Community News

2026 Performance Report

Further to our Principal's Message, in the 2026 Performance Report provided by the Department of Education and Training (DET) recently, our College has improved by two levels in the Learning category, reaching High (please refer to the image below, which has been provided by DET) .

The Department of Education and Training (DET) provide all State Primary and Secondary Schools with a Performance Report on an annual basis. The Performance Report is developed using data sets relating to NAPLAN and the DET Student Attitude to School Survey, for example. There are four levels as per the Performance Report:

High
Improving
Medium
Developing

This outstanding result reflects the dedication of our students, staff and community.

Important Notice: Student collection during the exam period

From the end of October until the 19th November, we are unable to make announcements during the school day due to the Year 12 exams.

If you need to collect your child early during this period, please notify the office in advance, ideally on the morning of the collection, by emailing pakenham.sc@education.vic.gov.au or calling 5945 1433.

We will do our best to ensure your child is ready at Reception when you arrive.

Thank you for your support and understanding in this matter.

Sub School Structure @ PSC

For any Well-being or other concerns, please speak with your child(ren)'s Team Leader in the first instance.

Help keep school leavers safe for schoolies

PREPARING FOR SCHOOLIES

We know that some students are already excited to celebrate their final year of secondary school with their friends.

The tragic deaths of 2 Victorian teenagers, Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, from methanol poisoning while holidaying together in Laos in 2024 remind us of the importance of staying safe and being aware of risks.

This year, schoolies celebrations will run from Saturday 29 November to Saturday 13 December in Victoria. Beyond these dates, some students may be traveling interstate or overseas for the occasion.

SPEAK WITH YOUR CHILD EARLY

We encourage parents and carers to speak with their child early about any plans for the end of the year.

Providing appropriate and accurate information about alcohol and other drug use, sex and consent, and personal safety can be the key to reducing risks and minimising harm.

The Raising Children Network has information to help families start talking about schoolies, including expectations and how to stay safe.

Red Frogs Australia, a volunteer group that help young people stay safe and seek help at events like schoolies, has tips and advice for students and families.

You and your young person can also refer to the following resources that promote staying safe for schoolies, events and travel:

Better Health Channel, for advice on partying safely at schoolies
Alcohol and Drug Foundation, for advice on staying safe at schoolies and information on potential alcohol and drug harms when travelling
Victoria Police, for advice on staying safe at school leaver celebrations. The page includes videos about sexual assault, illicit drugs and road safety
Smartraveller, for advice on overseas travel for school leavers and partying safely
Doctors without Borders, for information on methanol poisoning for travellers
Simone White Methanol Awareness Instagram page, to help raise awareness about methanol poisoning

Camp Cooinda

If you have a teenager who is keen for adventure and challenge over the holidays, Camp Cooinda runs water-based expedition camps over the summer holidays on the Gippsland Lakes for 12-18 year olds. It's the perfect summer experience for teenagers to build life skills, grow in confidence and meet other like-minded young people. Find out more at campcooinda.au!

Talking to your child about the Social Media age restrictions

VISIT THE NEW SOCIAL MEDIA AGE RESTRICTIONS HUB:

Click here

As we approach the 10th December, when the new Social Media Minimum Age law comes into effect, it’s important for families to start preparing for the changes.

If you have children under 16 who currently use age-restricted social media platforms, they will be directly impacted by the new law.

To support your children through this transition, it’s helpful to:

Talk openly about the new age restrictions and why they’re being introduced.
Understand how your child currently uses social media and explore how these changes might affect them.
Reassure them that these changes are about safety and wellbeing, not punishment.

To help guide these conversations, eSafety has developed practical tips for parents and carers to start these conversations to support you in starting and managing discussions in a calm and constructive way.

eSafety has developed information and resources to support young people, as well as parents and carers, to understand the social media age restrictions.

Helping families stay safer online

Do you want to feel more confident in supporting your children to have safer online experiences? eSafety's live webinars give parents and carers the knowledge, skills and tools to help understand and navigate the online world.

Past attendees have found these webinars incredibly helpful:

“Loved it. Gave me the much-needed knowledge on algorithms for my kids.”

“It was terrific, very practical and positive.”

“Useful information to help parents understand teens and technology.”

Please see the eSafety schedule of upcoming live webinars:

Understanding and using parental controls to help protect your child online

Thursday 6th November, 12:30-1:15pm AEDT Find out more

Supporting healthy tech use as your child transitions into secondary school

Tuesday 18th November, 12:30-1:15pm AEDT Find out more