Years 7 to 9 at Whites Hill State College is known as the Junior Secondary phase of learning. Junior Secondary is underpinned by six guiding principles.
A distinct group identity as Junior Secondary students
Quality teaching by dedicated staff who provide an excellent role model
Supporting student wellbeing
Welcoming family and community involvement though active communication
Providing Junior Secondary student leadership opportunities
Encouraging local decision making
The staff will support all students throughout their Junior Secondary years at the College. We recognise that every student can achieve academic success. We will share the responsibility with families and students for assisting each student in attaining his/her educational goals.
The College has a dedicated Junior Secondary precinct with the co-location of classrooms for core learning areas to create a learning space for Years 7 to 9. Junior Secondary students will have core classrooms where their core subjects will be taught. Junior Secondary students also share whole-of-College learning spaces in the Library, Integrated Learning Centre, computer rooms and specialist subject areas.
There are identified facilities for Junior Secondary students – two computer laboratories and three computer pods between classrooms, Junior Secondary boys’ and girls’ toilets, and a Year 7 eating area. Students feel a sense of belonging and connectedness to WHSC, and to feeling safe and confident in their environment.
There is a distinct teaching team for Junior Secondary with Culture and Engagement leaders, core teachers with each class, and a minimum number of subject teachers allocated in order to maximise contact time and reinforce student-teacher relationships.