Callaghan College Waratah Campus

Collaborating to empower learners

Telephone02 4968 1939

Emailwaratah-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Elective subject selection Year 8-9

Welcome to our stage 5 (Year 9 and 10) elective program. This program is designed to give students the opportunity to explore and discover beyond the core curriculum.

Elective choices are stepping stones to further important decisions about what students may want to study in Year 11 and 12 and what they may want to do when they leave school.

This is a time to be adventurous and try new subjects. Your selections will help you discover what interests you, what doesn’t, what you’re good at and what you enjoy.

How many electives will I study in Year 9?

In Year 9 students are required to study three elective courses:

  • Two 200-hour courses
  • One 100-hour course

200-hour elective courses go for two years so students will study them in Year 9 and continue them in Year 10. 

100-hour elective courses are for one year duration only. Students will study one 100-hour elective course in Year 9 and choose a different 100-hour elective course next year to study in Year 10.

Elective course options 

Check out the course descriptions below to find out more about each elective course.

Submitting your preferences

You are required to submit your elective preferences online. You can edit and change your choices as many times as you like from Tuesday 13th August 2024 up until midnight on Sunday 8th September 2024.

Step 1: Go to the Callaghan Waratah website homepage.

Step 2: Click on the blue EDVAL Sport and Subject Selection tab under 'student access.'

Step 3: Enter your unique code which was emailed to your DoE email address. If you lose your code or have any problems see Ms Waistell Head Teacher Administration ASAP.

Step 4: Select the button that applies to you – “Year 9 2025 Elective Selections.”

Step 5: Make your selection using the drop-down menu. We encourage students, in consultation with their families to choose 4 x 100-hour courses in rank order and 4 x 200 hour courses in rank order.

Step 6: Click submit.

Step 7: Print and keep a copy for your reference.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you don't think your elective is for you, you can request to change by notifying our Head Teacher of Administration by the end of Week 4 Term 1 of Year 9. You will need to complete a change of elective form which can be found in the forms and downloads section of the website.  

Assessment strategies are no different from in your core subjects. Teachers will use a variety of assessment methods to monitor your learning progression. There’s also a focus on assessing your progression in the future learning skills of communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity.

Talk to your class teachers and parents/carers in the first instance. We also recommend you talk to Head Teachers at the Year 9 Subject Selection Expo. If you still need help, please see our Head Teacher of Administration or your Deputy Principal.

Some elective subjects involve extra fees and some have compulsory excursions as part of their course. Subject costs are outlined on each individual course outline sheet. It’s important to talk to your parents and carers before selecting an elective that involves additional fees. 

No. All subjects involve theory and assignment work. 

Subjects studied as electives in Year 9 and Year 10, are not necessarily pre-requisites for study in Year 11 and Year 12. In most cases you can study a subject in Year 11 and Year 12 without having studied it in Year 7 – Year 10. On the other hand, some background is always an advantage.

No, you can’t change your 200-hour elective in Year 10 as you won’t fulfil the required course hours and requirements to achieve your RoSA.