the school and participate in a Transition Day.

Primary school students are exposed to the curriculum throughout the year via faculty-based programs.

The Head of Department Middle Schooling visits the feeder schools in term 3 & 4 to talk to the students and collect data which will assist in providing an appropriate middle school program which caters for the full range of students.

Transition from the Middle School into the Senior School

The middle school curriculum challenges, motivates and extends middle school students, and prepares the middle school student for senior schooling. The middle school will still have a major emphasis on the Key Learning Areas, which are implemented via a discreet core and elective curriculum program which will provide students with the knowledge and skill levels necessary to cope with senior schooling.

Promotion

Students must demonstrate sound literacy and numeracy skills to ensure their promotion from year 8 into year 9, and from year 9 into the senior school.

Other Programs

Sport

In terms 2 & 4, Year 8 and 9 students participate in a Sunshine Coast Central Zone Interschool Sport competition one afternoon a week. Students who are not selected for an interschool sport team participate in a recreational sport program or enrichment program.

Enrichment (Extra-Curricular)

At Mountain Creek State High School we pride ourselves on an extensive extra-curricular program. Students not participating in Inter School Sport select Enrichment as their Wednesday afternoon activity. Enrichment aims to develop students academically, socially and physically.

Career Education

The focus of Career Education in the middle school is interest areas and possible careers. Our innovative Education and Careers Planning program ensures that all students’ subjects align with their goals and aspirations

Assessment and Reporting

Assessment tasks are designed in accordance with the students level (Zenith, Mid Band, Focus Groups). Students are well practiced in multiple choice, short answer response and written tasks (short and extended pieces utilising a variety of genres) and are hence well prepared for testing undertaken in their senior schooling years.