Welcome

Welcome to our Tarneit Campus.

Our deaf and hard of hearing students enrol into St Mary’s College and attend our campus based at Thomas Carr College, where they immerse and thrive in all aspects of school life.

Our Tarneit Campus offers an integrated secondary education for deaf and hard of hearing students from Years 7 to 12. Students attending the Tarneit campus wear the Thomas Carr College uniform and are welcomed into all classes and extracurricular activities.

Senior pathways available include VCE, VET Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate.

- Melissa Lucy

Tarneit Campus overview

Environment

Our Tarneit campus is a welcoming local school community where students experience a sense of belonging and develop their own confidence and communication success for any to school, work or social environment.

The Tarneit Campus is a co-educational and multicultural community boasting over 10 hectares of spacious grounds incorporating modern, state of the art facilities such as Wyndham Trade Training Centre, a purpose built centre for the delivery of Building and Construction courses and the Good Samaritan Campus where Year 7 camp takes place and Year 9 students participate in a Country Experience as part of the iD9 program.

Location

Our Tarneit campus is located in the western suburb of Melbourne, situated at Thomas Carr College, 35 Thomas Carr Drive, Tarneit.

Transport options

The Tarneit campus is accessible by bus via the public transport system. Public buses travel in both directions around the College with the closest stops near the corner of Thomas Carr Drive and Rose Grange Boulevard. Bus services cover the areas of Point Cook, Hoppers Crossing, Werribee, Laverton and Altona to name a few.

For specific routes and timetables please refer to the Public Transport Journey Planner.

Transition

Transition programs for new students, particularly at Year 7, commence the year prior to starting helping students navigate their secondary school learning environment and make connections.

Program Support Group (PSG/SSG) meetings are held with students, parents/guardians and others including primary school Deaf Facility Coordinators or visiting teachers to gain a holistic understanding of the academic and social needs of every student. PSG meetings are an opportunity to discuss student subjects, therapies or supports required ensuring they have a great start to secondary school.

Students attend several events while in Year 6. Thomas Carr provides an opportunity for students to get to know its College and other St Mary’s students that will commence in Year 7.

Extra transition

St Mary’s offers extra transition sessions focused on meeting and getting to know our staff and other deaf and hard of hearing students. The smaller orientation sessions allow students to familiarise themselves with the school and ask any questions they might have about secondary school life in a safe environment. Specific transition events that support each student feeling confident and prepared for secondary school life include staff visiting students and their primary school teacher, Year 7 Orientation Day, Family Information Night in October before commencing Year 7, Orientation Camp and Year 7 Parent Social and Information evening.

Learning overview

Our Tarneit Campus offers an individualised program delivered by Teachers of the Deaf who are passionately committed to student growth and learning in an environment that stimulates and encourages six years of secondary school excellence. Students negotiate their course of studies to fully participate in the school curriculum as offered through Thomas Carr College while accessing St Mary’s College Expanded Learning Program (EXP).

Expanded Learning Program (EXP)

EXP is a subject taken as part of each student’s year level subject timetable. Taught by Teachers of the Deaf, EXP is determined in collaboration with students and parents and based on the Expanded Core Curriculum for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students, designed to support students in accessing and experiencing success in their core subjects. Teaching areas may include literacy, expressive and receptive language, audition, speech or social-emotional learning. EXP is flexible and varies from student to student and from year to year, depending on subjects and wellbeing needs.

PSG/SSG meetings are held with parents each term as a way of monitoring student progress, receiving feedback and planning for future teaching and learning. In between meetings, we maintain regular phone and email contact with parents.

Courses and activities

As part of the broader St Mary’s College of the deaf and hard of hearing community, our students participate in:

• Secondary School’s Deaf Sports Day
• St Mary’s College assemblies
• St Dominic’s Day celebrations
• Lunchtime Social Club.

Many students develop close and lifelong friendships with other students they identify with at these St Mary’s events and activities.

Students also have the opportunity of accessing a wide range of subjects and senior courses of study. Our goal is that students develop into strong and capable contributors who are pursuing their dreams and discovering their potential.

Specific Middle Years programs and activities available at our Tarneit campus include:

• Year 7 orientation camp
• Year 8 Shine program
• Year 9 ID9 - engage students and equip them with new skills that will help shape their adult selves.

Student Leadership

Students participate in leadership programs offered within St Mary’s College and Thomas Carr College. Student leadership gives students the opportunity to develop confidence, experience the benefits of doing things for others as well as being positive role models.

St Mary’s Leadership

A senior St Mary’s student is elected as Tarneit Campus Leader each year. Part of this role is that they meet other Student Campus Leaders and the College leadership team to provide feedback on how the educational experience for St Mary’s College students can be enhanced. They also plan for campus and whole school social and fundraising activities.

Thomas Carr Leadership

There are also opportunities to nominate themselves for one of the many Thomas Carr leadership roles where students have responsibility in leading from the front, preparing, organising and implementing house and whole school activities.

Wellbeing

A positive approach to student wellbeing underpins the spiritual, emotional, social, academic and physical growth of all students. Activities offered to strengthen wellbeing include St Mary’s College Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) Program and Thomas Carr College programs offered through both the curriculum and co-curricular activities.

Career pathways

A wide selection of VCE and VET subjects can be undertaken by senior students. Alternatively, students undertaking VM or VPC at Year 11 can build a program that includes either a VCE subject such as Outdoor Education or a weekly Structured Workplace Learning, as well as their VET course.

At Year 12 students are involved in a three-day program at Thomas Carr - one day at VET courses and one day of Structured Workplace Learning or School Based Apprenticeships/Traineeships. Work experience is promoted from Year 10 with a focus on managing hearing loss in the workplace to prepare students for success in either their first part time job or starting their dream career. Career Action Plans are developed and regularly reviewed with the students and their parents/guardians through PSG/SSG meetings ensuring they have the right subjects, skills and experiences once they complete their education with St Mary’s.

Further considered pathways and professional career advice can be accessed through Thomas Carr or through our partnership with community organisations such as Expression Employment and Sign for Work. After gaining workplace experiences in Year 10, students participate in extensive career counselling interviews at the College.

Assistive technology

Assistive hearing technologies support our goal in building strong and capable student communication skills through listening and spoken English. Classrooms and assembly spaces are fitted with Roger SoundField speakers, FM transmitters and wall pilots making syncing in for students subtle and seamless. Technology is regularly maintained ensuring good working order.

Student voice

Our students feel a sense of belonging, connection and ownership at our Tarneit Campus. It’s a place where they care and respect each other while reaching their own potential.

Overall we think it’s a great place to be! But don’t just take our word for it – read what other St Mary’s College students have to say.