We appreciate that the transition from primary school to high school can be both an exciting and an anxious time for students and their families.
Our Junior Secondary preparation is being led by Mrs Kristy Frost, Deputy Principal, and Mr Jackie Newman, Head of Department (Junior Secondary). Mrs Newman has a strong background in Student Wellbeing and is providing outstanding leadership in our preparations for Junior Secondary..
Information about enrolments, scholarships and our innovative LEAP enrichment program is also available in other sections of our website.
On arrival at Pioneer in Year 7, students will be assigned to a Care Class with a Care Teacher. The Care Teacher provides an important pastoral care role and is a very important point of contact for students and parents. Students meet with their Care Teacher every morning. Students' iLesson, a weekly class with a strong and proactive focus on student wellbeing and academic engagement is also delivered by their Care Teacher. In each year level, Care Teachers are supported by a Year Coordinator who provides further support to students and coordinates a range of activities throughout the year. All Junior Secondary students also participate in Pioneer’s research-based Literacy Enhancement Program. Students requiring additional literacy support participate in further small-group classes through our Literacy Intervention Program.
To support students’ transition to high school, Year 7 students will have the same teacher for English, Social Science and Literacy. They will also have the same teacher for Mathematics, Science and iLesson and that teacher will also act as the students’ Care Teacher. Together, these two core teachers will have an in-depth understanding of students’ needs and will play a critical role in supporting students’ smooth transition. These core classes will be delivered in students’ home rooms in our new Year 7 Precinct between L and N Blocks. Students will still access specialist teachers and facilities in their other subjects.
Currently, in Year 8 students undertake a set program of studies that exposes them to the full range of specialist subjects. Students are then able to make more informed decisions about the selection of elective subjects in Years 9 and 10.
Our curriculum is progressively being realigned to the new Australian Curriculum. The Australian Curriculum in English, Science and Mathematics was introduced in 2012, with History added in 2013 and Geography in 2014. Further subject areas will follow suit in 2015 and 2016. Visit the Australian Curriculum website for more information. In the meantime, these other subject areas are based on Education Queensland's Essential Learnings and are delivered within the Queensland Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Framework. Visit the Education Queensland website for further information about this framework. Further information about specific subject offerings can be found in the "Departments" section of our website, in the "Our Curriculum" menu. Increasingly, Year 10 will form part of our Senior Secondary School, with a strong focus on preparing students for Years 11 and 12 and for further study, training and employment.