Senior School Update

Assistant Principal - Senior School - Overview

Dear Parents and Carers,

As the academic year is coming to a close, this is a very busy, and at times, challenging time for our Senior students. This week, we held our last Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority (VCAA) written examination. We are very proud of our first cohort of Year 12 students, who have been undertaking their final written examinations with the first major examination in English being held on Tuesday, October 24th. We have received excellent feedback from the VCAA Chief Examiner at our school, who has described our students as exceptional, having demonstrated the college values of Respect and Embracing Learning through their commitment to arriving on time, being respectful and writing until the end of each examination. We held our last year 12 examination on Monday, November 13th. 

I want to thank our Senior School's Year 12 team, led by Leading Teacher Samantha Smith, our Year 12 Coordinator Ignatius Zanetidis, our VASS Administrator Michelle McNamara and Anne Croughan, our VCAA Chief Supervisor for all of their work. However, my highest praise is reserved for our first cohort of Year 12 students, whom I have had the unique opportunity to work with since 2017, I want to acknowledge their commitment to pursuing each of their individual aspirations and dreams, we are so proud of you as a Leadership Team and as a school community.

Year 12 Valedictory Dinner

The college community will have a final opportunity, to acknowledge and celebrate their achievement over 13 years of school as we come together to pay tribute to our foundation group of students as they prepare to transition from school to pursue individual ambitions via pathways such as University, TAFE, Apprenticeships and the world of work. 

Year 11 & 10 Examination and Step-Up Programs

Our Year 11 students are currently undertaking their examinations that commenced on Tuesday the 14th of November, these exams are conducted in a formal manner aligned to the conditions and rules VCAA uses for the conduct of the Year 12 exams, this provides our current Year 11 students with practice to make them match fit for Year 12 in 2024. The Year 11 will next week formally commence their studies in VCE year 12 when they Step up into year 12 subjects for their final week. The Step Up Week is a critical opportunity to prepare our current Year 11s for success in 2024. The Year 10s will then commence their exams, followed by a Step Up Program to support their transition into the world of VCE and the Vocational Major. 

Ready to learn and achieve academic excellence in 2024

I have recently sent home to all families via Compass information regarding purchasing and accessing the English & Literature Novel early, the purpose of these early purchases is to support our students by providing them with the opportunity to read and critique the novels over the summer. If you have not had the opportunity to purchase the novels, please consider purchasing these through a general bookseller to enable your young person to be set up for success in English 2024.  I will release this week the Booklists for 2024, we work very hard as a college to ensure our students have access to all necessary resources, whilst being acutely aware of the cost pressures our families and students are facing. Please be assured if we have placed a textbook on the booklist for senior school it is imperative that your student needs this resource, we only set digital versions as these are typically much cheaper than the hard copy version, with the exception of English. Please support your child by ensuring they will have access to the laptop/iPad and digital resources they need to experience academic success in 2024.

Attendance and Engagement in the final weeks of 2024

As we enter the final weeks of Term 4, it is often tempting for Senior students to start ‘winding down’ as they see the end of the year drawing nearer. It is important that we, parents and teachers, work together to ensure that all our students are connecting and engaging at school right up until their final day.

Next week our Year 11 students will start their Step Up Program where they will commence studies in their 2024 subjects. 

Our teachers are ensuring that our young people have interesting and relevant learning programs right up until the end of the year. All students are expected to be at school engaged in learning until their final day.

Yours sincerely,

Glen Cowan 

Assistant Principal - Senior School

Year 11 Examinations

Year 11 VCE students sat their examinations from the 13th - 17th of November. Their commitment to their studies was well and truly evident, as every student displayed our College's values of 'Respect All', 'Embrace Learning', 'Aim to Innovate' and Look to Inspire'. We congratulate our Year 11 cohort on their outstanding achievements.

Year 11 into Year 12 Step-Up Program 

This week, our Year 11 students officially move into Year 12, where they will begin their Units 3 and 4 studies before they leave for their well-earned holiday break. Throughout this week, students will participate in a range of activities that are designed to give them a taste of what is to come in Year 12. We thank our teachers for putting together an innovative and informative program for our students that will leave them best prepared for the expectations of Year 12.