The senior years at Footscray High School are where ambition takes shape. Whether a student arrives knowing exactly where they want to go or still figuring it out, our senior program is designed to meet them where they are, and to open doors they may not yet know exist.
We offer multiple, genuine pathways through Years 10 to 12, each rigorous, each valued, and each capable of leading to outstanding outcomes. High challenge and high support define everything we do: we hold every student to high expectations, and we back them every step of the way to reach them.
Year 10
Year 10 is the launching pad. Students build on their junior foundations and begin shaping a senior program that suits their strengths, interests, and goals. Alongside core subjects, a broad range of elective subjects allows students to explore new areas, develop emerging passions, and make informed choices about their pathway into Years 11 and 12.
This is a year of increasing independence and responsibility, one where students learn what senior schooling demands of them, and discover what they are capable of.
Pathways in Years 11 and 12
FHS offers four distinct senior pathways, each providing a structured and supported route to life after school. Students work with our careers and wellbeing teams to choose the pathway that best reflects their goals, and many combine elements across programs to create a timetable that is uniquely theirs.
Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)
The VCE is Victoria’s most widely recognised senior credential, and FHS has a strong and proud record of VCE achievement. Students select from a wide range of subjects across the arts, humanities, sciences, mathematics, languages, and technologies. With dedicated teachers, structured study support, and a culture of academic ambition, our students consistently achieve strong ATAR results and gain entry to university courses across Victoria and beyond. At FHS, academic excellence is not reserved for a few, it is expected of all, and achieved by many.
VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM)
The VCE Vocational Major is a hands-on, applied pathway within the VCE that combines literacy, numeracy, personal development, and work-related skills with practical vocational learning. It is a demanding and rewarding credential that prepares students for employment, further training, and life with confidence and capability. VCE VM students at FHS pursue real-world projects, industry placements, and applied learning that makes their education immediately relevant and deeply engaging.
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
VET subjects allow students to gain nationally recognised industry qualifications while completing their senior certificate. Delivered by registered training organisations and industry experts, VET programs at FHS span a wide range of sectors — giving students a head start in their chosen field and a credential that carries genuine weight with employers and TAFE providers. VET can be combined with VCE or VCE VM, and many of our students graduate with both a senior certificate and a vocational qualification in hand.
Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC)
The Victorian Pathways Certificate is a supported, individualised pathway for students who benefit from a more flexible approach to senior study. It focuses on building the personal, social, and vocational skills students need to move confidently into employment, further education, or community life. At FHS, VPC students are fully part of our school community, known by name, supported by dedicated staff, and held to the same standard of ambition and care as every other student.
Outcomes That Speak for Themselves
Our students go on to university, TAFE, apprenticeships, creative industries, community organisations, and careers of every kind. They leave FHS with credentials, capability, and the confidence to pursue what comes next.
What unites them, regardless of pathway, is that they were challenged, supported, and believed in. That is the FHS promise.