Year 10 Course Selections for Year 11 2027

Dear Parent/Carer,

Year 10 is an exciting milestone, marking the beginning of important decisions about future pathways, career aspirations and Senior School studies.
 
Over recent weeks, our Year 10 cohort has been working extensively with our Careers Practitioner, Mrs Susan Lees, in preparation for the upcoming course selection process. These sessions have encouraged students to reflect on their values, skills, interests and aspirations, providing opportunities to explore potential career pathways and future goals.
 
As students move into Year 11 in 2027, they will commence their journey towards achieving the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE). This is a two-year program of study in which students typically select six courses and work towards meeting the WACE requirements, including achieving a minimum of 14 C grades or better across Years 11 and 12.
 
The course selections made this year are important decisions that help shape future opportunities. Pathways may lead directly into employment, apprenticeships and traineeships, further study at TAFE, or university entrance. It is important that students make informed choices so that we can best support them in their chosen pathway and help them achieve success.
 
Parent Information Night
 
The next step in this process is our Year 10 Parent Information Night:
 
Date: Wednesday 3 June 2026
Time: 5.00pm – 6.00pm
Location: Performing Arts Centre (PAC)
 
This session will provide valuable information regarding WACE, pathway options, course selection requirements and the support available to students as they transition into Senior School.
 
Course Counselling Interviews
 
The final stage of the process is the Course Counselling Interview.
 
We strongly encourage all parents/carers to book and attend a course counselling meeting with their child. These interviews provide an opportunity for families to discuss pathway options, ask questions and finalise course selections with a member of our Course Counselling Team.
Course counselling needs to be completed by week 10 of Term 2.
 
Bookings are now open and can be made through Compass by clicking the following link and selecting the Conferences tab when logged in:
 
https://schools.compass.education/
 
Course Information Handbook
 
To support your child in making informed decisions, we encourage all families to review the Course Information Handbook available via the link below:
 
https://www.northamshs.wa.edu.au/source/Senior%20School%20Booklet%202027.pdf
 
This handbook contains a wealth of information, including details of all courses offered at Northam Senior High School, pathway planning information, WACE requirements and course descriptions to help students understand what to expect from each subject.
 
We strongly encourage parents and students to explore the handbook together prior to attending the Parent Information Night and Course Counselling Interview.
 
We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday evening and working with you throughout this exciting stage of your child's educational journey.

Regards,
Angela Bartels
Deputy Principal