Student Learning & Growth 

As we begin a new school year, I warmly welcome all families, students and staff to what promises to be a year of growth, opportunity and shared achievement. The beginning of a new school year always brings a sense of renewal and optimism; it is a time for setting goals, establishing routines and recommitting ourselves to the values that define our community.  I hope the holiday period provided time to rest and reconnect with family and friends, and that students are returning with energy and focus for the year ahead. 

In Student Learning Culture and Growth, our focus is on embedding our new Lesson Structure which is a core element of our developing Instructional Model. This year, our teaching staff will continue refining their practice with the support of Christopher Thomas from PWRD. Each element of the Lesson Structure will be explored and strengthened so that students experience consistent, engaging, and purposeful learning that meets their individual needs. 

This year, we are making two changes to the way in which we report on our students’ growth. Firstly, we have already introduced new letter grades which are designed to provide greater clarity for families about student performance. The revised scale strengthens the connection between classroom assessment and reporting, enabling more informed conversations at home about progress and next steps. 

Secondly, we are replacing the Term 1 and Term 3 Progress Reports with a fortnightly email, the SIMON Student Digest. This digest provides insights into learning, assessment outcomes as well as indicators of engagement and progress.  

We encourage all families to engage regularly with the SIMON Student Digest as well as PAM to remain informed and connected to their child’s learning journey. 

Alongside these developments, we have already celebrated one of the highlights of our academic year. At this event, we celebrated our students who scored 40 or above in their VCE subjects in 2025, as well as our VCE Dux, the Proxime Accessit and the VM VCE Dux.  

The assembly was hosted by the 2026 Academic Captains, Aude Grigglestone and Isabelle Reitsma, whose leadership and professionalism ensured that academic excellence was thoughtfully and publicly acknowledged.  

Please see below for a list of the highest achieving students and their scores in VCE 2025. 

As we commence this year together, I invite every student to set clear goals, embrace challenge and take pride in their efforts. I encourage families to maintain open communication with teachers and to partner with us in upholding our high expectations and positive classroom culture.  

May 2026 be a year marked by growth, achievement, and strong community spirit for us all. 

Results from the High Achievers’ Assembly 

40+ Study Score in their VCE subjects 

Highest Study Score AND 40+ Study Score in their VCE subjects 

2025 College Dux – Hayley Beale 

2025 College Proxime Accessit – Archie Dunn 

2025 College VM Dux – Mia Christian 

Ms Alysoun Smalley

Deputy Principal: Student Learning Culture and Growth