PARADE COLLEGE
FAQS

Frequently Asked Questions

What are your VCE Results like?

In 2023, 26 students scored an ATAR above 90 and 31% of students scored an ATAR in the top 20% of students throughout Victoria.

What are you doing to improve results?

We are proud of our results but we are always looking to create the best pathways for our students beyond their life at Parade.

Operation Get Real – we are always looking for new ways to improve our teaching and further motivate students, focus on engagement and the creative use of ICT.

We have developed a Whole School Approach to Literacy and Literacy standards are continuing to improve.

whole-school focus on 'Dynamic Learning' has brought renewed excitement and energy to the classroom for students and teachers alike. Engaging lessons and a focus on STEM subjects that inspire learners to be inquisitive in their search for knowledge will lead to higher levels of academic achievement. A whole-staff professional development program has been devised to support this initiative.

Staff have Laptops for teaching and learning and we run a Laptop program for all students.

The College is huge… won’t my son get lost in the system?

No! We have a very strong Pastoral Care and Tutor System where your son will be "well known”.

Students have the same teacher and group for 3 years;

Year 9’s move into an Upper Tutor Group with same boys they met as Year 7's.

Tutor workshops and House activities throughout each term help build study, goal setting and social skills

In most cases in Year 7, the Lower House Leader (Year 7-9) is the RE teacher and gets to know students very well. The House Leader also attends and directs the Year 7 Transition Camp.

Our size creates the chance to offer our great breadth of curriculum, pastoral care and extra-curricular opportunities.

What about bullying?

We have a strong Bullying Policy, which involves counselling and a firm “3 strikes and you’re out” stance.

We run a TG session on bullying at the beginning of each year and students get a "student friendly" copy of the policy. Bullying is also a focus of Year 8 RE well-being sessions. Our reality is that there is very little bullying thanks to the strong Pastoral Care system, but when it happens, we work with all parties to resolve it in a restorative manner.

What about the Trade Centre...is Parade a "technical college"?

We offer the "best of both worlds": a strong academic program in VCE as well as meaningful vocational pathways.

As an RTO we offer certificates in Sport and Recreation and Sport Development, IT, Creative and Digital Media, Music Sound Production, Hospitality-Kitchen Operations, Building and Construction (Carpentry & Bricklaying), Plumbing, Furniture Making, and the Working Safely C.I. Card. We also work in partnership with the AIET and offer Small Business, and Electro Technology Studies.

We also offer a Sports Academy that has direct entry links to La Trobe University.

Parade also has close partnerships with Manchester City, Melbourne City, Northern Knights and Diamond Valley Basketball.

Which is better: Bundoora or Preston & Is Preston a "VCE VM school"?

We are one college, with extensive opportunities for our students on both campuses.

Parade College’s Preston Campus is our dedicated VCE VM Campus allowing students to focuson building their vocational skills.

At the end of Year 9 students will choose which pathway they would like to take into their senior years. The Bundoora Campus offers Year 10 pre-VCE and Year 11-12 VCE, while the Preston Campus offers a Year 10 Edmund Rice Pathways Program into Year11-12 VCE VM pathway.

Year 9 ExCEL provides a chance for students to work at both campuses, so that the Year 9s can get used to both campuses prior to their choice for Year 10.

What about my son if he struggles or is "gifted"?

We have an extensive program of lntervention classes and support from aides at both campuses.

We also have a Gifted and Talented program called ‘Altior’ for Years 7-9 in Maths, English, Science and Humanities, enabling an early VCE start in Year 10.

Does my son have to study RE?

Yes- as a Catholic school, Religious Education is compulsory from Year 7- 12.

Year 12 VCE students take part in Tenete: a less rigorous program that nurtures the boys' spirituality and personal development, preparing them for post-school life which involves an overnight retreat; whilst Year 12 VCE VM have Personal Development as one of their core subjects to cover similar areas.

There are also opportunities for faith development and "faith in action" through Community Action, Liturgies, Retreats, Eddy's Brekky Van & St Alban’s Tutoring.