Entry Details for 2025-26
Specialist Program Applications are now closed for entry in 2024.
Applications are being accepted for students entering Year 7 in 2025-26.
Applications will close March 11, 2024.
Testing will take place on March 23, 2024.
SPECIALIST PROGRAMS
Melville Senior High School is extremely proud to offer world-class education to the local and wider community. The school strongly emphasises the sporting, academic and cultural aspects of education. Also, it offers three specialist programs accredited by the Department of Education (DoE) in Aviation, Graphic Design Media and Netball. These programs add to the diversity of interests at Melville Senior High School and are designed to give students a head start in exploring their interests.
Testing is for students in Years 5 and 6.
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 program. 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 Specialist Program.
About The Programs
Melville Senior High School is one of 56 schools qualifying for Specialist Program certification. Acceptance into these programs is a four year commitment from Years 7-10. Entry is via school-based testing which occurs when students are in Years 5 and/or 6. Year 5 students can re-sit the exam in Year 6 if they wish, however, they are not required to.
If a child wishes to withdraw 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. Year 7 and 8 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.
Prospectus
The 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 application form is on the back page.
School-Based Extension Programs
These programs are designed for local intake students, or if out-of-area students enter the school through an endorsed Specialist Program listed above (including Graphic Design Media, Netball, Aviation and Gifted & Talented).
Melville Senior High School also offers two school-based extension programs, these are the Academic Extension Course and the Music in Focus Program. 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 in one domain and English and Humanities & Social Science in the other. Students can be accepted into one or both streams of the program. AEC students study each of their MESH 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.