Senior Years 

(Years 10 - 12) 

A team around the child 

The senior school at Yankalilla Area School are committed to creating an environment where each student is welcomed and included. We aim to develop the ‘whole person’ and are focused on fostering positive relationships through Restorative Practices. This is enhanced through our Pastoral Care program, which enables our staff to build further on knowing each individual student and how they learn best.

Our senior students are supported to thrive by exploring their career options, maintaining academic success and building the skills of resilient when faced with a challenge, while designing their own futures.

We aim to develop the essential employability skills for the 21st century, while aiming to assist every student in developing the 5 new SACE capabilities of Personal Enterprise, Quality Thinking, Self-motivated Learning, Principled Action and Collective Engagement. These SACE capabilities allow our senior school students to become active citizens and contributing members of the community.

Our students are very fortunate in having passionate teachers and leaders who work hard to prepare them for a rapidly changing world and who are highly committed to getting the best outcomes possible for each student. Staff pride their ability to utilise SACE flexibilities to achieve these positive outcomes for students.

Senior school student goals

• 90% attendance to school
• Meet assessment deadlines
• Develop the knowledge of how to source and access accurate, up to date information
• Make informed decisions about selected subjects, courses and career pathways for a future post school
• Aspire to SACE completion and higher education, training and or employment
• Develop skills and capabilities to navigate, understand and manage the transition from school
• Interact with and explore the community to develop lifelong skills  

For further enquiries please contact belinda.mcevoy770@schools.sa.edu.au or call - 85 580 888. Belinda McEvoy, SENIOR YEARS/SACE & VET

2025 Curriculum Guide

We encourage our families to read the curriculum guide together to discuss subject selections for the 2025 academic year. The curriculum guide can be found here: 

https://yankas.schoolzineplus.com/2025-curriculum-guide

Work Placement

Work experience vs Work placement….what is the difference? 

 How does a student organise workplace learning?  

Workplace Learning (placement/experience) gives students the opportunity to gain skills specific to their career path as well as the employability skills required for real-life work. It also increases student knowledge to allow them to make better informed decisions about future career choices. Workplace Learning is flagged and organised through the senior school leader Belinda McEvoy. Department paperwork and a safety induction is required before a placement starts, this is to ensure appropriate insurance is in place to cover the student and the employer. Students who chose to do workplace learning outside of Yankalilla are to cover the cost associated (e.g. trave and accommodation).  

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Vocational Education and Training (VET) provides students with the opportunity to acquire skills and knowledge for work through a nationally recognised industry-developed training package or accredited course. VET is delivered, assessed, and certified by registered training organisations (RTOs). Undertaking VET allows students to explore a variety of career pathways. Students can complete VET qualifications in a diverse range of industries. Interest in a VET courses need to be shown in Term 3, in preparation for the following year.

How VET works   

• Students are required to pass a VETRO test as directed and organised by the RTO  
• Students complete enrolment forms and process with RTO. RTO assesses the suitability of the student in this process.   
• Students access the qualification on a set day. These days are located either on another schools site or offsite at the RTO location. Organised transport to the VET learning days each week is the responsibility of the student/family.
  *Check the SACE website to ensure the Certificate III qualification will convert to stage 2 credit

 Apprenticeships and Traineeships for School Students

A school-based apprenticeship or traineeship is a great option for school students to get a head start in their career and earn a wage while completing their South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE).  

What are Apprenticeships and Traineeships for School Students?  

Students can commence an apprenticeship or traineeship in years 10-12+, combining senior secondary school with vocational education and training (VET) and paid employment. They continue to attend school as required, participate in on-the-job training in the workplace and formal VET with a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) under an arrangement known as a training contract.  

Learning in school and attending work is balanced between the needs of the student, the employer and the school.   

School-based apprenticeships and traineeships have 2 phases:  

Year 10 to 11 (stage 1): Students commence an apprenticeship/traineeship generally for 1-3 days per week to enable completion of compulsory SACE subjects.   

Year 12 (stage 2): Greater flexibility for students to continue their apprenticeship or traineeship up to 5 days per week whilst also completing compulsory SACE subjects.  

 Subject and Pathways Counselling 

There are many new and emerging jobs and industries in Australia that didn't exist in their current form a few years ago. Early identification of these new opportunities by students are important to ensure that their subjects are building the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to fulfil these jobs in the future.  

To find a career and subjects that really suits a student, there are a number of factors to consider, including their skills and interests, industry needs, work experience, values and motivations. Researching career roles and exploring available options will help students reach an informed decision with options. 

Students guide to successful subject and pathways selections  

 Get to know yourself 

Start increasing your self-awareness to help you decide what kind of job or career might be right for you. This will help you to backwards plan your school subjects. Questions you could ask yourself in support of being self-aware:  

• What skills do I have? 
• What are my likes, (and dislikes)? 
• What am I good at and enjoy doing? 
• What are my development needs? 
• What would I not want to spend all day doing? 
• What are my values and preferences? 
• What barriers might I need to plan for to achieve my goals? 
• What options are available to achieve the same destination? 

Explore different careers 

Once you have identified the skills, interests and preferences that might influence your career choice, you can start exploring what careers are out there and find out more about them.

 Make some decisions 

Throughout senior school you will complete a subject grid each year in support of your post school pathway. These subject selections will be approved by parents/caregivers and formalised ready for the following year. If you would like to discuss your options, or you still have no vision about a career, consider speaking to one of your teachers or Belinda the senior school leader.

Skills for the future workforce

 Belinda McEvoy, HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL