Year 8 program
Students continue to study a broad-based common curriculum, strengthening their understanding in a range of disciplines and consolidating knowledge, skills and learning dispositions from Year 7, preparing them for the increased personalisation and flexibility of Years 9 and 10.
In Year 8 we teach the Victorian Curriculum F–10, which sets out what every student should learn during their first 11 years of schooling. The curriculum is the common set of knowledge and skills required by students for life-long learning, social development and active and informed citizenship.
The Victorian Curriculum F–10 incorporates the Australian Curriculum and reflects Victorian priorities and standards.
Subjects
Subjects taught at Year 8 are a combination of year-long and semester-long subjects. Students continue to study the language they chose in Year 7. For more detail on the Year 8 subjects, see Year 8 Program.
| Year-long subjects | Semester-long subjects |
| English | Product Design |
| Mathematics | Textiles |
| Science | Food Technology |
| Humanities | Visual Communication Design |
| Visual Art | |
| Physical Education | |
| Health | |
| Language (French, Italian, Greek or Chinese) |
Connect Program
Our Connect Program is designed to provide students with an environment and resources that support learning, social skills and academic success.
All Year 8 students have a tutorial group, which is the class they spend most of their time with each day. Each group has a daily Connect session with their Connect Tutor. These tutors are the first point of contact for students, parents and teachers regarding students’ wellbeing.
Our Year 8 Connect Program covers topics designed to enhance student learning, social awareness and emotional development. Students participate in activities to help them become aware of positive expectations at school and with peers, including developing personal and academic learning goals and exploring strategies for fostering positive and respectful relationships at school and with family.
Excursions and camps and experiences
All students attend a three-day camp with their Connect group during Semester 1.
Students participate in a range of activities, excursions and workshops designed to support learning, strengthen peer connections and build leadership skills.
Digital learning
We have a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) 1:1 Program where it is compulsory for all students to have a portable digital device (laptop, notebook or tablet) that meets minimum requirements and specifications. Year 8 students keep the device they purchased in Year 7.
Our digital learning program provides students with the opportunity to be effective digital learners who will become confident, creative and productive in a digital world. We believe that this access to technology helps engage our students in the learning process in new and creative ways, and to become increasingly skilled at using technology to access and present information, solve problems and work collaboratively.
For information on device requirements, see Booklists and digital devices.
Assessment, feedback and reporting
Northcote High School operates a continuous reporting system. In each subject there are three Common Assessment Tasks (CATs) per semester. Written feedback on achievement in these tasks is provided for students in Teams and One Note – our hybrid learning system, with grading visible to parents via Compass..
Ongoing formative assessment and informal feedback is an essential element of our teaching and learning framework. This happens through teacher observations and verbal and written comments in response to learning activities. It involves identifying points of strength and weakness, as well as outlining the next steps in learning for the student.
Learning Behaviour Reports are completed every six weeks in each semester.
End-of-semester reports summarising achievement against the Victorian Curriculum standards are available at the end of Terms 2 and 4.
Student-parent-teacher conversations are held at the end of Terms 1 and 3.
See Assessment and reporting for more information.