Program Focus:
The focus is on re-engaging vulnerable young people with education and to support them to participate positively within their wider communities. AYCE aims at providing education for students who, for a wide variety of reasons, are not enrolled at a school. In 1999 the school ran a pilot program and, in practice, the program attracted mainly students who had been, up until that time, home educated.
The AYCE program is suited to all age groups, including students who have left school before doing their VCE. It is a requirement that students are enrolled at a school in order for them to attempt their VCE, and this program gives students not attending a mainstream school, the opportunity to access this qualification.
AYCE also aims to cater for students for whom mainstream schooling does not work. These may include students who have been victim to social, emotional trauma, bullying, or mental health concerns or have been previously home schooled and are looking at transitioning into the school system that caters for the needs of their child. At AYCE we participate in teaching student’s life skills and activities, as well as teaching subjects that lead to a more formal learning pathway or work.
AYCE enrols young people in secondary education, for a variety of reasons or circumstances, who have been out of school for extended periods of time, and/or have difficulty engaging in a mainstream setting.
It enables young people to access programs that empower them to strive for aspirational pathways which will enable them to confidently seek and obtain employment and/or attend further education opportunities. Our programme also aims to strengthen and consolidate foundation skills in literacy and numeracy. We address various gaps in student learning to support the student to return to mainstream secondary education, full-time work or tertiary learning pathways.
AYCE Offers:
- A Flexible Learning Programme
- Individual Academic and Personal Learning Goals
- Middle Years Literacy/Numeracy support (MYLNS) and Individual and small group tutoring.
- Community Engagement and Partnerships
- VM
- VCE (currently 16 subjects available for selection)
- Victorian Curriculum (Years 7-10)
- VETDSS
Bayswater/Wantirna Centre: Years 7-12
Call us to book an appointment to visit the campus.
Chinese Community Centre
320 Wantirna Road Bayswater
Year 7-10 : 10.15am -4pm
VCE : 10.15am – 4.50pm (on duty until all students have left the centre)
Epping/Reservoir Campus: Years 7-10
Call us to book an appointment to visit the campus.
Memorial Hall 827 High Street Epping
10am -3pm
Parent and Student Commitment:
At the beginning of the program parents and students are required to sign a contract with the school. The contract sets out the subjects to be undertaken, the teachers providing the supervision, the provision of reports and the agreement to attend the compulsory sessions at Yea High School’s main campus.
Students and parents are asked to sign a Weekly Task Sheet. This keeps parents informed of the tasks for the week, lets them see the work that is required and the progress being made by their student towards completion of those tasks. This must be returned to the teacher at the weekly tutorials.
Following each semester, in line with Yea High School policy, each student receives an End of Semester Report outlining progress in all aspects of each subject.
YHS Principal, Brian D’Arcy
& AYCE Campus Principal, Di Miller
Parent Engagement and Involvement:
Parents involved in the program are looking for a positive learning experience for their children in a productive environment. They see some of the positives of the program as: the expectation of a varied standard for each child that lets them perform to their maximum academically; access to teachers with a different viewpoint or emphasis on subjects; awareness that things which they as parents have been pushing are valued by others; and the opportunity for their children to see others learning new things.
Students involved in the program feel it is: good to be with other people and hear their ideas; good to be in a non-threatening environment; good to have the opportunity to make friends with people they wouldn’t have met otherwise; good to have the chance to improve their skills in areas in which they were particularly interested; and good to take part in discussions on books, news items and things of general interest.
The program requires weekly attendance at the centre of choice, and compulsory attendance two days a term at Yea High School from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Students are bused from Frankston, Ringwood, Yarra Glen and Geelong to attend these days or parents have the option to drive their children. These days allow for classes, practical work, contact with other students and parents, access to specialist teachers and time to use resources held at the school. Students have the use of the Science Laboratory and Science equipment, Careers Room with career advice and guidance and a variety of Technology rooms. Attendance on this day is essential to the success of the program.