WELC & International Student Reports

Message from the International Coordinator and WELC Coordinator 

WELC Update

Ms Debby Morgan 

WELC Coordinator

We are nearly at the end of Term 1 and WELC students are working hard on final writing tasks for all their teachers. 

In Week 8, all the WELC students went to Sovereign Hill. Students were able to see glimpses of Australian countryside on the way up to Ballarat and they had a wonderful time exploring the living museum. Students went underground in the old mine, saw a real gold nugget and learned about the different people who came from around Australia and even from China to look for gold. Students had fun panning for gold under the expert guidance of Ms Tetoros. Many of our students found gold through their perseverance!

On Tuesday WELC students did group activities focused on the UFO sighting in 1966 and imagining what school could be like in 2066 (100 years on from the UFO). Some of our students worked together to create a comic story about a UFO landing. Then students presented their story to their peers.  Dunya and Syifa have volunteered to present at our Graduation next week and we look forward to them sharing their story with the other WELC students. Well done for volunteering! Our Group 1 students joined Westall Secondary students and worked together in groups to prepare a presentation about how they envisioned Westall Secondary College in 2066. Our students gave a presentation and made a model to show how they thought the school would look like – including a double-storey building, UFO statue, UFO Discovery Centre and swimming pool. These students competed against students currently studying in Years 7 – 10 at Westall secondary and they did an excellent job! They won second-place with their presentation and received 6 Westall points each. Well done to Altair, Rezwana, Saima, Ratanak, Arata, Ryan, Aaron and Sana!

We have eighteen students who are exiting our program at the end of Term 1. Half of these will move on to Westall Secondary College while the remaining students will move to nearby schools. We wish all these students the best with the transfer to a new school and look forward to them coming back to visit WELC in the future. 

School holidays will start on Friday 3 April and school will start again on Monday 20 April. We wish all students and families a safe and happy holiday. Next term, we will get new students and everyone will be allocated new classes based on their current English level. Any time spent on English on the holidays can have a big impact on students’ skills. We encourage students to enjoy their free time on the holidays but also encourage them to practice their English by listening to the news, reading books and watching movies.

WELC Coordinator – Miss Debby Morgan

WELC Excursion to Sovereign Hill

On Thursday, 19th March 2026, WELC students embarked on a wonderful excursion to Sovereign Hill in Ballarat, stepping back in time to experience the sights, sounds and stories of Victoria's fascinating gold rush era.

The living outdoor museum offered rich and engaging learning experiences, with highlights that captivated students throughout the day. Students ventured deep underground into the historic mines, tried their luck at gold panning in the creek, explored the vibrant Chinese village, and strolled the bustling main street lined with authentically recreated 1850s shops and characters.

Students were enthusiastic in sharing their reflections afterwards, describing the day as one of their favourite excursion experiences since arriving in Australia.

Jiarong- Sovereign Hill was amazing and very interesting.

Erik- It was a great excursion because the museum was interesting and I liked the underground mines.

David D- I liked it because I learned an interesting story about Chinese immigrants who travelled to the goldfields in search of gold.

Altair- I had the most fun on this excursion. The part where they showed us the history using a realistic animated story really put me in awe. 

Rezwana- It is the most unforgettable excursion I have ever been on. It took me back to the past. Those 1850s female dresses and men’s outfits were really fascinating to me. 

Linus- This excursion was wonderful. I  learned many things about the 1850s Gold Rush. This experience was unforgettable.

 Ryan- I liked this excursion because  I learnt a lot about Sovereign Hill and I even panned for gold.

Noah- I enjoyed this excursion because I got to experience it with my school friends. I was intrigued to learn about the early Chinese immigrants who came in search of gold treasure at Ballarat. I especially enjoyed the experience of visiting the underground mines. 

Sophia- It was an unforgettable excursion. I found it interesting to be immersed in the Gold Rush era. I will remember this living museum for a long time. 

Yuhan- It was a fantastic excursion, and I learned how to pan for gold.

Arata- It was an amazing excursion, and I experienced gold panning. The attraction that took us below ground to the original mines was the most interesting part of the excursion. 

Katerina Tetoros- WELC teacher

WELC ART ELECTIVE

To celebrate Harmony Day at WELC, students created colourful portraits of people from around the world. They used cut-outs of different facial features—eyes, ears, noses and mouths—to mix and match while designing their own imaginative faces. Happy Harmony Day!

Ms Anna Kotsiou 

WELC Teacher

International Student Program 

Dear Parents, Homestay Providers, and Students,

We are pleased to share some recent updates and highlights from our International Student Program.

Safe and Sound Program Launch

We recently introduced a new program called Safe and Sound for our homestay students. The session began with a relaxed and enjoyable lunch, giving students a chance to connect with one another. Following this, our Wellbeing Team delivered an informative presentation covering important homestay expectations, including house rules, communication, and strategies for resolving conflict. Students actively participated and shared their thoughts openly. We also conducted a survey at the end of the session, and we are pleased to report that overall feedback was very positive.

Harmony Day Celebration

We proudly celebrated Harmony Day at the college. A special highlight was the performance by our Vietnamese student group, who delivered an outstanding dance that had a strong impact on the audience. Their effort and cultural pride were truly appreciated by the whole school community.

Work Declaration Update

We are currently updating our Work Declaration documents. These will be sent out to parents and guardians shortly. We kindly ask that you review, sign, and return the forms promptly. Thank you for your continued cooperation in supporting our students.

Holiday Planning Reminder

Please note that holiday plan submissions are now closed. As usual, all homestay providers are required to complete the necessary forms to confirm arrangements. Thank you for your ongoing support in ensuring student safety during the holiday period.

International students are required to attend school for the full term, which means you cannot leave early or return late. Please plan carefully and submit your travel details to the school for approval before finalising any bookings.

If you have any questions or require further information, please feel free to contact us.

Kind regards,International Student Program Team Westall Secondary College

Ms Summer Bao

International Coordinator