Transformation of the Senior Years in NT
The Northern Territory government is seeking to improve learning outcomes and retention rates across government schools, by introducing a wide range of reforms. These reforms are outlined by the “Secondary Education Review”, the most interesting reform is the inclusion of year ten in senior school and the adoption of a middle years approach through years seven to nine.

The document proposes a series of reforms which endeavour to address the problems of the traditional school structure that consists of primary and secondary levels. The belief is this particular system was introduced to a world which was economically, technologically and a socially different milieu to the one we live in now. Therefore, because of the “demand for continuous up-skilling, and the fact that many vocations…have yet to be visualised” (Hauge.T, 2000,p.5), middle schooling will attempt to initiate a lifelong learning process.

If middle schooling is to be implemented, there will be some major changes involving the institutional structure of schools, teaching pedagogy, curriculum and resources (Beyond the middle conference, 2003).
As curriculum, pedagogy and assessment are all interrelated a change to one will dramatically affect the others (Beyond the middle conference, 2003).

The shift of year 10 to senior schools seeks to achieve the following:

- Greater access to VET courses for year 10’s.
- A stress-free transition between year 10 and senior schooling.
- A greater focus on career pathways in year 10 before they make decisions about their senior schooling.
- To give year 10 teachers greater focus on preparing students for years 11 and 12.

The document does not address the issue of having children change schools so close to the completion of mandatory schooling and the affect on retention rates between years nine and ten. As the Secondary Education report states a change of school causes trauma and some kids find it difficult to cope. Even though there is a legal obligation for these kids to go to school this does not always result in these kids in the classroom and as many careers require the completion of year ten as a minimum I would consider retention rates up till year ten to be the priority.

The shift from year 10 into senior schools will give the year tens access to the VET and other career training available to senior students earlier. Already year tens have access to these facilities in some schools and these opportunities have been taken up with many succusses. By exposing every year ten student in the territory to a secondary environment these opportunities should be taken up more widely. This is probably the strongest arguments for the change though one wonders wether the creation of learning precents would have addressed this issue in and of itself.

Another reason for the change is to more adequately prepare students for the academic rigour of year eleven and twelve “year 10 students would enter stage one and stage two of their NTCF better prepared” (N.T News, March 8 2006, p.9). The report states that teachers in junior schools have lost sight of the demands of year eleven and twelve and there for are steering kids in the wrong direction. It is also hoped that by exposing year tens to eleven and twelve students they won’t be surprised by the rigour of year twelve. I find the assertion that teachers don’t know the challenges of year eleven a little strange, if true then surely the problem could be addressed by a strong focused curriculum.

While this report contains many positive recommendations the speed at which the government has implemented the changes has caused many of the problems outlined above. Children have already made decisions on where they wish to complete their senior schooling before these models were even discussed. This has caused a backlash amongst the students at Dripstone High and Casuarina Senior College “moving year 10 students to CSC “was rejected on every ground” by student, teacher and parent bodies at the school” (Darwin Sun, March 8, 2006, p.2). Teachers are also adversely affected by the rapid pace of change. They have not been prepared for the introduction of middle years philosophy and are unaware of how to apply it, thus they are afraid of the changes and will actively work against them in the classroom.

The report advocates minimising transition years in the schools. The most effective way to achieve this would have been to create comprehensive schools form the existing infrastructure. Due to the pace of the change this is now impossible. Thus the government has been forced to carve up existing schools in a way which creates more physical transition for school students. These physical transitions are at the heart of all the critiques raised earlier as well as at the heart of much community outrage, “if year 10 is combined there are likely problems with curriculum, accommodation, timetabling and supervision” ( N.T News, March 2, 2006, p.13 ).

The Northern Territory government has planned radical changes for next year. These are designed to change an antiquated system that fails students in many areas into something that prepares students for the lifelong learning process. Like all major changes there are both positive and negative affects. There is no doubt that education in the Territory needs improvement, due to poor retention rates and academic outcomes. A program that meets students’ needs would undoubtedly be a positive change. However, dissecting schools along arbitrary government lines has caused anger amongst the community and may have unknown negative effects in the years to come.

Bibliography

Carter, C. (2006). School head backs radical reform. Northern Territory News, Wednesday, March 8, 2006.
Griffith, k. (2006). Combine year 10 students with Seniors’: A Disaster. Northern Territory News, Thursday, March 2, 2006.
Hauge, T. (2000). Students Teachers’ Struggle in Becoming Professionals. Hopes and Dilemmas in Teacher Education London: Falmer Press.
Luke, Elkins, Weir et al (2003). Beyond the middle: A report about literacy and numeracy development of target group students in the middle years of schooling. DEST, http://www.dest.gov.au/schools/publications/2003/MiddleYears/BeyondtheMiddleMainReport.pdf)
Morgan, W. (2006). Fury Over High School Year 10 Plan. The Darwin Sun, Wednesday March 8, 2006.
www.betterschools.nt.gov.au/index.shtml