Principal's Report

Principal report

What a great start to Term 3!

Two weeks in and our school calendar has continued to be full of many opportunities for learning, creativity and achievement for our students.

Last Wednesday students, staff and families came together to discuss learning journey strengths and where to next. We are committed to providing a supportive, challenging, and inclusive environment where every student can thrive.

Our senior students are working diligently as they approach the final stages of their schooling, while our younger learners continue to build the foundations that will support their lifelong learning journey.

Finalising Prep and Year 7 2026 Student Enrolments

Planning ahead is key to ensuring a smooth and successful start to school in 2026. I would like to remind all families of the importance of completing Prep/Foundation and Year 7 enrolments for the 2026 school year as soon as possible.

Accurate enrolment numbers allow us to plan effectively for staffing, class groupings, resources, and transition programs. This is particularly important in a P–12 setting, where a well organised start helps lay the groundwork for long-term student success and wellbeing.

If you have a child starting Prep or Year 7 in 2026, we encourage you to contact the college for a private personalised school tour and support to complete an enrolment form ASAP.

We greatly appreciate your support in helping us prepare for another strong year of learning and growth in 2026.

Senior Pathways – How you can support your child

Over the first half of this term, we are actively supporting our secondary students and their families through the important process of subject selection and pathway planning. This process plays a key role in ensuring every student is set on a path that reflects their strengths, interests, and future aspirations.

To support students and families in making informed decisions, we are hosting a:

Subject Pathway Information Night on Monday, August 11th | 6:30–7:30pm

This evening will provide valuable insight into subject offerings, pathways into VCE, VET, and VCAL (or equivalent programs), and the broader opportunities available in senior secondary education.

Family support plays a crucial role in a student’s educational journey. By working together, we can ensure that every student is confident and well prepared to pursue a meaningful and fulfilling senior pathway. Let’s work together to ensure every student is on a supported and guided pathway that allows them to develop and realise their full potential.

Mortlake College Book Fair - Library

Students, families, and friends are warmly invited to visit and browse a fantastic selection of popular and engaging books, along with fun stationery items and toys. There’s something for every reader!

Not only is the Book Fair a great way to encourage a love of reading, but it’s also a significant fundraiser for our school. Every purchase helps us raise money to invest in new learning resources and materials for our students.

You can purchase items from the Book Fair every Monday and Thursday for the next 3 weeks.

Thank you for your support—and happy reading!

2025 Student NAPLAN Results

Last week, students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 received their hard copy NAPLAN results for 2025. Teaching staff and leadership have been closely analysing the data to identify the strengths of our teaching and learning programs, as well as areas where we can continue to grow.

I am proud to share that our overall results were outstanding!

Our students in Year 7 and Year 9 Numeracy, and Year 9 Reading achieved results that significantly outperformed those of similar schools, our local network, and the state of Victoria. We also recorded exceptional learning growth in Year 5 and Year 9 Numeracy, and Year 9 Reading when compared with these same benchmarks.

We are especially pleased to acknowledge the achievements of the following Year 9 students who received certificates of achievement for their performance: Nick, Elijah, Lexi, Layla, Abbey and Beau.

Category One: Excellence – achieving results in the highest proficiency level, Exceeding, in Reading and/or Numeracy.
Category Two: High Growth – demonstrating a significant increase in proficiency levels from Year 7 to Year 9 in Reading and/or Numeracy.

While there is still more work to be done in reviewing specific skill areas and evaluating the impact of our curriculum, these results clearly show that we are:

Successfully challenging and extending our high-achieving students.
Effectively supporting learning growth across the full range of student abilities.
Making strong progress in helping all students access the curriculum and achieve meaningful growth.

We look forward to continuing our work to refine our practices and build on this success.

Completion of our School Review and new Strategic Plan 2025-2029

I am pleased to share that we have successfully completed our school review and finalised our new Strategic Plan for 2025–2029.

The school review process has been an important opportunity for us to reflect on our achievements, gather insights from staff, students and families, and set a clear direction for the next four years. With valuable input from our school community and support from our review panel, we now have a renewed strategic vision that builds on our strengths and sets ambitious goals for the future.

Our new Strategic Plan outlines key priorities that will guide our efforts to improve student outcomes, strengthen teaching practice, enhance student wellbeing, and foster a strong and inclusive school culture.

Our new plan focuses on two core priorities:

Maximising student learning growth and cognitive engagement
Strengthening student wellbeing and inclusion

These priorities reflect our strong belief that academic success and student wellbeing go hand in hand. We are committed to ensuring that every student is not only a successful learner, but also a confident, capable young person ready for life beyond school.

Book Week – Book an Adventure

We are excited to celebrate Book Week at Mortlake College from Monday, August 18th to Friday, August 22nd. This year marks the 80th anniversary of Children’s Book Week across Australia—a wonderful milestone in promoting the joy of reading among young people.

The 2025 theme, “Book an Adventure!”, invites students to explore new worlds through stories and imagination. Throughout the week, students will take part in a variety of engaging activities centred around books, storytelling, and the magic of reading.

A highlight of our celebration will be the Book Week Dress-Up Day on Friday, August 22nd. Students are encouraged to come dressed as their favourite book character, and we can’t wait to see the creativity and enthusiasm that always fills our school on this special day.

Thank you for your continued support in fostering a strong reading culture at Mortlake College. Let’s work together to make this Book Week a memorable and inspiring adventure for all!

Parent Payments

A sincere thank you to all families who are up to date with their Parent Payments or are actively following a payment plan. Your contributions make a significant impact on the quality of programs, resources, and learning opportunities we can offer our students.

We encourage all families to take a moment to familiarise themselves with our Parent Payment Policy, which outlines that all extra-curricular activities are offered on a user-pays basis. These activities are optional but enrich the learning experience in meaningful ways.

We kindly request that 2025 Parent Payments be finalised as soon as possible, to help us plan and deliver the best possible educational experience for all students, as we begin planning for 2026.

Your ongoing support is greatly appreciated.

Victorian Government Drought Support

We are deeply saddened by the ongoing farming crisis affecting communities across South-West Victoria. The prolonged dry conditions, rising fodder costs, and growing financial pressures have placed enormous strain on our farmers, their families, and the broader rural communities.

Our thoughts are with those who are facing uncertainty, tough decisions, and the emotional toll that comes with such challenging times. As a school community, we recognise the vital role that farmers play not only in sustaining our economy and food supply, but in shaping the strength and character of our region.

We stand together with those impacted and extend our heartfelt support. We encourage anyone in our community who is affected to contact the college so we can assist with supports that are currently available.

Important Upcoming Dates

Please continually check Sentral and the newsletter for important dates, student information, and highlights of events.

Year 10 Camp: Monday August 4th to Wednesday August 6th
School Council: Tuesday August 5th
Bell Shakespeare Performance (Primary + Secondary): Thursday August 7th
9-11am Mortlake Kinder Visit: Monday August 11th
Senior Pathways Information Night: Monday August 11th Between 6:30-7:30pm
GWR Senior Boys (Years 10-12) Basketball: Thursday August 14th (Ballarat)
Primary Performance – Alpha Show: Friday August 15th
Year 5-6 Hoop Time Basketball: Friday August 15th (Terang)
Book Week: Monday August 18th to Friday August 22nd
Book Week Dress Up Day: Friday August 22nd
Dental Van: Weeks 7-9 Term 3

Linda Mooseek

Mortlake P-12 College Principal