Leader of Year 9 Wellbeing

Welcome back for the 2026 academic year to all Year 9 students and their families. The start of the year has been relatively smooth but busy, and so far our year group has been focused, positive and mature. I have received good feedback from many teachers about their attitude and approach to learning and in whole school events such as the Opening Mass and College Assembly, their reverence and behaviour have been exemplary. 

On the first day of school, I highlighted a few important messages that I hope will shape the way we work together throughout the year. Some of the most important reminders include:

• They are no longer little children but emerging young adults. With this in mind, we encourage them to approach situations with maturity, responsibility and growing independence.
• They need to embrace opportunities for volunteering, leadership, extracurricular activities and so forth.
• They need to set clear goals for themselves and develop strategies to achieve them. 
• They need to be resilient and adopt a growth mindset, aided by our “ GEM “ Pastoral framework (gratefulness, empathy, mindfulness). Emotional intelligence is just as important (if not more so) as intellectual intelligence.
• They need to be organised. Using the diary properly is part of this, as well as checking emails, Compass, Student Notices and any other relevant information. 
• They need to have an exemplary standard with their Uniform and Grooming and abide by the rules of the College on all occasions.
• They need to communicate proactively with the relevant people when required (eg. Illness/Misadventure, Sport, Year Coordinator). 
• They need to be on time to school and aim to have a high rate of attendance. 
• They need to value and appreciate all people and focus on what unites us, rather than what may divide us.
• They need to make smart choices about every aspect of their lives.

I look forward to working with you to achieve strong outcomes this year. All of the research indicates a strong correlation between performance in Year 9 (in NAPLAN, for instance) and success down the line, particularly in the HSC. What we keep stressing is the formation of good habits and routines. It is not acceptable for a Year 9 student to say “I don’t have any homework“. There is reading, review of class notes, preparation for assessment tasks, practice questions. Homework for every subject should be recorded in the diary every day, no excuses. At the same time, our young people are aware of the need for a balance in their life- school, social, family, exercise, sleep and individual time. 

If you have any questions or issues which I can help you with, please do not hesitate to contact me at the College by phone or email. 

Mr Peter Robertson