Teaching & Learning

Teaching & Learning at Keysborough Secondary College: Partnering with parents for student success

Supporting your child to attain success in the Senior school years

The senior secondary years, whether VCE or VCE VM, are a pivotal stage in your child’s academic journey, and your support plays a key role in their success and wellbeing. Here’s how you can help:

Create a productive space to study

Improve organisation help your child create a study planner and routines to manage their time
Provide access to all the necessary resources – textbooks, exercise books and laptop
Minimise distractions and aid focus by providing a quiet space to study with a clutter-free desk and good lighting
Monitor your child’s academic performance via Compass – Learning tasks, Progress reports, Semester reports and attend Parent teacher interviews in Terms 2 and 3.

Encourage a balanced study schedule

VCE students should be aiming to complete 2-3 hours of study on weekdays and 3-4 hours of study on weekends
Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep for better focus in class
Stay informed about your child’s upcoming SAC’s, due dates and excursions by checking Compass.
Monitor the hours your child is working in a part time job or committing to extracurricular activities. Students will need to be able to balance school, study, sport & work.

Monitor stress

Support your child’s mental health by being patient
Encourage open conversations and celebrate their achievements
Promoting relaxation techniques (mindfulness, deep breathing)
Seek help if needed – contact your local GP or a member of the College’s wellbeing team to discuss concerns
Monitor your child’s school attendance via Compass (avoiding school can be a sign of not coping)

By building a strong partnership with families, we strive to create a supportive environment where every student can thrive and achieve success in their final years of school.

Supporting all students to achieve success – Homework support

The College is proud to be offering weekly Homework support as an opportunity for all students to receive extra support with their studies, catch up on learning tasks, or revise for their upcoming examinations.

Homework support runs weekly:

Yr 7-10 Banksia Campus: Thursday, 3:00–4:15pm, in the Junior Library
Yr 7-10 Acacia Campus: Wednesday, 3:30–4:30pm, in the Junior Library
Yr 11 & 12 Study Buddies:
- Banksia: Tuesday (Gold Week), Thursday, 3:00-4:30pm, in Senior upstairs
- Acacia: Tuesday & Thursday, 3:00-4:30pm, in Senior upstairs
ELC Study Club:
- Tuesday, 3:00-3:45pm, in ELC room
- Thursday, 3:00–4.15pm, in the Junior Library

Students are encouraged to make the most of this valuable support. Homework support is a great way for students to build good study habits, manage their workload, and feel confident in their learning while receiving support from Teachers and Tutor from Monash University.

Light snacks are provided to help students stay refreshed and focused during the session.

We encourage all students to take advantage of Homework support and invest time in their academic success! If you would like to attend, see the Junior school or Senior school administration to collect a permission form prior to attending for the first time.

If you would like to learn more please contact:

Acacia Campus: Frank.Liu@education.vic.gov.au
Banksia Campus: Kiara.Kearney@education.vic.gov.au

Structured Workplace Learning a key step in Career Readiness

At Keysborough Secondary College, we are committed to ensuring that our students are not only academically successful but also prepared for life beyond school. As part of this commitment, our Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) program plays a vital role, particularly for students enrolled in the VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM) program.

SWL is a compulsory component of the VCE VM and provides students with the opportunity to gain valuable, hands-on experience in a real workplace environment. Through this program, students are able to apply the knowledge and skills they learn in the classroom—especially in the Work-Related Skills (WRS) subject—to meaningful, real-world settings.

Workplace learning helps students:

Develop an understanding of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) practices
Learn about employee rights and responsibilities
Strengthen their communication, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities
Build confidence and gain insights into potential career pathways

We strongly encourage parents and guardians to support their VCE VM child in securing a suitable placement. This partnership between school, student, and home is key to making the experience successful and impactful. We are here to help every step of the way - If you require assistance or advice in finding a placement, please don’t hesitate to contact the College Careers Team or your VCE VM Leader.

Students interested in combining paid employment, training, and school are also encouraged to explore the Headstart program, which supports school-based apprenticeships and traineeships.

At Keysborough Secondary College we look forward to supporting all students as they take this exciting step toward their futures.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Parent Teacher Interviews will be held on Tuesday 28th April from 2:00pm to 7:00pm. These interviews are an important opportunity for parents and carers to meet with teachers and discuss their child’s academic progress, learning behaviour and overall wellbeing at school.

To help make the most of your interview time, families may wish to prepare by:

Talking with your child beforehand about how they feel they are going at school and if there are any subjects or challenges, they would like you to discuss with their teacher.
Reviewing recent Progress reports & Learning task results on Compass to understand your child’s academic progress and learning behaviour.
Checking your child’s attendance on Compass, as this can impact learning progress.

During the interviews, the most productive conversations occur when parents and teachers work together. Approaching discussions calmly, respectfully and with a solutions-focused mindset helps ensure the best outcomes for students. Teachers are always happy to celebrate student achievements and work with families to identify strategies to support improvement where needed.

Bookings for Parent–Teacher Interviews can be made via Compass. Interpreters will be available on the night to support families who require translation services. We encourage all families to take this valuable opportunity to connect with teachers and support their child’s learning journey.

Melissa Williams-Davis

Assistant Principal of Teaching and Learning