Junior Secondary

Junior Secondary focuses on age appropriate education and support for students’ wellbeing and transition. Year 7, 8 & 9 are considered Junior Secondary with Senior Secondary Year 10, 11 & 12.

While it will look different in every secondary school, six principles have been developed to underpin Junior Secondary. Under six guiding principles, Junior Secondary will provide challenging educational offerings that engage young adolescents, while giving them a sense of belonging and support through the changes they face.

• Distinct identity – Junior Secondary students are encouraged and supported to develop their own identity as well as commit to the Wolf Shield identity of Junior Secondary. This involves dedicated school areas and events.
• Quality teaching – Teachers working with students in the Junior Secondary years are given the skills they need through additional professional development, so they can support young teens through these crucial early high school years.
• Student wellbeing – We meet the social and emotional needs of Junior Secondary with a strong focus on pastoral care. PC classes meet each day and remain unchanged from Year 7 – 12.
• Parent and community involvement – We want parents to stay connected with their students’ learning when they enter high school. Parent involvement in assemblies, special events, award ceremonies and leadership presentations is welcomed.
• Leadership – Schools create leadership roles for Years 7, 8 and 9. Dedicated teachers experienced with teaching young adolescents will lead Junior Secondary supported by the principal and administration team.
• Local decision-making – The needs of each school community will influence how Junior Secondary is implemented in each school. P& C plays a vital role for parents to provide input.

Here at Emerald State High School, we are using the six guiding principles of Junior Secondary to develop our whole-school approach to implement and strengthen Junior Secondary practices. The elements of each principle are regularly considered as we review our practices and processes to ensure that we provide the optimum learning environment for our Junior Secondary students.

Curriculum in Junior Secondary

Queensland schools plan, teach, assess and report across the year levels using the Australian Curriculum.

The focus in Junior Secondary at Emerald State High is participation. The emphasis is on continuing literacy and numeracy development and learning focused on the key learning areas (KLAs): The Arts, English, Health & Physical Education, Languages other than English (Japanese), Mathematics, Science, History Studies of Society and Environment, and Technology.

In Year 7 and 8, students participate in all subject areas. In Year 9 students make their first elective choices.