Humanities News
End of Term 3:
Humanities News
Unit VCE Legal Studies – Supreme Court, VLRC & Parliament Excursion
On Monday 7 September 2026, the Year 12 VCE Legal Studies students had a very busy day, visiting the Supreme Court of Victoria, the Victorian Law Reform Commission as well as Victorian Parliament.
We were then escorted to the public gallery of Court 2, to observe some of the examination-in-chief of a prosecution witness in a murder trial. We were able to observe all the key personnel of a courtroom in action, including the judge, solicitors and barristers. We could also observe the jury enacting their role in the proceedings, listening to evidence from the witness box, as well as considering exhibits such as significant text messages from their court-provided iPads. We finished our court visit with some exploration of the fascinating Supreme Court Library.
After our lunch break, we proceeded to the Victorian Law Reform Commission (VLRC). Senior Researcher and Policy Officer Kythe Di Scala provided us with some valuable revision on the role of the VLRC, as well as an exploration of the recent Stalking Inquiry. She then led us in some discussion of the extent of the VLRC’s influence on law-making by parliament in Victoria, providing insights beyond what is possible in the classroom. This was all perfectly timed, as our SAC on these very topics is later this week.
Our final stop on this ‘mega’ excursion was to the Victorian Parliament. We were provided with a private guided tour of both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. The students got to sit in the seats in each of the chambers, while the significance of the architecture was explained, as well as the democratic processes and practicalities of parliament. We were also shown around the Parliamentary Library, where important research is conducted in relation to bills, as well as important parliamentary committee work.
Overall, the students learnt so much, seeing the curriculum come to life in authentic contexts. We also made a very good impression on the staff at all three venues, all of whom commented upon their impeccable behaviour, and admirable curiosity. As always, the Legal Eagles have done the College proud!
Supreme Court Library visit with Unit 4 Legal Studies students
Jacinta Marlborough
Legal Studies Teacher
Australian History Competition: South Oakleigh Students Put Their History Skills to the Test
Celebrating Achievement, Curiosity and Historical Thinking
This year, students from South Oakleigh College had the opportunity to put these skills into practice by participating in the Australian History Competition.
The competition provides students with an opportunity to challenge themselves, apply their historical knowledge and develop important skills in analysing information and evidence.
We are proud of all our students who took part and congratulate them on their individual achievements.
Year 7
Our Year 7 students produced some excellent results, with Ben Perry achieving a High Distinction. Oscar Larkin and Victoria Mandel both achieved Distinctions, while Rikza Rahman achieved a Merit.
- Agamjot Kaur
- Reyansh Kesarwani
- Oscar Larkin
- Ethan Lim
- Zehna Majid
- Victoria Mandel
- Ben Perry
- Rikza Rahman
- Vedanshi Rathi
- Matthew Yang
Year 8
Our Year 8 students also took on the challenge, with Kintan Chakraborty achieving a Distinction and Divyam Setia achieving a Credit.
- Kintan Chakraborty
- Tanvika Iyer
- Divyam Setia
- Eknoor Singh
Year 9
Two Year 9 students participated in the competition, with Kyryl Yermak achieving a Credit.
- Anusha Kesarwani
- Kyryl Yermak
Year 10
Our Year 10 students rounded out the school's participation, with Owen Maisey achieving an outstanding High Distinction. Dhruvi Chakraborty also achieved a Merit.
- Dhruvi Chakraborty
- Niharika Iyer
- Ishaan Jayaprakash
- Owen Maisey
- Athulya Sivakumar
We are proud of the enthusiasm and commitment shown by all of our students and look forward to seeing even more South Oakleigh College students take on academic challenges such as the Australian History Competition in the future.
Congratulations to all our participants on their achievements!
Adam Plantenkamp
Humanities Teacher
Year 9 Humanities – Bringing Biomes to Life in Minecraft Education
Our 09cHum students are taking their learning to the next level as they explore Minecraft Education as an innovative way to present their Biomes CAT. Rather than simply creating a traditional presentation, students are investigating how they can build, design and communicate their understanding of a biome through an interactive digital environment.
Minecraft Education provides students with an exciting opportunity to take ownership of their learning. They can construct landscapes, demonstrate climate and vegetation, represent human interactions, and showcase the key features of their chosen biome in a way that is both creative and informative.
Importantly, this task also encourages students to take the lead in their learning. Students who are confident with Minecraft Education can support their peers, demonstrate how different features of the program work and educate others on how the platform can be used effectively for learning. This creates opportunities for collaboration, peer teaching, problem solving, and digital literacy, while allowing students to share their individual strengths and expertise.
By using Minecraft Education, students are not just presenting what they know about biomes — they are building their knowledge, teaching others and creating an engaging environment in which learning can be explored. It is a fantastic example of students using technology creatively to demonstrate their understanding of Humanities.
Amanda Tate
Accellerated and Enhancement Coordinator | English | Humanities
Debating
It's been a fantastic term for public speaking and debating at South Oakleigh College, with students getting involved in everything from Model United Nations to interschool debating competitions. Here's a look at what our students have been up to.
On Monday the 31st of August, South Oakleigh College's Model United Nations team sent 8 students to Caulfield Grammar School for a day of negotiation, diplomatic debate and learning. Our team represented the delegations of Costa Rica and Vanuatu, tackling the issue of climate change. Our students were responsible for passing 2 of the 4 successful amendments in a room of 31 teams, an outstanding result that showcases the hard work and preparation of our program. Two students, Jack Wright and Hiro Hajinikitas, will also be competing in the regional final of the Evatt MUN competition, with a chance to progress to the state final. Overall, the students represented the school with great pride and professionalism, standing out for their diplomacy. Great work, everyone!
Congratulations also to Zalia Wright, who made it all the way to be one of 5 finalists for the Norman A Smith Scholarship. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the scholarship, making Zalia's achievement an even more special one to celebrate.
Senior debating has now wrapped up for the year, and we want to congratulate Kirrily Renehan, who was named best speaker on 3 occasions throughout the season. A great way to finish the year, and a fantastic effort from everyone involved in the program.
Finally, congratulations to our year 7 debating team on an excellent first debate. The team learnt a lot from the experience, and it was fantastic to see a group of 11 come out to Avila College to support and watch them in action.
Benjamin Gough
Public Speaking and Debating Coordinator