Enhancement Program ACE

Our ACE (Advanced Curriculum Extension) Program offers students in Years 7 and 8 challenging work that is more closely aligned with their abilities. The program emphasises higher-level thinking skills, problem solving and academic achievement. Participation in performing arts and project-based learning are also features of the program.

The program is not an acceleration program, however, it does prepare students for advancement subjects in Years 9, 10 and 11, including VCE subjects in Year 10.

Our ACE Program has been running for over 20 years, with our model and approach emulated by other Victorian schools. The retention rates for students who participate in the ACE program are generally around 90 per cent and students consistently achieve success at VCE level.

Students suited to the program

Students best suited to the program are those who are highly motivated independent learners, flexible in their thinking, self-motivated, well-organised, and have well-developed literacy and numeracy skills and broad general knowledge.

The ACE Program is designed to benefit those students who have shown academic aptitude in one or more specific areas of the curriculum and have high educational aspirations. Students in the ACE Program are not necessarily good at everything, but show an ability beyond most of their peers.

The ACE difference

As with all students in Years 7 and 8, students in the ACE program learn together in their Connect group for most of their subjects. They are generally taught in a similar way and follow the same curriculum as the other students at their year level, including the full range of arts, technology and sports subjects. However, for some subjects, alternate texts are provided to allow for greater analysis or complexity, and the work is generally more challenging and advanced and encourages higher-level thinking skills. Students in the program also benefit from working in a group of like-minded peers and have access to additional extension and challenge programs: for example, Philosophy Club.

As with all our classes, students are taught with a wide variety of strategies to allow for the most appropriate to promote their intellectual growth. From research and our experience, students in extension programs are generally more receptive to particular types of teaching strategies and classroom activities.

Selection process

All enrolled Year 7 students are welcome to apply for the ACE program. Selection is via application and the Educational Assessment placement test for any student who has a confirmed place at Northcote High for the following year . Year 8 students can apply if any vacancies arise in the program: this is advertised internally towards the end of Year 7.

How to apply

For more information about ACE program application process, see ACE Program Information.