Principal's Report

Report from Westall 

Dear Westall Secondary College Community, 

Term 3 is already hallway over. Our beautiful school continues to grow and prosper. We now have a total school enrolment of 720 students and 100 staff including teachers and education support staff. Recent NAPLAN results show that we continue to achieve excellent student growth. In many cases we achieve above expected levels with excellent relative growth data between Years 7 and 9. I am also pleased to share that since COVID, student attitude to school data which measures overall student wellbeing and happiness has improved each year. 

To ensure we continue to keep upskilling and improving, teachers will commence a 7-week Professional Development cycle on Thursday 28th August. The aim being to further embed consistency and quality of practice with our Westall Way model. Education Support staff training across both student wellbeing and student learning will also continue. This is a school priority, and we are working with the Education Department around the evidence base and what is best practice. We have always had significant funding and extra staffing based on our school cohort (EAL and Equity funding we receive)and it appears this will keep growing and become more and more important moving forward.

Ensuring we align with the evidence base, the Victorian Teaching and Learning model, and implementation of best practice based on cognitive/brain science will remain our core business and focus. This is our Westall Way posted in every classroom. We do need to balance this with ongoing innovation and technology. Our I Create program provides a platform for this. Teachers and classroom-based education support staff are also looking at Education AI tools. Not to replace traditional teaching, but to complement and enhance what we do.

Athletics Day and Parent Teacher interviews. 2 successful recent events. Well done and thank you to all students, parents and staff for your participation and engagement. 

School facilities Projects – We have sought Education Department direction and feedback and engaged with Minx Architects on the Student Toilet Block project. This will be a long process with many factors to address. Minx will help provide us with concept drawings and cost estimates that we will take to the VSBA (Victorian School Building Authority) for endorsement. Refurbishment of the existing toilet block as a 2nd option has been recommended by Minx as something we need to at least explore and consider. Shorter term projects: Every classroom having a split system heating/cooling (sperate to our old boiler/central systems) is now complete. A new 3 – pitch cricket net facility (that can also support softball/baseball) will get underway shortly. The Department ramps upgrade project should be completed by the end of Term 3. Big thanks to our amazing Business Manager, Laura Scott, who manages our school finances and budgets to support and allow these significant school improvement projects.

Parent Carer Opinion Survey – This important annual survey opens to parents and carers on Monday 18th August and closes end of Term 3. We ask for your support in completing the survey and in encouraging other parents/carers to complete the survey.

2026 Course Selection and Planning – Students have been getting support the last few weeks through course handbooks (on our website), domain expos, information sessions and individual counselling. Teacher recommendations based on current performance and formal course counselling interviews over the next couple of weeks will complete this important process. It is student course and subject selections that create our timetable and staffing requirements for 2026. Big thanks to our outstanding Assistant Principals who lead this work and so many other projects and work around the school – Jason Tickner, Travis McIntosh, and Alice Paget.

School Website – Please have a look. Westall Secondary College – A diverse and community oriented high school in Clayton South It’s been revamped, new and improved and we are very proud of the finished product. Special mention and thankyou to our staff Hieu and Kevin who built the new site. 

Until next time

Tristan Lanarus

Principal

Westall Secondary College