Frequently Asked Questions - Edition 1

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

De La Salle College 1318 High Street Malvern 3144 Victoria Australia T: 03 9508 2100 www.delasalle.vic.edu.au

Frequently asked questions IS DE LA SALLE COLLEGE ZONED? De La Salle College is a non-zoned school, meaning that we are able to accept enrolments from all over Melbourne.

HOW MANY CLASSES AT YEAR 7?

We generally offer seven classes at Year 7, with a maximum class size of 28, meaning we have a maximum Year 7 enrolment of 196 students.

WHICH SUBJECTS ARE STUDIED AT YEAR 7?

In Year 7 every student studies: • Religious Education • Mathematics • Science • English • Health and Physical Education And one semester each of: • History and Geography • French and Italian • Music* and Drama • Art and Technology * Flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, bass and percussion are available.

HOW MANY CLASSES IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL? We offer one class each of Year 4, 5 and 6. There are generally 22 students in Year 4, 26 in Year 5 and 28 in Year 6.

Whilst the three classes have designated teachers for non-specialist learning, the primary school often work and play together and are a close community.

Primary school students have a designated space on the school grounds where they can eat and play at recess and lunch. They may venture out to other parts of the junior campus if they choose, however secondary school students are not permitted to enter the primary area.

WHY START AT DE LA SALLE IN PRIMARY SCHOOL? The De La Salle College primary school is a distinctive learning environment where students are part of a small community, with the unique advantage of access to the specialist teachers and facilities of the secondary school. Our primary school students benefit by learning from teachers who are experts in their area, with the opportunity to participate in instrumental music classes, as well as private music tuition if desired, Art, Drama and Italian. Our primary students also have access to other specialist facilities including our technology classrooms, performing arts centre and indoor gymnasium.

Starting at De La Salle College in the primary school also creates a smooth transition to Year 7 at De La Salle, with students already acquainted with the campuses, staff, timetable structure,

travelling to and from school, and many other aspects of the secondary school.

Students who come to Year 7 from the primary school generally feel confident and comfortable here, which can contribute to a more settled Year 7 year.

WHICH SPORTS ARE OFFERED? Years 7 to 12 De La Salle College is a member of the Associated Catholic Colleges, a group of 12 independent Catholic boys’ schools.

The ACC sporting program consists of weekly fixtured sport for all year levels, along with three major carnivals – athletics, swimming and cross country.

The following sports are offered: • Athletics • Australian Rules Football • Basketball • Chess • Cricket • Cross Country • Golf • Hockey • Soccer • Swimming • Table tennis • Tennis • Volleyball Our students are also involved in state level competitions in: • Athletics • Snow sports • Weightlifting In addition, all students participate in House athletics, cross country and swimming carnivals annually.

Primary school Primary students participate in weekly intra-school sport as well as an interschool program. The following sports are offered: • Athletics • Australian Rules Football • Basketball • Cricket • Cross Country • Hockey • Netball • Soccer • Swimming Opportunities also exist for primary students to compete at zone, state and national championships in athletics as well as in House athletics, cross country and swimming carnivals each year.

WHEN IS SPORT PLAYED?

DO YOU HAVE A HOUSE SYSTEM?

WHICH LANGUAGES DO YOU OFFER?

DO YOU HAVE A SISTER SCHOOL?

It is important to note that sport is timetabled into the school week. This means no Saturday morning sport, freeing up students to participate in local club competitions should they choose.

The current ACC timetable is as follows: Tuesdays: Years 9 and 10 Wednesdays: Seniors Thursdays: Years 7 and 8 Fridays: Primary (inter-school sport)

Yes. Every student is organised into one of our four Houses: St Austin’s, St Edwin’s, St Leo’s and St Mark’s. Intraschool competitions including lightning premierships and carnivals are House based. In addition, students in Years 10 to 12 are organised into their Mentor Groups (Homerooms) by their House.

This means that each senior Mentor Group has a mix of Year 10, 11 and 12 students, fostering unity between year levels and building House spirit.

We offer French and Italian, with the study of a language being compulsory from Year 4 to Year 8. In the primary school students study Italian and at Year 7 students study one semester each of Italian and French, before choosing which language they would like to continue with in Year 8. From Year 9 onwards both French and Italian become elective subjects and may be studied up to VCE. From 2017 after school Mandarin classes will be offered.

We have close working relationships with three Catholic girls’ schools – Star of the Sea (Gardenvale), Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH, Bentleigh) and Sacré Cœur (Glen Iris) – each of whom we partner with for specific co-curricula activities each year: our junior production is presented in conjunction with Sacré Cœur, our senior musical with OLSH and our Year 10 Dance Program with Star of the Sea. Year 10 students also have the opportunity to host a joint musical performance with Star of the Sea through our music program’s annual charity fundraiser.

WHICH SCHOOLS ARE ACC MEMBERS? • CBC, St Kilda • Emmanuel College, Altona North • Mazenod College, Mulgrave • Parade College, Bundoora • Salesian College, Chadstone • Simonds Catholic College, West Melbourne • St Bede’s College, Mentone • St Bernard’s College, Essendon • St Joseph’s College, Ferntree Gully (from 2017) • St Joseph’s College, Geelong • Whitefriars College, Donvale

If your son has a family connection to the school (i.e. his father or grandfather attended De La Salle) he will be assigned the same House that was assigned to his relative(s), where this information has been provided. All siblings are assigned the same House.

WHAT IS THE TECHNOLOGY PROVISION FOR STUDENTS? We are currently rolling out a 1:1 device program, with students receiving a Lenovo notebook (operating on a Windows system) on a compulsory three year lease. Students will receive a new notebook in Years 4, 7 and 10.

HOW WILL MY SON GET TO SCHOOL? Most of our students travel to and from school on public transport. The most common train lines used are the Glen Waverley line (students disembark at Glen Iris and catch the #6 tram up High St), the Frankston and Cranbourne/ Pakenham lines (students disembark at either Malvern or Armadale and may catch a tram or walk) and the Belgrave/ Lilydale lines (students disembark at Glenferrie Station and catch the #16 tram down Glenferrie Road) however students travel to us from all areas of Melbourne.

For a detailed map of public transport available to and from De La Salle College, please see our Learn, Live, Lead prospectus. 10 of the prospectus.

HOW DOES THE TIMETABLE OPERATE? There are six 54 minute periods per day, with Mentor Group (Homeroom) beginning at 8:40am. The end of the school day is staggered to ease congestion on public transport and allow younger students to exit the school without a large crowd: Primary finish: 3:08pm Year 7 and 8 finish: 3:13pm Year 9 to 12 finish: 3:23pm The College operates on a 10 day cycle which means the timetable for the day will be dependent on the week of the cycle (Week 1 or Week 2). All students will receive a copy of their timetable on the first day of school.

HOW DO I APPLY? The application process involves completing the Application for Enrolment form and submitting it along with the following: • Birth certificate • Baptism certificate (if applicable) • Payment of $100 application fee Once received, the application will be processed and placed on the waiting list for the proposed year of entry. You will be sent a letter confirming this action along with receipt for payment of the application fee.

In the year prior to your son’s proposed commencement* the College will make contact with you again to request additional documentation including other sacramental certificates, school reports, NAPLAN results etc. There is no need to provide this additional documentation with the initial application, unless intended enrolment is within 12 months from the date of application. *For Year 7, 2019 and later enrolments families will be contacted in their son’s Year 5 year rather than Year 6 year.

HOW ARE STUDENTS SELECTED FOR A PLACE?

WHEN DO I FIND OUT IF MY SON HAS RECEIVED A PLACE?

We are proudly an open entry, nonselective school. Students are offered a place based on our four enrolment priorities:

Families who apply for a primary school place for their son, or a place in Years 8 to 12, will be notified in the year prior to entry during Term 2 or 3.

First priority: Brothers of boys who are already attending the College. This is based on a principle of equal opportunity within a family.

Second priority: Sons/grandsons of former students.

Third priority: Baptised Catholic boys from Catholic primary schools.

Fourth priority: Baptised Catholic boys from non-Catholic primary schools.

Families who apply for a Year 7 place for 2018 for their son will be notified in Term 1, 2017.

After being organised into enrolment priority groups, applications are sorted into date of application order, with the earliest application date holding the highest position. Therefore the earlier you submit an application the higher it will sit within the applicable priority group, and the overall waitlist. When places are available, the College does accept non-Catholic families who desire a strong values-based education for their son in the Christian tradition.

All students who have applied for a place at De La Salle College will be required to attend an interview prior to receiving an offer. This process is part of our transition program and information obtained in this interview is only used to get to know your son - his strengths, weaknesses, interests and expectations of the College - and is not in any way used to prioritise entry.

Families who apply for a place for their son at Year 7 for 2019 and beyond will be notified in Term 3 of their son’s Year 5 year.