Enhancements
Greenvale Secondary College offers a number of enhancement programs for our students. At Greenvale, we provide opportunities for students to do things that reflect their passion or interest. This ensures students take leadership of their learning and promotes more rapid learning growth and connection with the community.
Enhancements are available in the following areas:
ACADEMIC | These academic enhancements ensure students in need of support receive it and those who need extension are challenged. These programs then ensure that all leaners at Greenvale experience learner growth. |
CLUBS | These club enhancements provide students with a co-curricular experience they cannot get in their normal classroom, and it connects to our College vision. |
SPORT | The sport enhancements give a structured opportunity for students to participate in team sport events in preparation for representing the College. |
Our enhancement sessions are student-needs driven and student led where appropriate;
- Enable experimentation and exploration of skills, ideas and concepts;
- Cater for diversity in interests and passions;
- Support students to build self-confidence;
- Strengthen relationships across the cohort.
Process for Selection of Enhancement Sessions
At the commencement of each semester, students are provided the Enhancement Program schedule. Using the online selection tool, students complete their preferences for the year.
Example Enhancement Sessions
ACADEMIC | CLUBS | SPORT |
Maths Extension Students will engage in tasks that extend their maths knowledge beyond what is occurring in the classroom. | Debating Club In this enhancement, students will develop their debating skills and participate against other schools. | AFL Team Students selected to represent the College in AFL will have scheduled and regular compulsory training sessions. |
Creative Writing Learn about writing techniques to maximise description in your stories to engage readers. Develop your skills toward an ongoing project of your choice. | Chess Club Students will master Chess and engage in events both at school or against others to compete. | Soccer Team Students selected to represent the College in Soccer will have scheduled and regular compulsory training sessions. |
Chinese Come and practice your speaking skills and discover Chinese culture so you can be a more confident learner of Chinese. | Homework Club Support from a teacher to assist with completing work you have set for homework. | Table Tennis Team Students selected to represent the College in Table Tennis will have scheduled and regular compulsory training sessions. |
English Support Students will get support with their English and language skills by reviewing and using content being covered in their classes. | Environmental Club In this enhancement, students will solve some real-world environmental challenges in our community. | Basketball Team Students selected to represent the College in Basketball will have scheduled and regular compulsory training sessions. |
Extend and Enhance
Our Extend and Enhance 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.
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 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 program are not necessarily good at everything, but show an ability beyond most of their peers.
The Extend and Enhance Difference
As with all students in Years 7 and 8, students in the 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.
The Extend an Enhance Program offers students an additional subject that is delivered at specific times of the week. Students attend this class instead of their regular sessions.
This approach allows 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.
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 considered for the Extend and Enhance program. Selection takes place based on student applications and assessment which all students may participate in once they have a confirmed enrolment.
The application process and selection includes:
- Written or video application
- Review of most recent school reports
- Review of most recent NAPLAN and PAT data
- Interview
Application Timeline
July: Enrolment process begins
September to November: Assessment and interview process commences
December: Families notified of outcome prior to orientation day
QuickSmart Literacy and Numeracy
QuickSmart is an evidence-based basic skills intervention program
designed for middle-school students who experience persistent difficulties in
literacy and/or numeracy.
The award-winning programs provide a framework with short and targeted
lesson components for educators to work through with their students.
The aim of QuickSmart is to enable students to become automatic (quick)
in their basic skills in order to move onto more complex problem-solving skills
(smart).
Numeracy
The QuickSmart Numeracy intervention program focuses on understanding
and recall of basic number facts, performance of elementary calculations,
acquisition of appropriate mathematics language, and problem-solving skills.
Appropriate for: Year 4 to 9 students in the bottom 10 – 30% of the
national achievement spectrum for Numeracy (students at or below the national
minimum standard).
Literacy
The QuickSmart Literacy intervention program focuses on the automaticity
of word recognition, fluency in reading connected texts, and development of
vocabulary.
Appropriate for: Year 4 to 9 students in the bottom 10 – 30% of the
national achievement spectrum for Literacy (students at or below the national
minimum standard).