Year 9 into Year 10: Subject choices and VCE Acceleration
Students in Year 9 will soon make some significant choices about their Senior School pathway.
The effort that Year 9 students make now will have an impact on their choices for next year, including potential VCE acceleration and their choice of Maths and Science subjects in Year 10.
We encourage students to work hard across all of their subjects. Year 9 students who would like to accelerate in a VCE subject should be making a consistent effort, responding to teacher feedback, and studying regularly to prepare them for this big step forward.
VCE acceleration criteria
Students can apply to take one VCE study in Year 10, with the exception of ALPHA students who may also be eligible to study Units 1&2 in Mathematical Methods.
The subjects open for acceleration include: Accounting, Art Making and Exhibiting, Biology, Business Management, Classical Studies, Drama, Economics, Environmental Science, Food Studies, Geography, Health and Human Development, History, Legal Studies, Media, Music Performance, Outdoor Education, Physical Education, Politics, Product Design and Technology, Psychology, Visual Communication and Design
To undertake VCE acceleration in Year 10, students must meet the following criteria:
- Excellent academic results.
- An average of 80% across Cycles 1-3 in Year 9 in the subject you wish to accelerate.
- An average of 80% across Cycles 1-3 in Year 9 English/EAL
- An average of 80% across Cycles 1-3 in Year 9 in three related subjects
- Year 8 cycle reports are considered.
- Work Practices– Attitude and Effort on cycle reports are taken into consideration.
- Attendance – a minimum of 90% attendance, excluding approved absences.
Decisions will be based on the extent to which the criteria have been met, as well as the number of places available. Year 11 students will always have priority placement in a Year 11 subject.
Year 10 Maths and Science choices
In addition to the criteria for VCE acceleration, students’ Year 9 Maths and Science results will inform the Maths and Science pathways open to them in Year 10.
Acceleration in Maths and Languages
Acceleration in Maths and Languages, including those studied at weekend schools, is only offered in exceptional circumstances. This is because it is particularly challenging to skip a year of learning in these subjects. To be eligible for acceleration in these subjects, students must not only meet the acceleration requirements but also be achieving an average of 90% in Maths or the Language they wish to study. If students meet these requirements, we run an exam to determine their suitability.
Misconceptions about acceleration
Undertaking a VCE subject in Year 10 does not reduce the workload in Year 12. Students are still expected to complete five subjects in Year 12. The accelerated subject contributes as an additional study, which may provide a bonus contribution to the ATAR and offers valuable early exposure to VCE expectations.
Thinking about acceleration
If you want to start thinking about your subjects now, check out the 2026 VCE/VM Subject Handbook which is published on the College website here.
Applying for acceleration
Application forms for VCE Acceleration will be published via the Compass news feed on June 16. The application form asks you to indicate three preferences for VCE acceleration and to write a handwritten application explaining your suitability.
As students prepare for Senior School, I encourage them – whether they are applying for VCE acceleration or not – to embrace the wonderful learning opportunities we provide by applying themselves consistently across all classes, acting on teacher feedback, building effective study habits, and showing a high degree of organisation and motivation.
Brett Lamb
Assistant Principal – Teaching and Learning
Anaphylaxis Policy
East Doncaster Secondary College has reviewed and updated our Anaphylaxis Policy to reflect changes implemented by The Department of Education.
Please find attached the recently updated Anaphylaxis Policy for 2026. Updated Anaphylaxis Policy – 3 March 2026
If you have any questions, please contact Assistant Principal, Cameron Campbell via email at east.doncaster.sc@education.vic.gov.au
Annual privacy reminder for our school community
Our school collects and uses student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ privacy policy and the Schools’ privacy collection notice.
Our Photographing, Filming and Recording Students policy 2025-2026-Policy-Handbook.pdf, describes how we collect and use photographs, video and recordings of students. The policy also explains when parent consent is required and how it can be provided and withdrawn.
We ask parents to also review the guidance we provide on how we use Microsoft 365/Google Workspace for Education safely at the school and what parents can do to further protect their child’s information. If after reviewing the guidance, you have any questions or concerns regarding your child using Microsoft 365/Google Workspace for Education, please contact the school.
For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ privacy policy: information for parents. This information is also available in eleven community languages:
Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Dari, Gujarati, Mandarin, Somali, Sudanese, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese.
CCTV at our College
East Doncaster Secondary College has recently upgraded the closed-circuit television (CCTV) system at our school.
Our school has an obligation to ensure the school environment is safe and secure, and fulfil our duty of care to students, staff and visitors. The CCTV system assists our school to fulfil these obligations and to prevent and manage other inappropriate behaviour on school grounds. CCTV will also provide enhanced capability to protect our school’s assets against vandalism and theft.
We will follow Department of Education policy requirements for the design, installation, management and use of the CCTV systems. This policy is available at: CCTV in Schools – Installation and Management.
We will also place a CCTV Privacy Notice on our school website with more information about our school’s use of CCTV.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Reception on 9842 2244 or via email: east.doncaster.sc@education.vic.gov.au
Cameron Campbell
Assistant Principal
School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS)
School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) is an evidence-based framework that has been implemented in many Victorian schools over the past 5 years. A number of our local primary schools have been using this approach so the terminology may be familiar to many. The SWPBS approach aims to foster positive, safe, and supportive learning environments.
In 2024, East Doncaster Secondary College started to explore this framework as a means to explicitly focus our attention on supporting positive behaviours. At our school we call them expected behaviours. We aim to create a predictable learning environment and ensure that our learning areas remain safe, calm and dignified. The SWPBS model brings together students, teachers, and families to promote a culture where positive behaviour is explicitly taught, acknowledged, and celebrated.
What have we done so far?
Last year, teachers and student focus groups collaborated to develop the EDSC School Wide Positive Behaviour Support matrix. This matrix identified a number of areas within the College where an explicit focus on how students and staff interact with each other and their community. We developed a number of statements that describe behaviours we want to see and we aligned these to our existing College values. The end result is a set of expected behaviours that guide how we do things at EDSC “at all times”, “in the classroom”, “in the yard”, “out in the community” and “while online”. A copy of the matrix is attached to this newsletter and can also be seen on the Compass newsfeed.
What does this look like?
SWPBS is a whole-school approach designed to improve social, emotional, behavioural, and academic outcomes for all students. By establishing clear behavioural expectations and consistently reinforcing them, our aim is to create an environment where positive behaviours are the norm. In class and during Positive Futures sessions, teachers are explicitly teaching the behaviours expected of our students in various settings, ensuring clarity and consistency.
When staff see students meeting these expectations, they post a chronicle which triggers an email to students and their families outlining what the staff member has observed. The College leadership team continues to reinforce the power of promoting expected behaviours and we are seeing a decrease in negative student interactions. The SWPBS approach combined with explicit classroom entry and exit routines and a consistent approach to managing student misbehaviour, is having a positive effect on our students. By establishing clear behavioural expectations and consistently reinforcing them, we are creating an environment where positive behaviours are the norm.
How can parents and carers get involved?
Engagement from families is crucial for the success of SWPBS. Parents and students can:
Stay informed: Understand the school’s behavioural expectations and positive reinforcement systems.
Reinforce at home: Encourage and acknowledge positive behaviours at home that align with school expectations.
Communicate: Maintain open lines of communication with teachers and school staff regarding behavioural expectations and student progress.
We will regularly update families on our progress with SWPBS via the Compass newsfeed so please keep an eye out. By embracing SWPBS, we aim to create an environment where positive behaviour is the foundation for academic success and personal growth.
East Doncaster Secondary College Policy Handbook 2025/2026
Our School Policy Handbook has been updated and approved by School Council.
For further document information and the College’s policies, please follow the below link:
School Documents and Policies
Please find below the link to the East Doncaster Secondary College Policy Handbook which is also available on our website.
2025/2026 Policy Handbook
Cameron Campbell
Assistant Principal