Supporting every senior student to succeed

Starting Year 11 and 12 can be daunting, but with support from schools and parents, students can explore their options, stay calm, and enjoy the learning journey ahead. For parents of students who are about to start Year 11 or 12, the prospect of navigating senior secondary schooling may seem daunting.

But according to Altona College principal Nathan Guthridge, schools are well equipped to help students find the right pathway – and there’s plenty that parents can do to support this journey as well.

Principal Nathan Guthridge, Altona College

‘Some young people have a really clear vision for what they’re going to do in the future,’ Nathan says, ‘but others are still really unsure. Between parents and schools, we can work together with our young people to make sure they’ve got a flexible plan that caters to their hopes and dreams, but is also sensible and in line with their abilities and skills.’

At Altona College, this involves each student working closely with teachers and counsellors to identify their interests and start formulating career aspirations early on. By the time students reach senior secondary, the school is well-placed to advise on which subjects are most appropriate and will create maximum options.

But this process will look different for everyone, and choosing VCE subjects doesn’t necessarily mean you must decide on your future by the end of Year 10.

‘It’s perfectly normal for a Year 11 student to be unsure about whether they have made the right choice, or whether their subjects will take them to where they want to be,’ Nathan says.

‘It’s a normal part of the modern workforce now for people to change careers multiple times throughout their life. What’s most important is that kids enjoy school, love the learning they’re doing and take every opportunity to get as much out of school as they can.’

Whether students are aiming for university, TAFE or another form of further education, their focus should be on working hard to ensure every door remains open. This holds true for students embarking on either the traditional VCE, with its focus on achieving an ATAR, or the VCE Vocational Major – the two-year applied learning program that’s now part of the VCE. And Nathan is quick to point out that the two need not be mutually exclusive.

‘Now, more than ever, we’re looking for the similarities rather than the differences,’ he says. ‘Every student who goes through the VCE now, will end up with a VCE qualification. What the Vocational Major does is provide opportunities to emphasise work readiness.’

What really counts, however, is working hard at whatever you choose – and taking pleasure in the process. ‘Whether you’re interested in a biomedical degree or a law degree or a trade, the important thing is that you enjoy everything you can during your school experience and keep working hard.’

This is where parents can be most useful: by creating a calm environment at home that allows students to focus on study, but also make time for the leisure activities they love.

It’s this delicate balance between schoolwork and socialising that helps students most of all, Nathan observes. ‘There’s incredible research now that very clearly shows that students who balance their studies with extracurricular hobbies, sport and part-time work – anything that fulfils them – end up getting far better outcomes.’

Education & training

Updated 27 March 2026

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