What Year Levels and Curriculum Does Star of the Sea College Offer?

Updated

Star of the Sea College is a Catholic secondary school for girls in Brighton that educates students from Year 7 to Year 12. Its curriculum is organised by year level — Years 7–8, Year 9, Year 10, and Senior Studies — with senior students choosing between the VCE and the VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM), supported by VET subjects. Learning Diversity and Academic Enrichment programs sit alongside the core curriculum.

Year levels at a glance

Stage Year levels What it covers
Junior secondary Years 7–8 Foundational secondary curriculum
Middle secondary Year 9 Dedicated Year 9 program
Pre-senior Year 10 Preparation for senior pathways
Senior Studies Years 11–12 VCE, VCE VM, and VET

The college has been educating young people in a compassionate Catholic context since 1883, and describes its approach as a contemporary, values-based education that nurtures the development of the whole person.

Senior pathways: VCE, VCE VM, and VET

Senior Studies is where the curriculum branches. Students can pursue:

  • VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education) — the standard academic pathway to tertiary study.
  • VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM) — an applied-learning pathway within the VCE.
  • VET (Vocational Education and Training) — vocational subjects that can be taken alongside senior studies.

Because the college lists these as distinct offerings, the choice between them is a decision point for families planning Years 11 and 12. The right fit depends on whether a student is aiming primarily at university, at a vocational or applied pathway, or a combination.

Support and enrichment beyond the core curriculum

Two programs run alongside the standard curriculum:

  • Learning Diversity — support for students with diverse learning needs.
  • Academic Enrichment — extension for students who need additional challenge.

The college also maintains a library (the Sr Josepha Dunlop Library) with library resources and teaching in the library, and publishes booklists for each year.

Co-curricular and broader student life

Curriculum is only part of the picture. The college offers debating, music (including an instrumental program and a Year 7 Music Scholarship Program), performing arts, sport, and careers support. Student wellbeing is structured through mentor groups, college houses, counselling, and a Year 7 transition program.

How to decide if it's the right fit

If you are weighing up Star of the Sea College, the practical questions are:

  1. Is a girls' Catholic secondary school in Brighton the right environment? The college's stated focus is a values-based Catholic education grounded in its motto, Facta non Verba (Deeds, not Words).
  2. Does the senior pathway match your child's goals? Confirm whether VCE, VCE VM, or a VET combination best fits their plans after Year 12.
  3. Are the support and enrichment offerings relevant? Learning Diversity and Academic Enrichment are worth asking about directly if your child needs either.

For specifics on subject offerings within each year level, fees, and enrolment timelines, the college's Enrolments section — including the Prospectus, How to Enrol, College Tours, and Fees pages — is the authoritative source. Booking a college tour is the most direct way to see the curriculum in practice.