Assistant Principals' Report

Term 3 Reflections: Growth, Grit and Great Performances 

Term 3 has been a dynamic and purposeful time at Doncaster Secondary College, with students engaging in a wide range of academic and co-curricular experiences designed to support their development and future planning. 

Our Careers and Pathways program takes centre stage this term, encouraging students from Years 7 to 11 to reflect on their ambitions and make informed decisions about their learning journey. All students in Years 7–10 participated in Subject Selection Day—a key milestone in their learning journey. It was fantastic to see students thoughtfully considering their strengths, interests, and future goals as they made decisions about their electives. 

In the lead-up to the day, students engaged in meaningful conversations at school and at home, preparing to make informed choices. We thank families for taking the time to discuss options and support their children through this process. 

A reminder for families: some electives come with additional costs. Please refer to subject outlines for details. 

We’re proud of the maturity and curiosity students brought to this important step. Their choices now help shape the learners—and leaders—they’ll become tomorrow. 

Course Counselling for our Year 9 and 10 students provided a valuable space for families to collaborate with staff and explore the best-fit options for each learner. It’s been inspiring to see students take ownership of their futures with such maturity and thoughtfulness. 

A major highlight this term was our 2025 school production, The Crucible. Under the expert direction of Amanda Egglestone, students delivered a gripping and emotionally charged performance that captivated audiences. The production brought together students from across year levels, fostering collaboration and deep engagement with the play’s powerful themes. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Amanda and the many staff who supported this outstanding achievement. 

Attendance Matters: Every Day Counts 

At Doncaster Secondary College, we are committed to supporting every student’s learning and wellbeing—and regular attendance is a cornerstone of that commitment. 

This term, the Department of Education has identified students who are either chronically absent or at risk of becoming so. Families of these students have been contacted directly, and we are working in partnership to address attendance concerns early and effectively. 

Why Attendance Matters: 

• Students with lower attendance tend to fall behind, particularly in literacy and numeracy. 
• Unauthorised absences have a stronger negative impact than authorised ones. 
• The effects of absenteeism accumulate—there’s no “safe” number of missed days. 
• Disadvantaged students are disproportionately affected, making early intervention essential. 

We understand that some absences may be due to family holidays taken during term time. While we do not recommend this—especially for students in VCE or those working toward their Year 10 Certificate—we respect each family’s right to make informed decisions. Our goal is to ensure families are aware of the potential educational consequences. 

Supporting Students to Improve Attendance: We’ve implemented a tiered approach to support students and families: 

• Intervention 1: Weekly Monitoring A simple checklist helps students reflect on their attendance and learning. This tool encourages personal responsibility and goal setting. Families can access the checklist via Compass Newsfeed. 
• Intervention 2: School-Based Supports Students and families are encouraged to reach out to: 
• Year Level Coordinators to develop an Attendance Improvement Plan (AIP) 
• Classroom Teachers to discuss learning challenges 
• Wellbeing Team for referrals if emotional or mental health concerns are impacting attendance 
• Intervention 3: Additional Planning and External Support For more complex cases, we may coordinate: 
• Student Support Group (SSG) Meetings 
• Individual Education Plans (IEPs) 

• Referrals to external services such as GPs, The Orange Door, or youth counsellors 

   

Students in Years 10 to 12 are reminded that a minimum of 90% attendance is required to achieve a satisfactory result in all subjects. Absences must be supported by a medical certificate, which can be obtained from pharmacies if a GP is unavailable. 

Consistent attendance helps students build routines, maintain friendships, and stay on track academically. Missing even a few days can lead to gaps in understanding, reduced subject choices, and long-term impacts on post-school pathways. 

We are relentless in our pursuit of positive outcomes because we care deeply about each student’s success. Every day at school is a step toward a brighter future. 

Building a Safe and Respectful Culture 

Doncaster Secondary College is committed to building a safe and respectful culture. Students explore what resilience looks like in a school setting, discussed behaviour expectations, and revisit our shared responsibility to uphold a positive learning environment. Our consistent messages and practices are: 

• Everyone has the right to learn and feel safe. Disruptive behaviour is addressed through a clear 5R process, with escalating consequences to ensure learning is protected. 
• We are a Child Safe Organisation. Safety, bullying, and anti-social behaviour policies are outlined in student planners (Pages 9–11), and students are encouraged to speak up if they feel unsafe. 
• Respectful behaviour is expected in all learning environments. Entry and exit routines, uniform expectations, and mobile phone policies are designed to support consistency and fairness. 

• Resilience and responsibility have been highlighted as core values for Term 3, with students encouraged to reflect on their actions and support one another. 

   

We encourage students to speak with their Classroom Teacher, Year Level Coordinator, Positive Climate Leader, or any trusted staff member. Parents and carers are also urged to reach out if they have concerns about bullying or antisocial behaviour. 

Our school’s zero-tolerance policy for bullying is supported by clear processes and a commitment to follow up with all involved. Serious incidents, including cyberbullying, may be referred to Victoria Police and can also be reported via the eSafety Commissioner: https://www.esafety.gov.au. For more information, visit Brodie’s Law: https://www.vic.gov.au/brodies-law. 

At Doncaster Secondary College, we live our motto—Working Together, Learning Together—by celebrating diversity, showing compassion, and standing united against bullying and harassment. 

Senior School Priorities 

As our year 12 students move into their final months, DSC has arranged for trial exams for all year 12 subjects. Some of these exams will be assessed by a VCAA examiner. These experiences and the feedback students receive is essential for preparing them for the final exams, but also to help them understand what they need to be focusing on during their private study time and their final study weeks in term 4. It is important to remember that the term 3 holidays are not traditional holidays for our year 12 VCE students. They should be revising and engaging in practice exams to feel and be as prepared as possible. 

Senior School and classroom teachers are also supporting students to be as prepared as possible by running Masterclasses for many subjects. These are additional opportunities for students to gain support, ask questions and prepare for the final examination period. Students should refer to the timetable shared by the Senior School or pop into the Senior School to ask directly about when and where these Masterclasses are taking place. 

Additionally, we have employed three Academic Advisors whose role is to work in the classroom and individually with high performing students to help maximise their results. These advisors are three ex-students, all 90+ ATAR performing students, who are wanting to give back to the DSC community. Students who are interested in working with these advisors should reach out to the Senior School. 

Cheers,

Elisha, Wes, Kristin and Belinda