PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
Western Heights College acknowledges the Wadawurrung People as the Traditional Owners of the land on which our College stands, and pays respect to their Elders past and present.
From the Principal
Dear families, students and members of the Western Heights College community.
As we reach the end of a busy and rewarding Term 3, it is my pleasure to share a fortnight filled with student voice, leadership, learning and sporting achievements. Our student leaders represented Western Heights College superbly at the Regional Student Voice Conference at Geelong Tech School, we proudly announced our new School Captains, and our community came together for R U OK Day and Term 3 Learning Conversations. We also congratulate our U15 Boys Soccer team on a magnificent result in the Bill Turner Cup national final in Newcastle.
Please read on for full details of these highlights, along with an exciting first look at our 2026 Art and Design Exhibition next term, and important reminders as we head into the school holidays.
STUDENT VOICE & LEADERSHIP
Regional Student Voice Conference – Geelong Tech School
Congratulations to the group of student leaders who represented Western Heights College at the Regional Student Voice Conference, held this fortnight at Geelong Tech School. Our students joined peers from schools across the region to share ideas, build their leadership capabilities and contribute their voice to important conversations shaping the future of education in our area. Thank you to the staff who supported our students to prepare for and attend this valuable event – we are very proud of how they represented our College.
Congratulations to our 2026 School Captains
It is with great pride that we announce our new School Captains for 2026: Chloe Wolfenden and Finn Hynes-Carnegie. Both students have demonstrated outstanding leadership, integrity and commitment to our College community, and we look forward to the positive impact they will have representing Western Heights College over the remainder of the year. Congratulations, Chloe and Finn – we can’t wait to see you lead with pride.
LEARNING & WELLBEING
Term 3 Learning Conversations
Thank you to all the families who took the time to attend our Term 3 Learning Conversations, held this week on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 September. These conversations are such a valuable opportunity for families, students and teachers to come together, reflect on learning progress and set goals ahead of Term 4. We appreciate the strong turnout and engagement from our community.
R U OK Day
Earlier this fortnight, our College community came together to mark R U OK Day. It was wonderful to see students and staff engaging in genuine conversations about mental health and wellbeing, and being reminded of the importance of checking in with the people around us – not just on R U OK Day, but every day. Thank you to everyone who took part.
SPORT
It has been an extraordinary fortnight for sport at Western Heights College, capped off by a superb result on the national stage.
U15 Boys Soccer – Bill Turner Cup: Congratulations to our U15 Boys Soccer team on finishing as runners-up in the prestigious Bill Turner Cup national final, held in Newcastle last week. Finishing as the second-best school soccer program in the country is a remarkable achievement, and the boys should be immensely proud of everything they accomplished throughout this campaign. Thank you to the coaching staff and families who supported the team on this incredible journey – what a fantastic way to represent Western Heights College and the Barwon region.
LOOKING AHEAD TO TERM 4
2026 Art and Design Exhibition
We are excited to announce that our 2026 Art and Design Exhibition will commence on Wednesday 14 October, showcasing the outstanding creative talent of our students across Visual Arts, Media and Design. More details, including exhibition times and how families can attend, will be shared via Compass early in Term 4. We look forward to celebrating the creativity of our students with our whole College community.
KEY REMINDERS & UPCOMING DATES
Please keep an eye on Compass and the dates below as we head into the holidays:
Term 3 concludes: Friday 18 September
Term 3 school holidays: Saturday 19 September – Sunday 4 October
Term 4 begins: Monday 5 October
2026 Art and Design Exhibition: commencing Wednesday 14 October
As always, please check Compass regularly for event notices and updates, and reach out to your child's teacher or Year Level Coordinator with any questions.
On behalf of all staff at Western Heights College, I would like to wish every student, family and staff member a safe, restful and enjoyable Term 3 break. Thank you for another fortnight of wonderful achievements – I look forward to seeing everyone refreshed and ready for an exciting Term 4.
Thank you for your continued support of Western Heights College, and congratulations again to every student celebrated in this issue. Wishing you all a safe and restful Term 3 break.
With warm regards,
Fiona Taylor
Principal, Western Heights College
Child Safety at WHC
Western Heights College is a child safe organisation committed to protecting students from all forms of abuse. Our College has stringent protocols in place and endeavours at all times to be fully compliant with the Child Safe Standards set out under Ministerial Order 870.
Our College has the following documents and policies in place to achieve compliance with the Standards. All of these documents are available for downloading on our website.
Commitment to Child Safety
Child Safety Policy
Child Safety Code of Conduct
Child Protection Policy and Procedures
Annual Privacy Policy Reminder for 2026
Our school collects, uses, discloses, and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy (found on the college's webpage).
Please take time to remind yourself of our school’s collection notice, found on our website. For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy — information for parents and carers on the webpage. This information is also available in nine community languages:
* Amharic
* Arabic
* Dari
* Gujarati
* Mandarin
* Somali
* Sudanese
* Turkish
* Urdu
* Vietnamese