About The Programs
Melville Senior High School is one of 56 schools state wide who qualify for Specialist Program certification. There are over one-hundred DOE accredited programs granted within the state school system and Melville Senior High School is extremely fortune to have three very different programs running within the school..
Acceptance into these programs is for four years from Years 7-10. Entry is via school based testing procedures occurs when your children are in in Years 5 and/or 6. Year 5s can re-sit the exam in Year 6 if they wish, however they are not required to. If your child would like to be considered for acceptance into a Specialist Program please submit an application form found on the back page of the above prospectus. Your child will then be registered for testing and details will be forwarded to you.
If a student withdraws from the program before the end of the four years or they do not achieve set standards, an interview will be required with the Deputy Principal and students outside the local intake area may not be able to continue at the school. Lower school students who receive entry into any program attend two specialist sessions during a weekly timetable, this doubles to four sessions per week in Years 9 and 10.
Students are permitted to study two Specialist programs (plus Academic Extension Course or Gifted and Talented). However, due to possible clashes with the timetables these need to be discussed with the Teachers In Charge of the programs. Please note, the only pairing of programs that cannot occur is Netball and Aviation.
Prospectus
The Specialist and Focus Program Prospectus details the different programs in the context of Melville Senior High School. It outlines how the different programs offered at the school integrate with the school values and work to benefit your child’s holistic education. The prospectus includes an application form on the back page.
School Based Extension Programs
Melville Senior High School also offers two highly acclaimed school based extension programs. The Academic Extension Course (AEC) offers students from Years 7 to 10 a diverse range of extended academic opportunities. The program has two parts, Mathematics and Science being one and English and Humanities & Social Science being the other. Students can be accepted into one or both. AEC students study each of their core subjects together for four hours each week. The Music in Focus program offers students from Years 7 to 12 a range of enriched musical opportunities. Students admitted into the program receive two to four hours of classroom music each week, in addition to receiving instrumental lessons with an IMSS (Instrumental Music School Services) teacher.
How to Apply
Students sit one test for entry to all Specialist and school based courses. The test consists of writing, general aptitude and mathematics. The test requires no prior study. If successful in the test your child will be sent a letter requesting an interview with the Teacher in Charge of the relevant course. Testing for Specialist and the school based programs mentioned above is separate to the Gifted and Talented Program testing, which is run by the Department of Education externally to the school. It is recommended that aspirants apply to sit both the Gifted & Talented test, as well as the school based programs test. Please note, there is no academic test for the Netball Program.
Applications for 2022 have now closed.
