What is the ACE Program?

Our Accelerated Curriculum and Enrichment (ACE) Program caters for the special learning and wellbeing needs of high-ability students with strong work ethics. It operates on the principles of Curriculum Acceleration and Enrichment.

An Accelerated Curriculum

We acknowledge and celebrate that all high-ability students have different strengths. Throughout Year 7, our teachers work with our students and parents to develop an Individualised Learning Plan (‘ILP’) for their core subjects. This ILP enables teachers to support students at their point-of-need to progress through the Victorian Curriculum at a faster pace. Based on their progress at the end of Year 9, students receive tailored counselling regarding the optional early commencement of their VCE studies. This approach assists ambitious students to maximise their Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) for University entrance. Some students go on to qualify for University-level subjects during Year 12.

An Enriched Curriculum

Given the unique composition of our ACE cohorts, teachers are able to expand on both the level of depth and breadth within the Victorian Curriculum. Our Program also includes a rich musical education, through which students receive professional tuition in a brass, woodwind, strings or percussion instrument; no previous experience is necessary. Their individual skills feed into a class Band, which rehearses weekly and performs each semester. Further to the school-wide extra-curricular opportunities that SDC offers all students, ACE students also;

• enjoy additional inter-disciplinary subjects (e.g. on the UN Sustainable Development Goals)
• compete in national academic competitions (e.g. Maths Olympiad, UNSW English and Science Competitions)
• attend extra incursions and excursions (e.g. to a Podcast-recording studio)
• take part in team-building and problem-solving camps (e.g. Year 9 Outdoor Education Challenge).