Our Senior School is a place where students build on their independence and autonomy, as they journey through their final years of school. They are challenged to step up into Senior School to become leaders of the College and leaders of themselves.
Our Year 10 students complete their final year of the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), whilst Year 11 and 12 students choose to study either the IB Diploma or the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE).
In addition to their academic learning, they are also offered experiences that take the beyond their classroom, to provide a grounded and well rounded education.
Our Student Pathway team guide students in their options around career opportunities, requirements for tertiary studies, and choices in Vocational Training and flexible learning.
Camps and Retreat experiences create life-long connections and build trust and friendships.
There are also opportunities for immersion and service-learning excursions beyond Australia, as well as the chance to travel to the APY Lands and spend time on a cultural immersion experience in Mimili – a community that the College has had a 30 year connection and relationship with.
There are also presentations and seminars on key topics such as drug and alcohol information, respectful relationships, road safety awareness education – all of which take a ‘knowledge is power’ approach that respects students’ growing maturity and helps prepare them for adult life.
The Growth and Personal Skills Programme (GPS) introduced to students in Middle School continues in Senior School, covering topics that evolve as students grow and mature into adulthood.
We see these life skills as equal in importance to student academic learning, as we strive to deliver a ‘whole-of-person’ education to our students – one that extends beyond grades and assessments, to include personal, social and emotional intelligence and maturity.
Themes discussed in GPS include respectful and positive relationships, conflict resolution, safety and self-care, mindfulness and purpose, drug and alcohol education, decision making, and personal responsibility, amongst others.
Students start to take steps toward their future aspirations by studying electives of their choice in Arts and Design, Individuals and Societies, Sciences, and Mathematics. They also undertake English, Religious Education, Languages, Physical and Health Education, and SACE requirement Exploring Identities and Futures, as well as participating in our Growth and Personal Skills programme.
The culmination of their MYP studies is the Personal Project, a student-led, supervisor supported task that encompasses all of our students’ learning skills.
Students select their own research topic and then develop a learning goal, product, process journal, and report, before exhibiting their results for family and peers. The Personal Project assesses students’ approaches to learning skills in self-management, research, communication, critical and creative thinking, and collaboration. It is both internally assessed and externally moderated, and is a requirement of attaining an IB MYP Certificate.
We offer the IB Diploma Programme, and the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), as well as opportunities to undertake Vocational Education and Training (VET) alongside school studies. SACE students can also choose to study additional IB Diploma subjects, the results of which can give a boost to their final ATAR.
Regardless of the pathway students choose, Year 11 and Year 12 students are expected to participate in service activities in line with our Mercy values. IB Diploma students meet this requirement through the core study of Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS), whilst SACE students commit to weekly community service and a period of work experience during Year 11. They also continue their Growth and Personal Skills programme, building capacity, values, skills, attitudes, and approaches to developmentally appropriate situations.
IB Diploma students select six courses from six distinct subject areas, with at least three subjects taken at Higher Level (HL) of 240 recommended teaching hours, and the remaining taken at Standard Level (SL) of 150 recommended teaching hours.
Students may opt to replace a subject from The Arts with an additional subject from either Language Acquisition, Individuals and Societies, or Sciences.
At the core of the IB Diploma are three additional areas of study: the Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge (TOK), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS).
The Extended Essay requires students to engage in independent research of a topic of global significance, which they examine through the lens of at least two of their Diploma subjects.
TOK is a course on critical thinking, whereby students inquire into the very nature of ‘knowing’ and deepen their understanding of knowledge as a human concept.
CAS places an emphasis on students developing their own identity. It complements the rigour of the IB curriculum in a holistic way, providing opportunities for self-determination, collaboration, accomplishment and enjoyment. Creativity focuses on exploring ideas that lead to an original or interpretive product or performance, Activity promotes physical movement contributing to a healthy lifestyle, and Service requires action in the community meeting an authentic need.
In short, the IB Diploma aims to prepare students for success in further studies and life beyond. It is designed to address the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical well-being of students, developing balanced young people with global awareness and understanding.
Students who choose to study the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) select subjects aligned with their particular interests and career goals, building 200 credits across Stage 1 and 2, with 10 credits representing one Semester of study in one subject.
There are 50 credits of compulsory subjects.
Students are then required to complete at least 90 credits of their choice at Stage 1 or 2, and 60 credits at Stage 2 or Vocational Education and Training (VET) studies.
Students who commence the IB Diploma in Year 11 have the option to transfer to SACE in Year 12, providing they meet the criteria that completes Stage 1 SACE studies.
At Mercedes College, Vocational Education and Training (VET) is a cornerstone of our commitment to practical, personalised learning.
It allows students to gain nationally recognised qualifications while completing their SACE, blending classroom learning with real-world, industry-based experience.
Range of Industry Areas
Through partnerships with leading Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) students can complete Certificate II or III qualifications in a variety of industries such as:
VET is fully recognised within the SACE. Each qualification contributes SACE credits based on the hours and level of training completed.
Students also complete structured Work Placements, giving them firsthand experience in their chosen field. Many Mercedes students transition into School-Based Apprenticeships or Traineeships, beginning their trade or qualification while finishing school.
Camps start in Year 2 up until Year 10. The experiences and themes are selected to align with real-world learning, to help prepare our students for life beyond school.
They include hiking, water safety and skills, setting up tents and cooking on multi-day treks, immersive experiences and activities that build confidence, independence and working with others.
In Year 11 and Year 12, the annual camp is replaced by Retreats, which shift students’ focus from outward facing learning to inward facing discovery.
The focus of each Retreat is to build trust and communication with others, learn tolerance and understanding, reflect on personal priorities and strengthen connections between students, to help support their final two years of their time at the College.
Camps and Activities