WELC & International Student Reports

Message from the International Coordinator and WELC Coordinator 

WELC Update

It has been a very busy start to Term 4. We currently have 48 students in 5 classes and students are working hard to improve their English.

There have been many extracurricular activities this term including an excursion to Philip Island. This was a wonderful day, with beautiful weather. Students saw scenery of Victoria on the way down to Phillip Island. Then students took a tour of the Panny’s Chocolate Factory. This included a free chocolate ticket and fun games with the chance to win more chocolates! Finally, after lunch at a park, students enjoyed a walk along the boardwalk at the Nobbies and trying to spot different wildlife. It was a long day but everyone had fun enjoying the beautiful scenery at Philip Island.

Students also participated in a ‘Meet the Lifeguard’ incursion. This was in preparation for an excursion later this term, where students will go to a beach and learn water safety techniques. Students were taught safe swimming practices including the importance of always swimming  with other people and swimming between the flags at the beach. Students were also explained the role of lifeguards and given the opportunity to practise lifesaving techniques. With so much water around Australia, this is essential information and we encourage all students to continue to improve their water safety skills.

All WELC students participated in First Aid Training. Students were actively engaged in many different activities and learnt essential first aid techniques including CPR, wound bandaging and dealing with allergies. This course gives students an official First Aid qualification and can be shown to future employers when students apply for jobs. 

We are nearing the end of a very busy term. We currently have 59 students enrolled in our program from a total of 12 different countries. At the end of this term 21 students will move on to their mainstream school. These students have completed transition activities and will be given their exit certificate at a graduation ceremony on Friday. We wish these students all the best at their new schools! They have worked hard over the last 6 months or year and have made big improvements with their English and we hope they continue to improve and develop their confidence in their English skills.

WELC Parent teacher interviews were held on Tuesday and many of our families came and held productive discussions with teachers about their children’s learning. We also handed out reports at this meeting. If you would like a copy of your report or would like to schedule an interview at a different time, please contact us at school.

Many of our WELC students are participating in interschool sports with the Westall Secondary team. This term that has included students playing in the Year 7 – 8 Handball competition. We encourage all WELC students to get involved with the different clubs and activities around Westall in order to meet new people and develop new skills. It’s also a wonderful way to practice your English in a different environment.

We are nearing the halfway mark of term and encourage all students to continue to put in effort with their studies to make sure they can make the biggest progress possible during their time at the Language Centre. Over the next two weeks, teachers will be giving final assessments which will guide our reporting at the end of term. These writing tasks are also shared with your future schools to show your improvement during your time in WELC. We will be contacting families soon to discuss exit plans for those students who will be moving to mainstream schools next year.

Ms Debby Morgan 

WELC Coordinator

WELC’s Breakfast Club

WELC had its own breakfast club recently. It is important to have breakfast that is nutritious every morning. Many of our newly-arrived students have not tried or tasted an Aussie breakfast so we served different types of cereals, baked beans or spaghetti on toast, toasted cheese sandwiches, toast with honey or vegemite, fresh and canned fruit.

Here are some feedback from the students who attended that day:

Based on my experience at WELC’s Breakfast club, I liked Cheese Toast the best. I also liked the vanilla yoghurt because it wasn’t very sour. I combined the delicious yoghurt with the oat cereal. It was delicious!

By Farisah ( group 1)

I was very satisfied with the Breakfast club on that day. The food there was palatable like the toast, cereal with milk and the baked beans. I rarely eat this kind of breakfast so every food was new to me. To be honest, the flavours were not exactly to my taste but it was definitely worth trying them. Overall, it was a very interesting experience and I really appreciate the chance to try something new.

By Jason (Group 1)

On that day, I ate cereal with yoghurt. I normally don’t eat this for breakfast. Mostly, I eat dumplings or bread with butter on it. I think this Breakfast Club is really a good activity to let students learn about having a healthy breakfast. Also, this can help us try new things and realise that having a heathy breakfast isn’t a difficult thing. This is a meaningful experience to me and I will eat this healthy breakfast at home.

By Olivia ( group 1)

I really enjoyed having breakfast at school with my friends. It was a unique experience. The yoghurt was really nice with cereal. The only thing which was a little weird for me was the baked beans. It tasted strange to me. In conclusion, it was amazing and I liked it.

By Aaron (group 1)

I had cereal with yoghurt and it was the best of all that I ate at Breakfast Club. I didn’t really enjoy the rest because I dislike bland food and canned fruit.

By Puthrith (group 1)

In October, I had an Australian breakfast with my friends and teachers in WELC. There was plenty of food for everyone to choose from. I had milk with cereal and baked beans on toast. They were tasty and healthy. We are learning about nutrition and healthy foods in science. This activity helped us understand better on the importance of eating a healthy breakfast. I had a great time having breakfast with my friends. By Wendy Wang (Group 1)

Ms Esther Chow 

WELC Teacher 

Art Elective

In celebration of Halloween Day, observed annually on October 31, students designed creative artwork inspired by the Halloween theme. They sketched silhouettes of bats, ghosts, witches, and haunted houses, and enhanced their pieces with colourful oil pastel backgrounds.

Another piece of artwork inspired by our excursion to Phillip Island on October 30 was beach paintings using acrylic paint. Students learned to mix primary colours (red, yellow, blue) to make secondary colours (orange, green, purple) to paint their pieces. 

Below is the students’ artwork which is on display in front of the WELC staff room.

Ms Anna Kotsiou

WELC Teacher

International Student Program 

Dear Students, Parents, and Homestay Providers,

As we approach the middle of Term 4, we’d like to share some updates and highlights from the International Student Program at Westall Secondary College.

1. Celebrating Our Term Stars

Each term, we recognise four outstanding students who have consistently demonstrated the Westall Way learning behaviours. These students were nominated by their subject teachers for their positive attitude, academic effort, and contribution to our school community. Congratulations to our Term 4 stars! Your hard work and dedication truly embody the spirit of Westall.

1. Birthday Celebrations

We also celebrated our September and October birthday students! Each month, international students are invited to join a special lunchtime celebration where they can bring two friends to share delicious food, cakes, and laughter. These moments remind us of the importance of friendship and community, especially for those far from home.

1.  Homestay Student Work Declarations

As homestay students have parents or guardians overseas, we recognise that they may face additional challenges living independently in Australia. To ensure their safety and wellbeing, we’ve introduced a Work Declaration Process:

• All homestay students and their parents are required to complete either a No Work Declaration or a Work Risk Acknowledgement Form each term.

• This helps us make sure students understand the potential risks of working in Australia, avoid overwork, and keep parents informed and involved.

We sincerely thank parents for their cooperation and continued support in keeping our students safe and focused on their studies.

1.  Parent Access to Compass

We’ve also expanded Compass access to overseas parents and guardians. Previously, only homestay hosts could view student attendance and academic progress. With this new update, parents overseas can now stay better connected and informed about their child’s learning.

If you are an overseas guardian and have not received your Compass login details or are experiencing any login issues, please contact us for assistance.

We’re proud of the growth and achievements of our international students this term and look forward to more great moments in the weeks ahead. Thank you for your ongoing support and collaboration.

1. Holiday Travel Plans

As we approach the school holidays, we remind all families and students to check official school term dates before booking flights. International students are required to attend school for the full term, which means you cannot leave early or return late. Please plan carefully and submit your travel details to the school for approval before finalising any bookings.

Ms Summer Bao

International Coordinator