Assistant Principal (Years 11/12) Report
Mr Travis McIntosh
Report from Assistant Principal Year 11/12
Senior School Newsletter –
Dear Parents, Guardians and Students,
Welcome to Week 6 of Term 3! This week marks the commencement of Course Counselling for our Year 9 and 10 students, an exciting and important time as students begin making subject selections that will help shape their future pathways.
We encourage families to have conversations about subject choices, considering students’ passions, strengths, interests and future aspirations, as well as any prerequisites required for pathways such as TAFE, university, apprenticeships and employment. These conversations are an important part of helping students make informed decisions that align with their goals.
Year 10 into Year 11 Course Counselling
A reminder that Year 10 students will not be required to attend classes on Monday, 24 August. Instead, students will attend a 15-minute Course Counselling Interview in the SLC.
Interview times have been communicated through the Middle School noticeboard and Middle School Teams page. Students should ensure they check their scheduled interview time.
To complete their subject selections, students should use the unique web code sent to their school email and enter their choices online through Edval.
We strongly encourage parents and guardians of Year 10 students to attend the Course Counselling Interview. Working collaboratively with students, families and the school will ensure that students are supported to make informed decisions about their academic program and future pathway for 2026.Term 3 Progress Reports & Parent-Teacher Conferences.
We are now approaching the halfway point of Term 3, and teachers will soon be completing Term 3 Progress Reports. These reports provide families with an overview of their child’s progress across key areas including:
• Effort
• Behaviour
• Class engagement
• Meeting deadlines
• Homework and preparation
Progress Reports will be available to families during the final week of Term 3 and provide a valuable opportunity to reflect on student progress and identify areas for continued growth.
Staff Curriculum Day – Wednesday 12 August
Our recent Staff Curriculum Day provided an important opportunity for staff to reflect on teaching and learning, review student data and continue strengthening our curriculum and instructional practices.
Signature Pedagogies – Teaching Our Disciplines with Intentionality
One of the key professional learning workshops focused on Signature Pedagogies – exploring how each discipline has its own distinctive ways of thinking, performing and acting with integrity.
The workshop provided staff with an opportunity to consider how we intentionally teach students to think, act and work within their respective disciplines, and how this aligns with the Westall Instructional Model. By the end of the session, staff were able to consider, within their own discipline:
• How knowledge is questioned and constructed
• How knowledge is demonstrated and enacted
• The values and dispositions that are central to the discipline
Staff also reviewed units of work to ensure alignment with our instructional model and continued planning for the remainder of the year. This work is an important part of ensuring consistency and quality across our teaching and learning programs.
Using Data to Drive Improvement
Our English and Mathematics teams also spent time unpacking NAPLAN data. Staff celebrated the strong growth demonstrated by our students while also identifying areas of focus that will help further strengthen teaching and learning programs.
Using student data in this way allows teaching teams to recognise what is working well, identify areas for improvement and ensure that our instructional practices continue to respond to the needs of our students.
As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.
We look forward to working together with our students and families to ensure a successful and productive remainder of Term 3.
Best wishes,
Mr Travis McIntosh
Assistant Principal – Senior School
Westall Secondary College