Principal's report

Dear Gisborne Secondary College Community,

As we conclude Term 2, I am pleased to share a summary of the many positive developments across Gisborne Secondary College, along with some important reflections that will guide our next steps as a college community.

I am both privileged and grateful to have been asked to continue in my role at GSC for an additional term, an opportunity I was honoured to accept. This continuity allows us to maintain momentum in our improvement journey and continue building on the strong foundations already in place.

Our Focus Moving Forward

Our priorities for the remainder of 2026 are clear and purposeful. We remain committed to:

Delivering on our School Strategic Plan (SSP), Annual Implementation Plan (AIP), and Department goals and targets.
Establishing a common language and consistent expectations across the college.
Strengthening collective efficacy and support for all staff.
Maintaining a relentless focus on students at the centre of every decision.
Building a culture that is professional, accountable, and improvement-focused.
Being brilliant at the basics.

These priorities will continue to guide our work and decision-making as we strive for excellence in student learning, wellbeing and engagement.

Celebrating Our Strengths

Throughout the term, I have had the opportunity to observe many aspects of college life and engage with staff, students and families. These experiences continue to reinforce the many strengths of our school community.

Gisborne Secondary College benefits from strong leadership, highly effective teams and a culture of collaboration and support. Conversations with staff across all areas of the college have been overwhelmingly positive and reflect a professional environment built on respect, care and shared purpose.

Our students have access to excellent facilities and a broad range of learning opportunities, positioning them well for future success. Most importantly, we have dedicated and passionate staff who consistently demonstrate genuine care for student learning and wellbeing.

There is also clear evidence of staff supporting one another, contributing to a positive workplace culture that enables both individuals and teams to thrive.

At the same time, we recognise that student engagement varies across year levels. While many students are highly engaged and achieving success, others require additional support. This remains an important focus as we work to ensure every student can reach their full potential.

Key Areas for Improvement

Our data provides a clear direction for ongoing improvement in three key areas:

Academic achievement, including NAPLAN and VCE outcomes.
Student attendance.
Student behaviour and engagement data.

To support growth in these areas, we are focusing on:

Consistency in expectations, behaviours and follow-up processes.
Alignment of systems and accountability across the college.
Supporting all staff to develop clarity and confidence in implementing college-wide expectations.
Ensuring decisions are strategic, measured and impactful to achieve sustainable and meaningful change.

As a large and complex school, it is critical that our improvement efforts remain focused and deliberate.

Building Consistency Across the College

One of the most significant areas of work this term has been strengthening consistency through clear, college-wide expectations.

Our targeted focus has centred on:

Mobile phones.
Lateness to class.
Time spent out of class.

Through deliberate realignment and a shared commitment from staff, the impact has been significant in a relatively short period of time. Data collected over the past six weeks demonstrates strong improvements across all three areas. Staff feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting increased clarity, consistency and confidence in expectations and processes. Students have also reported calmer and more focused learning environments, with improved on-task behaviour evident across the college.

This work demonstrates the power of collective action and reinforces the importance of maintaining shared expectations and consistent practice.

As the data shows, we have already seen significant positive improvements in a relatively short period of time. These behaviours had become established habits for some students and required a deliberate realignment of expectations and routines.

We are grateful for the support of our families and wider community throughout this initiative. Your partnership has been instrumental in helping us achieve these positive outcomes.

We hope you agree that the improvements are encouraging and we value your continued support as we maintain this focus throughout Semester Two. By working together, we can continue to strengthen positive learning behaviours and create the best possible environment for student success.

Building on the progress achieved this term, our focus for Semester Two will be to maintain and strengthen the expectations that have been established.

We will continue to support staff to confidently implement and sustain these expectations while also placing a targeted focus on:

Improving uniform adherence.
Improving student attendance.

This next phase of work will help ensure that the foundations established this term continue to translate into improved student outcomes and a consistent, high-quality learning environment.

Our Student Focus for Semester Two 2026 is simple:

As we move forward, our message to students will remain clear and consistent:

⏱️ Be ready to learn every day.

📆 Attend school every day and arrive on time.

📵 No mobile phones during the school day.

👕 Wear the college uniform with pride.

🤝 Demonstrate behaviours that reflect our college values.

These expectations are fundamental to creating a calm, orderly and high-performing learning environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed.

Final Reflections

Gisborne Secondary College is in a strong position. We have committed staff, supportive leadership, engaged families and outstanding opportunities for students.

The significant improvements already evident through our focus on consistency this term demonstrate what can be achieved when we are aligned and working together toward common goals.

By continuing to strengthen expectations, accountability and support for all staff, we are well placed to achieve sustained improvement in student achievement, engagement and wellbeing.

Thank you to our staff, students and families for your continued support throughout Term 2. I wish everyone a safe and restful break and look forward to an exciting and productive Semester Two.

Kind regards,

Suzie Harrison

College Acting Principal