Humanities & Social Sciences
Social Science subjects prepare students to be active and informed local, national and global citizens. Our dedicated team of teachers encourage students to care about the world they live in, to fulfil their civic responsibilities and to be financially responsible members of society. Students in Years 7-9 study four Social Science subjects: History, Geography, Economics and Business, and Civics and Citizenship. These subjects develop students’ understanding of their local community, country’s identity and role within the global community, and help prepare students to take an active role in creating the communities of the future.
Over the course of Years 7-9, students take a journey from ancient times through the middle ages to modern times. Their history studies allow students to understand how conflict and powerful leaders shaped societies and influenced global history. Students develop an understanding of how Australia formed as a nation, our connections with other nations, as well as exploring important historical events in other nations and world regions.
Through their geographical studies, students develop an awareness of the inter-relationship which exists between people and the natural environment. They investigate issues affecting communities at a local, national and global scale, and the impact that the natural environment can have on these communities. The importance of local community action groups, international government organisations, such as the United Nations, and non-government organisations in shaping societies is also a focus.
The study of Economics and Business, and Civics and Citizenship prepares students to be active community members. Students explore their rights and responsibilities as employees, the importance of financial management, and their role as local, national and global citizens. An understanding of the national and global economy is also developed. Students investigate Australia’s legal and political systems with their democratic foundations, and compare and contrast these systems with those of other nations.
In Years 10-12, students can choose to study one or more of the following Humanities and Social Sciences subjects: Accounting, Business, Economics, History and Legal Studies. Year 10 is a foundation year during which students develop the specific skills needed to succeed in their chosen subject. During Year 10 and 11 students complete similar assessment tasks to the summative assessment undertaken in Year 12 with the aim of promoting student reflection on their learning and utilisation of teacher feedback to establish learning goals.
Social Science subjects are vital in developing students’ research and problem-solving skills. Students conduct research using online databases, websites, journals and library resources. They learn how to present their findings in a variety of genres, from written reports to essays to video clips. Students learn through group work, independent learning and interpretation of a wide range of written and visual sources, including newspaper articles, cartoons, graphs and maps. Social Science subjects prepare students to take an active and informed role in society.