Learning

Applied Learning

The Year 10 Applied Learning (PreCAL) Program Salesian College Chadstone is committed to the education of the ‘whole’ person.

This occurs in a systematic partnership that involves the student, his parents and the many services available to enhance the individual’s growth and development. Guided by the principles of Salesian Education, staff at the College are committed to the holistic development of all students across the spiritual, emotional, social, academic, and physical facets of their education.

The College community equally acknowledges that each student learns differently and that for some students, more directed exploration of pathways during their early stages of senior years contributes to school engagement through relevance and acquired interest.

Some students find their schooling to be frustrating and irrelevant and this often results from lack of direction, the absence of goals and continued achievement of poor results.

“Without confidence and love, there can be no true education.”
Don Bosco

The Program

The Year 10 PreCAL Program is targeted at Applied Learners. The program offers a case managed approach to pathways support for students. The program will aim to open doors to any of VCAL, TAFE, Pre-Apprenticeship, Apprenticeship/Traineeship, and/or full-time employment following transition from Year 10 to Years 11 and 12.

 

PreCAL and how it’s implemented – TAFE Taster and Work Experience

Students will attend a TAFE Taster Program every Wednesday in Semester One. This enables the student to set goals, gather experience and achieve credit towards a qualification that can later be recognised. It also offers the students a taste of the courses available at TAFE, an institution they will be familiar with attending on a weekly basis, as part of their Year 11 VCAL.

In Semester Two, students will attend a work experience placement each Wednesday in lieu of the TAFE Taster coming to an end. Students must find the placement themselves. This is designed to enable our boys to become independent and offer them a chance to network and form ties with people in their field of interest. It also provides an opportunity for students to learn more about the world of work, gaining familiarity on how workplaces operate, developing and improving interpersonal skills and enabling students to explore the potential career path they would like to pursue.

Curriculum and Reporting

The PreCAL program offers a targeted curriculum that aims to suit a variety of learning styles. The program offers an applied approach to the mainstream curriculum, in addition to
providing project-based work, giving students a more practical method to achieving their learning outcomes, through projects designed to suit their learning styles. All subjects are taught within the Program by Key Program Teachers, who offer individualised support. Reporting is integral to reflect the goals, aims and achievements of the individual student’s program.

Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) FAQs

What is the VCAL?

The VCAL does not qualify students for entry into university.

Why choose the VCAL?

Are there any entry requirements?

What accreditation do students receive after completing VCAL?

How is VCAL assessed?

What are my options once I have completed the VCAL?

How is VCAL assessed?

What are my options once I have completed the VCAL?