Assistant Principals News

We look set for an exciting and engaging Term 4 at Marian Catholic College.

Firstly, we would like to welcome our Principal Mr Le Brocque back after his well earned long service leave last term and thank Mr Neville for his role as Acting Assistant Principal during this time.

We would also like to take this opportunity to share our outstanding NAPLAN results for 2019. This year MCC demonstrated positive growth in all areas of testing of both the Year 7 and 9 cohorts. In fact in 6 out of 10 domain areas (Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation, Writing, Reading, Numeracy for Year 7 and Year 9), MCC sits clearly above State Average. In addition to this, in 10 out of 10 domain areas, the College is well beyond the results of other statistically similar schools.

Furthermore, our students in all areas of Year 7 and 9 have demonstrated average learning growth that is higher than not only schools that are statistically similar, but also higher than the entire state average. This average growth per student is higher in all domain areas in both Year groups.

Particularly pleasing has been the improvement in our writing results. In Year 9 the average student growth for writing is double that of the average student growth across the state for the same domain. These positive results are clearly an indication of the College’s desire for improvement and plan to support student learning. The College has developed and enhanced the quality of writing instruction and activities in Stage 4 English and has run a Narrative Writing Workshop for students at the beginning of Year 9. In addition, our HSIE department has developed a specific Persuasive Writing program for Year 9 students to practically apply their knowledge. All of these programs work in conjunction with the College’s After School Writing Group and Homework Club which aim at providing specific writing instruction and support for students.

We look forward to analysing individual student results in more depth and develop a plan to further improve teaching and learning at MCC.

Each term we conduct an Academic Pastoral Care session on GROWTH Goals. This program is designed for students to identify an area of their academic achievement and well being to focus on for the upcoming term. The students register their goals in their diaries, identify ways that they could achieve their goal and also a manageable time frame. At the end of each term they reassess their goals to ensure they have either achieved their target or alter the goal if necessary. We encourage parents to speak to their children about these goals, to assist them in identifying relevant areas to focus on and also to assist with the implementation process. This program assists with the building of essential skills for students to take into the wider community, as they develop skills to independently enhance their own learning and manage their well being. 

The HSC Exams commenced on Thursday, kicking off with English Paper 1 and Paper 2, followed with the Music Aural Exam. Our students were eager to undertake the HSC challenge and are well prepared for the task ahead of them. Thanks go to their teachers who continue to tutor, draft and support their students through the examination period. We wish all of our students the best of luck.

Yours in learning,

Lora Segrave and Damien Herb

Co Assistant Principals