Principal Report 

These last few weeks at Berwick College have been a celebration of success. We held our wonderful Presentation Night on Tuesday 2 December at Bunjil Place and exceptional student achievement across a range of areas was celebrated in magnificence. I was delighted to introduce our four 2026 College Captains, (pictured LtoR above), Michelle, Riley, Austin and Teale who will build and continue the strong culture of voice and agency for students across the whole school. It was a memorable evening.  

Vision and Values

It was at Presentation Night that the new Vision and Values for Berwick College was released, together with a renewed logo for the school. To capture this for our broader school community, I share an excerpt of my speech from the night. 

Celebrating success is not the only factor in building a great school. A great school is connected to the broader purpose of education; it has a deeper sense of what is worth learning. 

Peter Hyman, an aide in the British Blair government and then became a teacher and a principal in a London school, put it well when he referred to educating the whole child through the head, the heart and the hand. 

An academic education (the head) gives students in-depth knowledge of key concepts and ways of thinking: character education (the heart) provides the experiences and situations for students to develop a set of ethical underpinnings and personal traits that become their character; and the practical situations (the hand) that nurture creativity and problem solving. 

No school can be a great school without educating the whole child. A broad education is one of the greatest gifts we can offer young people. A broad, diverse education is fundamentally inclusive. 

The future of our society relies not only on university pathways, but also on the skilled trades and practical expertise that keep communities functioning and thriving.

At Berwick College, we take great pride in nurturing students whose talents and passions lead them in many directions and values teach us how to live well — not just how to succeed. Knowledge shapes our understanding – our head. A diverse and rigorous curriculum offering shapes our hand – and Values shape our character – our heart. 

This school has been known, in its time, as Berwick High School, Berwick Secondary College and Berwick College. But throughout its 49 years, the Motto has always been Crescam — I will grow.

Crescam remains a powerful reminder that growth is both a promise and a responsibility.

Our school has also always been symbolised by the Manuka Flower. Our logo remains the Manuka Flower —It symbolises vibrance, resilience and a deep connection to our local environment — qualities we aim to cultivate in every learner. Our new logo honours our tradition but it signifies that we are a school that looks to the future. 

From this year forward, we proudly adopt our new Vision, and Values as the guiding framework for Berwick College — a framework that will shape the culture, expectations and aspirations of our school for many years to come.

What makes this moment particularly meaningful is that these statements were not created in isolation. They are the result of a thorough and inclusive community consultation process involving students, families, staff, College Council and our broader school community. 

Because of this, our Vision and Values do not simply describe who we hope to be — they reflect who we are. They capture the aspirations, strengths and shared identity of Berwick College.

Our Vision: To develop people of purpose, character and capacity whose contributions strengthen communities.

This vision expresses our deepest commitment: that every young person who walks through our doors grows not only in knowledge and skill, but in integrity, confidence and the ability to make a meaningful difference.

These values are not just words on a page — they are the behaviours, habits and attitudes that our community told us matter most. They will define the lived experience of being a Berwick College student.

Our Values: Aspiration • Belonging • Community • Diligence • Excellence

From 2026, the lived experience of a Berwick College student will be defined by our values. 

Aspiration - We make and seek to achieve goals and capitalise on our learning in order to reach our potential. To do so is personally enriching and means we can make contributions that add value to the community.

Belonging - We are stronger and better for being a diverse community unified by a shared commitment to inclusion and respect, care, kindness and mutual wellbeing. This builds a deep sense of pride in who we are as a College community. 

Community - We commit to ensuring our campus is an orderly, safe place conducive to the positive relationships that foster happiness and learning.  We are also service oriented and outward looking given our awareness of what it means to exercise good citizenship within and beyond our College. This fosters our collective purpose and joy.

Diligence- We recognise that success comes with sustained, targeted effort and support each other to develop the persistence and resilience that builds character and brings its own reward.

Excellence - We aim to give and do our best whatever the task. To do so is to respect ourselves and others, to value learning, demonstrate passion, honour our opportunities and welcome celebration.

From now, this vision and these values will frame all of the work that we do at Berwick College. We have done much in 2025, but with our vision, "To develop people of purpose, character and capacity whose contributions strengthen communities", we will also do much in 2026. 

This is our clear commitment as a school to shaping young people who lead with integrity, embrace challenge and use their talents to strengthen their communities.

College Dux - Miquella (MJ) Jacobsen

Our final celebration for 2025 has been our success in the VCE. 

Two hundred and forty-seven students successfully completed their VCE. Of those, 47 completed it with a vocational major. Of the 200 students who completed the mainstream VCE, over 44% achieved an ATAR that placed them in the top 30 percent in the state. At our school, we truly believe in educating every single student to be their best – only 8% of students who did the VCE did it ‘unscored’ and for each of them it was the right decision for that person. We will never ask students to step away from their own education in order to push up the school’s average numbers. We remain delighted to announce that the school’s median Study Score held at 28 and 44% of students achieved an ATAR in the top 30 percent of the state. Our completion rates are perfect. And our commitment to every student having access to a great education has been realised.

We congratulate the Dux of 2025, Miquella Jacobsen (MJ) with an ATAR of 97.40. MJ studied English, Literature, Philosophy, Legal Studies and Mathematical Methods and hopes to study Law with Philosophy next year. 

“MJ is a wonderful student. Her teachers love the way she thinks, she has been an integral part of our music program and she has shown what hard work can do. We are very proud of her.”

To every student who committed themselves to completing their Year 12 studies with endeavour and purpose, on behalf of Berwick College, I most sincerely congratulate you. 

Have a wonderful and refreshing holiday break.

Josie Millard - Principal