I am currently in year 12 at Wyndham College. I came from Quakers High and trust me it is ALOT better. The campus is alot cleaner in regards to graffiti, etc. and from what I have been exposed to much better equipped for academic purposes. Here is my opinions on the courses that I take:
Software Design and Development - I have Kumie as my teacher and I swear to god if I here "it's not working harder, it's working smarter" one more time I might just drop out. But honestly, it's my main course and the most challenging. I have friends in that course that do extension maths, phsyics, etc. and they claim that it is their hardest course. I must warn anyone thinking about taking it that it is HEAVILY theory based. The first half of year 11 you go on the computers maybe twice a month, but the rest of year 11 you don't even get to look at them lol. The year 12 major assignment is expected to have alot of theory work behind it aswell. You are supposed to make a program, but the documentation you are asked for behind it is easily in the 200 pages range.
Music 1 - Fairly easy class, and the teacher is one of the nicest in the school. At least half of your class time is "practical", which pretty much means go and screw around on the instruments for an hour or so. It's a fun class and if you know an instrument it is easy to do well in. You can go into the class without any musical theory knowledge and still get by without much trouble. And for all the Quakers students who take music currently, this school's equipment is SOOOOOOO much better. 2 full drum kits, many high quality working amp's, guitars with STRINGS and most of the electric instruments are fairly high quality as well. Not to mention 2 or 3 full piano's throughout the rooms.
Standard English - I have Quelch for English, and he is a brilliant teacher. But because the course is mandatory they are alot stricter on assignments, homework, attendance, etc. I don't really enjoy the course because of the subject matter being taught, but it isn't difficult by any sense of the word. Just keep up to date on everything and you will be fine.
General Maths - Oh god, the horror. This is like taking year 8 maths again or something. It is RIDICULOUSLY easy. But be warned, just because I say this, doesn't mean you should go and take 2 unit maths. 2 unit is the other end of the spectrum, you go through like 4 topics a lesson, have pages and pages of homework nightly, etc. Pretty much to pass this course you have to keep your attendance up. That's about it.
Modern History - I took this course because I needed to drop out of physics( long story, I was told I need it for SDD otherwise I would fail it. Trust me, you need no maths or science for SDD.) Year 11 I had a rather poor teacher, so everybody in the class struggled. However Term 4 last year I got Wickens ( some Quakers may remember this teacher). She is a MUCH better teacher, and the course became alot easier. It is alot of writing in class, and HUNDREDS of sheets and booklets ( seriously, my sheets stack is like twice the size of my book atm and growing every lesson). An interesting course, and not too difficult either.
Information, Processes and Technology - Oh god, this course is such a bludge. I didn't go to it all of Term 2 in year 11 and got 70% in the half yearly exam. If you know general computer knowledge you are completely fine. All you really need to learn is the diagrams etc. This class usually has 4-5 people playing WC3 or Halo on the computers each lesson. you spend 9/10th's of your lessons on the computers anyway. Very, very simple course.
Hope this helps people who were curious about any of these courses. There are some teachers to be wary of, but I am not comfortable naming them on these forums, as that could have some fairly bad consequences lol.
Some of the benefits of this school include:
-Easy to get in and out of school in case you have free periods and want to go get lunch or something like that or you are just a smoker( there is groups of like 10 people at a time every recess and lunch just walking out of the school for a smoke.) You aren't supposed to leave school grounds, but they very rarely pull anyone up on it. Even then, they only take you to the deputy who tells you not to do it again. They don't really care...
- Easy to wag classes. Not that I recommend it, but it is very easy to just miss a class ( that isn't english). No repercussions, they treat it as an adult learning environment so they expect you to act that way.
- They treat you like adults. They don't make you stand around and line up to go into the classroom, they don't talk down to you at all, which is probably the best bit about the school.
- If you have free periods in the morning or afternoon you can start late/finish early. Makes things alot more manageable when you only have like 3 full days of school.
If anyone has anymore questions about the school, please feel free to ask.
