Assistant Principal (Years 7/8) Report 

Report from Assistant Principal Years Yr 7/8

Dear Westall Secondary College Community,

As we reach the midpoint of the term, I would like to congratulate our Junior School students on their smooth transition into their Semester 2 timetables and new subjects. In Years 7 and 8, students complete eight semester-based electives alongside their core subjects. Experiencing a broad range of disciplines during these foundational years helps students make informed decisions as they shape their educational pathways for Middle School and beyond.

NAPLAN Reports

NAPLAN Reporting Individual Student Reports for the 2026 NAPLAN assessments have now been distributed to families. NAPLAN provides a point-in-time snapshot of student progress in literacy and numeracy, complementing our ongoing classroom assessments. At Westall, our teaching staff utilise this data alongside our internal assessments to identify individual learning needs, evaluate program effectiveness, and tailor explicit instruction to support every student's growth.

When reviewing your child’s or young persons report, you will see performance marked against four proficiency standards: Exceeding, Strong, Developing, and Needs Additional Support. We encourage you to review the results together with your young person to celebrate their progress and strengths, keeping in mind that NAPLAN is simply one metric of learning alongside many others, rather than a total measure of their capabilities.

Course Counselling 

Over the coming weeks, the College will progress further into the Course Counselling process across all year levels. Year 8 students will participate in a brief interview with a staff member to discuss their subject selections for Year 9, including both their Year 9/10 Electives and iCreate preferences. This process ensures students make informed choices that align with their personal strengths and interests as they begin taking greater agency over their academic journey.

Additionally, Year 7 students should now have finalised their iCreate preferences for 2026. Students have the option to either continue with their current iCreate subject or select a new area of study for the upcoming year.

Wellbeing & Attendance Celebrations 

Following the analysis of our recent Attitudes to School Survey data, we are pleased to report significant growth in key metrics, including life satisfaction, emotional awareness and regulation, student voice and agency, and positive attitudes toward attendance. Tracking these metrics over time allows us to refine and strengthen our proactive wellbeing strategy across the College.

Attendance remains a key focus across all year levels. Recent initiatives have included attendance celebrations at sub-school assemblies, inter-sub-school competitions, and our PANDA (Perfect Attendance, No Days Absent) awards. Consequently, Westall Secondary College currently ranks 3rd in the state among similar schools for minimising the number of students with 20 or more absent days across the year—a fantastic achievement for our community.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our students and school programs.

Warm regards,

Alice Paget

Assistant Principal (Year 7 and 8)