Programs within the academic school endeavour to:

·       Improve literacy outcomes

·       Improve numeracy outcomes

·       Increase employability skills

·       Develop strategies to involve families in student education

·       Improve retention, attendance and completion

·       Incorporate a culturally inclusive curriculum

As a part of our commitment to improve literacy outcomes all students at Yirara College participate in MacqLit, as explicit and systematic reading intervention program.  Students are placed into small groups based on their current reading ability and work together to improve their reading, writing, listening, speaking and spelling.

The College is split into two schools; a middle school and a senior school.

Middle School

The curriculum at Yirara College is founded on the Australian National Curriculum. 

As a Lutheran College our Christian Education program is based on the Lutheran Education Australia Christian Studies Curriculum Framework.

Middle School students study the following subjects:

Integrated Learning, Maths, Christian Studies, Science, Digital Technologies, Health and Physical Education, Art and Music.

Our Activities program provides year 7-9 students with opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge base through a variety of engaging afternoon activities.

Senior School

The senior school is vocationally directed and provides students with opportunities to sample a range of careers options. All senior students have the opportunity to participate in both work experience and VET courses.

Year 11, 12 and 13 students have to choice to work towards gaining either their Northern Territory Certificate of Education & Training (NTCET) or Senior Years Leaning Framework (SYLF). Both options are designed to help students improve their literacy, numeracy and general capabilities so as to be successful in the workplace.

Our Electives program provides year 10-13 students with opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge base through a variety of engaging afternoon activities that are designed to either link with a career choice or allow students to take valuable skills back to their communities. 

Staff

The college currently employs 26 academic staff, this includes teachers, school curriculum officers and tutors. The diagram below demonstrates the model used during the academic day.

Pastoral Care

All Yirara College staff are responsible for the care, encouragement and love of our students. This extends from the Principal to the maintenance staff. During the academic day, staff work together to identify and nurture the uniqueness and talents of each student by:

• Encouraging development to the highest personal standards
• Understanding the holistic development such the he/she reaches their full potential as a young Christian who is able to take their place in this world

Paradigm of success

Success is not measured in wealth, popularity or ATAR scores, rather it is measured by the love of learning. Yirara College encourages this form of success through:

• Offering a variety of learning opportunities
• Appropriate support
• Creating meaningful connections between skills and ideas, and real life contexts.
• Providing tools for reflection and learning assessment
• Developing safe and respectful relationships
• Consistent but quiet encouragement

“Touch their spirits softly with the feather of encouragement, whispering, ‘You can, you will, you must, your people need you,’ …”

– Wilson in Gilliland 1999, p. 100

Maths