MIDDLE SCHOOL (Years 7 to 9)

Your daughter's first year marks the exciting beginning of her secondary school adventure.

To facilitate a smooth transition into life at IGGS, she will take part in our fun school camp enabling her to form friendships and connect with her cohort.

The Year 7 curriculum focuses on English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities, Health and Physical Education, The Arts, Design and Technologies, and Languages (German, Japanese or Chinese). Students will develop their organisational skills and become more independent learners.

Using their individual laptops, our girls increasingly engage at their own academic level through a variety of learning programs strategically designed to challenge and interest young people. We offer learning support in literacy and numeracy, extension opportunities in all our academic subjects, and specialist teachers for our girls who have English as an Additional Language or Dialect.

Our dedicated Pastoral Care team, including the Middle School Coordinator and Heads of House, will support your daughter to ensure her experience at IGGS is positive and she is empowered to achieve at her personal best.

In Year 8. students continue to engage academically with the broad range of subjects they started in Year 7. They develop confidence in their learning abilities and become more capable of managing their academic commitments with their co-curricular interests. Students participate in a Year level camp which focuses on team building skills and developing leadership capacity, so they are ready to take on their role as Middle School leaders in Year 9.

Supported by the Middle School Coordinator, students are guided throughout the year by their Head of House who meets with them each semester to discuss their academic and co-curricular goals. The Middle School Coordinator oversees student well-being and ensures that students are learning about age-appropriate topics through the dedicated Life Skills Program.

Year 9 marks the culmination of your daughter’s time in the Middle School. This is an exciting year for our students as they embrace their role as leaders of the Middle School. Lead by the Middle School leadership team, throughout the year, students organise fun team-building activities for Middle School students to enjoy.

Year 9 students can focus on areas of interest in their academic journey, engaging in a variety of elective subjects. This allows them the opportunity to consider their future pathways. By the conclusion of Year 9, students are ready to embrace the challenges of Year 10 and their Senior School journey.

Digital and internet technologies offer our girls huge learning potential and we encourage them to become empowered learners in an increasingly social and digital world.

Every student is provided with a personal device as part of our 1:1 Laptop Program.

Ready access to technology means our girls are highly-engaged in learning and more creative in the work they produce. They communicate more with teachers and curriculum materials are easier to access. Ultimately, they are equipping themselves with 21^st century skills that will empower them to transition to higher education and life beyond our School’s gates.

We recognise that, with growing access to technology, there is a need for vigilance around its proper use and, as such, all students are required to abide by the Appropriate Use of Technology policy.

Our Diligentia program offers our Gifted and Talented students the opportunity to test and showcase their skills.

All girls are invited to undertake further testing for entry into Diligentia. These tests are not mandatory. To be accepted, the student must be performing at least two years above her current year level of education

Year 7 and 8 students must sit an Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER) test for entry into Diligentia. In Year 9, any girl who wishes to undertake the extension work is welcome to participate.

Once in the program, the girls are offered support and guidance in undertaking external competitions, workshops and activities to further enhance their talents and overall development in a range of areas.

The groups meet at lunchtimes during the term.

We give your daughter more attention in every class, every day.

Your daughter’s teachers will know her not only by name, but will also have an in-depth understanding of her individual needs and learning goals.

Each year, your daughter’s academic progress is monitored through a range of standardised tests.

Her strengths and challenges are identified and addressed in her Personalised Academic Action Plan. The plan is regularly monitored and adjusted to ensure she is well-supported and making positive progress.

IGGS girls take an active role in their learning adventure, reviewing their progress, setting goals and deciding how they will meet their challenges.

Parents have access to their daughter’s Plan, her one-to-one meeting notes from her pastoral and academic interviews, and regular parent and teacher meetings so, together, we form a strong and informed team to support your daughter and develop her true potential.