Honours Classes

St Spyridon students are expected and supported to perform to their full potential. They are provided with explicit teaching and differentiated learning experiences to enable them to perform at their best. At the same time every student is expected to apply diligence and sustained effort to their studies, and to do their best to maximise their results.

It is a well-established fact that students with high intellectual potential are typically at risk of underperformance if they are not challenged to achieve. In simple terms this means they need a competitive environment in which they are challenged to work at a more complex level; at a faster pace; at a greater intensity; and with potentially greater volume of work than is typically expected of their age-peers.

The Honours Classes are designed for the highest-achieving students in English, Mathematics, and Modern Greek. Students are selected for these classes (one, or any combination of all three) based on their academic performance, specifically their results in the Placement Tests taken before the start of Year 7. 

The pace and intensity of an Honours class will not benefit all students. Student placement in the Honours class remains at the discretion of the classroom teacher who will continuously conduct both formal and informal assessments of the student’s progress and their ability to keep up with the demands of the course. Together with the Curriculum Leader and the Head of Studies, a decision will be made about whether the student remain in the course. Similarly, a student may choose to move to mainstream at any time at their own volition.

Features of Honours Classes

English, Mathematics, and Modern Greek 

Students in Honours Classes will follow the same set curriculum for their Year level, and will be expected to produce work of exceptional depth and complexity; on tasks that demand higher order thinking skills, in which they undertake sustained independent research and exercise creativity, and self-direction. 

Mathematics

Students in the Mathematics Honours class will follow an accelerated pattern of study commencing in Year 7. Typically, the pattern will involve consolidating Stage 4 (Year 7 and 8) curriculum into one year and then students will continue one year ahead of the year cohort; in Year 8, they complete Year 9 Mathematics, in Year 9, they complete Year 10 Mathematics. The Accelerants begin the Preliminary HSC Extension 1 Mathematics course in Year 10 and complete their HSC in Extension 1 Mathematics in Year 11 (one year early). This then provides them with the opportunity to focus solely on Extension 2 Mathematics in Year 12. The aim of all Accelerants should be to complete Extension 2 Mathematics for HSC.

Modern Greek

Students in the Modern Greek Honours class will follow an accelerated pattern of study commencing in Year 9. Typically, the pattern will involve consolidating Stage 5 (Year 9 and 10) curriculum into one year and then students will continue one year ahead of the year cohort; in Year 10, they complete the Year 11 Modern Greek Continuers course, in Year 11 they will sit their HSC for the Modern Greek Continuers course (one year early). The aim of all Accelerants should be to complete HSC Modern Greek Extension course while in Year 11.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. High standards will be applied to all classes. Each student is supported to work to their full potential. Importantly each student will be expected to apply diligence and sustained effort to maximising their learning outcomes.

Students are grouped differently for each subject. For example they may be in the Honours Class for Maths and not for English or Greek.

Yes. There will be opportunity for students to move into and out of the Honours Classes, at critical junctures typically at the end of a semester or a year.

In Year 7 and beyond, students are grouped according to a number of criteria, including ability and compatibility. Friendship groups may also be considered in some cases, at least for the first Semester of Year 7, where students may need to be assisted in the transition process to Senior Schooling.

Yes, teachers will help students. However, the purpose of an Honours Class is for students to work with more independence, at a faster pace, at greater intensity and at a higher level of complexity than their age peers. This will not necessarily suit or be of benefit to every student.