Principal's Report
Principal’s Report – April 30, 2026
It has been a wonderful start to Term 2, with students quickly re-engaging in their learning and a wide range of co-curricular opportunities. Our School Sport program has been particularly active, with students representing Brentwood at Eastern Zone and State levels. A special congratulations to Siwoo, Oscar, Titus and Yechan on winning the U/15 Boys 4 x 50m Freestyle State Championship—an outstanding achievement.
ANZAC Day Assembly
On Thursday 24 April, our School Captains led the school community in our annual ANZAC Day commemoration. As always, students demonstrated exceptional respect as we honoured the service and sacrifice of those who have served, and continue to serve, in the Australian Defence Force.
A highlight of the assembly was Hugh, a Year 11 History student, who shared the story of his great-grandfather’s service. His reflection reinforced the strong personal connections many within our community have to those who have defended our nation.
Students were also encouraged to reflect on the ANZAC spirit—courage, endurance, mateship and egalitarianism—and consider how these values align with our school values and can be demonstrated in their everyday actions as learners and members of the Brentwood community.
Learning Conferences
Term 1 concluded with highly successful Learning Conferences involving students, parents and teachers. We recorded 2,208 bookings for face-to-face interviews and 1,793 for online sessions, highlighting strong engagement across our community.
Offering both formats aimed to increase flexibility and accessibility for families. Feedback from 144 parents indicated that 47% preferred face-to-face, 33% preferred a hybrid model, and 21% preferred online.
Thank you to all parents, students and staff for their active participation. These conversations are vital in supporting student growth, both academically and personally.
Student for a Day
Over the past week, six staff members participated in our ‘Student for a Day’ initiative, following a full student timetable to gain an authentic insight into the student experience. This included attending classes, using lockers, and spending break times in the yard.
This initiative supports our ongoing focus on Enabling Learning, including strategies such as clear entry and exit routines, positive primers, visible lesson plans on Compass, and explicit learning intentions and success criteria. Staff feedback will provide valuable insights to inform our continuous improvement work.
Amphitheatre Development
During the school holidays, work commenced on Stage 2 of our basketball court development. This included replacing ageing retaining walls and undertaking significant landscaping of the surrounding hill.
The space has been transformed into an amphitheatre-style seating area with natural rock features, along with new pathways and steps to improve accessibility—particularly in the wetter winter months. Thank you to Brenton Van Vliet, Director of College Operations, for leading this project.
PIVOT Student Voice
Student voice remains a key feature of learning at Brentwood through programs such as Student Leadership, SRC, forums, and surveys. The PIVOT Student Voice Survey, completed twice yearly, provides valuable feedback on teaching practices, classroom climate and student engagement.
Recent results highlighted the following areas of strength (scale 1–6):
- All cultures are welcomed in class (5.2)
- Clear expectations for behaviour (5.14)
- Teachers regularly ask questions to engage students (4.96)
Areas for further focus include:
- Promoting deeper thinking through questioning (4.68)
- Increasing engagement and interest in learning (4.67)
- Supporting students with strategies to manage their thinking (4.67)
These insights support our continued focus on increasing opportunities for student response and enhancing task challenge across classrooms.
Parent & Carer Survey – What You Told Us
Thank you to all families who contributed to our Term 1 Parent & Carer Survey. Your feedback is invaluable in shaping our ongoing improvement.
Overall, families spoke positively about the care and commitment of staff, as well as access to learning through Compass, particularly lesson plans.
The data also highlighted opportunities to strengthen engagement:
- 52% of parents actively check lesson plans
- 56% use them to discuss learning at home
- 75% are aware of Learner Behaviours
- 80% use them in conversations about progress
Parents also identified areas where further support would be beneficial:
- Supporting learning at home
- Understanding VCE requirements
- Clarity around subject pathways and electives
We will continue refining our practices to strengthen parent engagement, particularly in the middle years, and provide clearer, practical guidance for families.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership. Together, we continue to support every student to grow as both a learner and a person.
John Ballagh Principal