Principal Report

Dear Families,

As we come to the end of the 2025 school year, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our students, staff, families and wider school community for another remarkable year at Mortlake P–12 College.

To our students - thank you for your enthusiasm, resilience and pride in your learning. You continue to impress us with your growth, your kindness towards one another and the way you represent our school each and every day.

To our staff - your dedication, professionalism and genuine care for our young people is the foundation of everything we do. The commitment you show, often behind the scenes, makes an enormous difference to the lives of our students and their families, and it does not go unnoticed.

To our families - thank you for your ongoing support, trust and partnership. Strong relationships between home and school are vital, and we are incredibly grateful for the way you work alongside us to support your child/ren’s learning and wellbeing.

A special thank you to our School Captains, Molly and Jack, who have done an outstanding job supporting myself, our staff, students and the wider community throughout the year. Their leadership, maturity and willingness to step forward whenever needed has been greatly appreciated and has made a genuine difference to our school.

I am also very excited to work alongside our 2026 School Captains, Sarah and Isabella, as they prepare to step into their leadership roles. I look forward to seeing the ideas, energy and leadership they will bring to our school community next year.

The spirit of our school community was beautifully showcased on Friday night at the Mortlake Christmas Carols. It was a wonderful reminder of the warmth, generosity and connection that defines our school and our town, and it was a joy to see students, families, staff and community members come together to celebrate.

End of Year Reminders

A reminder to our school community that the last day of formal classes for all students is Tuesday, 16 December 2025.

Please also note that the school office will close for the 2025 year at 3:00pm on Friday, 19 December.

Families are reminded to download the Compass app if they have not already done so, and to keep an eye on Compass notifications throughout January, as important information will be shared ahead of the 2026 school year.

VCE Results 2025 - Celebrating Student Achievement

We are delighted to share the 2025 VCE results for Mortlake College. These outcomes reflect the hard work, perseverance and commitment of our senior students, supported by the dedication of our staff and the encouragement of families throughout the year.

Our VCE cohort achieved an overall mean study score of 28.3, a strong result within a small-school setting. We are extremely proud of the effort each student demonstrated and the determination they showed in reaching their goals.

A special congratulations goes to Molly Goddard, our 2025 Dux of Mortlake College. Molly achieved outstanding results across her studies, and her success is a testament to her consistent effort, resilience and positive approach to learning.

We also congratulate all students who received an ATAR this year. Their results open the door to a wide range of post-school pathways, including university, TAFE, apprenticeships and employment. Most importantly, each student should be proud of their achievements and the way they have represented our school community.

Thank you to our staff for their ongoing commitment to high-quality teaching and learning, and to our families for the support and encouragement provided throughout the VCE journey.

Congratulations to the VCE Class of 2025 — we are incredibly proud of you and wish you every success in the exciting pathways ahead.

School Bus Fare Update - Good News for Families

The Victorian Government has announced that from 1 January 2026, public transport across Victoria will be free for all children under 18.

For Mortlake P-12 College families, this means that students who are currently classified as ineligible travellers under the School Bus Program will no longer be required to pay a bus fare each term. This change represents a saving of approximately $500 per child, per year, which we know will be welcome news for many families in our community.

We will continue to share further information from the Department of Education as it becomes available.

School Council - New Eligibility Requirements

From 2026, parents, carers and community members wishing to nominate for School Council will be required to hold a Working With Children (WWC) Check.

If you are considering nominating in 2026 and do not already hold a WWC Clearance, we encourage you to apply for a volunteer WWC Check as soon as possible, as processing times can take between 3 and 12 weeks.

Please note:

A WWC Clearance is required to nominate for School Council
Volunteer WWC Checks are free and can be applied for online via Service Victoria
When applying, please list the Department of Education as the organisation
If you already hold an employee WWC Clearance, there is no need to apply for a volunteer one
VIT-registered teachers and school students are not required to hold a WWC Clearance to participate

Current School Council members do not need to apply immediately. This requirement applies if your term ends and you are nominating again or being co-opted.

For further information, please refer to Ministerial Order 1280 (Constitution of Government School Councils) 2020.

School Stationery

We are pleased to advise that the Officeworks Stationery Portal is now open for you to place orders for your child’s 2026 school stationery requirements.

The Portal can be accessed via the following link or QR Code:

When accessing the Portal, families will be required to select the year level and / or electives that their child is entering in 2026. Items can then be selected / deselected as required. For secondary students, please refer to the letter sent home on 8th December for elective selections for your child.

Officeworks provides a convenient click and collect service or home delivery is also available. Flexible payments options are available at the checkout.

We encourage families to place orders early to ensure availability of all items before the start of the 2026 school year.

If you have any questions or require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the General Office.

Moving to Compass in 2026

Over the January break, Mortlake College will be transitioning from Sentral to Compass as our new school management and communication platform.

This change will support improved communication, easier access to student information, and a more streamlined experience for families.

Please note: Sentral will no longer be active at the beginning of the 2026 school year. Compass will not go live until 27th January.

In the meantime any important information will be shared via email, text message or social media.

Families Leaving the College

If your child is not returning to Mortlake College in 2026, please ensure you download all student reports and any documents you wish to keep before Sentral access closes.

To download reports:

Log in to Sentral using your parent account.
Go to Dashboard -Select your child's photo
Select Academic Reports.
Select the report you wish to download - Press pdf
In the top right hand corner there are there dots, touch these and select Open in Browser
Select Academic Reports again
Select the report you wish to save
Then select
Click Save to Files and save it to your device.

Accessing Compass for 2026

How to Install the Compass App

Open the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android).
Search for "Compass School Manager".
Download and install the app.

How to Log In

Open the Compass app.
'Allow notifications'
Enter our school name: Mortlake P-12 College. (TAP HERE)
Parents need to select to sign in with a one time code.
Enter your mobile phone number
Verify - a one time code will be sent to your phone.
You can now access news, student attendance, schedules, reports (once published), and more.

We appreciate your support as we make this transition.

More information and guides will be shared with families over January and throughout Term 1.

If you have any questions, please contact the school office.

Important Upcoming Dates

Please continually check Social Media

Last Day of Formal Classes (all students): Tuesday December 16th
Last Day the School Office is Open: 8:30-3pm Friday December 19th
Staff Return and the School Office is Open: Tuesday January 27th
Students Return (including Prep Students): Wednesday January 28th
Year 11+ 12 Camp (Melbourne): Thursday January 29th and Friday January 30th
Year 5-6 Camp (Melbourne): Monday February 2nd to Wednesday February 4th
Prep Rest Day (prep Students do not attend school): Wednesday 4th February
Year 5-6 Camp Rest Day (No Formal classes for Year 5-6 Students): Thursday February 5th
Year 7-10 Immunisations: Wednesday 11th February
House Swimming Sports (Years 3-12 only): Wednesday 18th February
School Photos: Tuesday 3rd March
House Athletic Sports (Whole School): Tuesday 24th March
Last Day of Term 1 (Friday – Good Friday): Thursday 2nd April

As we head into the holiday break, I hope everyone enjoys a well-earned rest, time with loved ones and a chance to recharge. Thank you for being part of such a supportive and vibrant school community. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2026 for another exciting year of learning and growth.

Linda Mooseek

Mortlake P-12 College Principal

Birthdays

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS FOR DECEMBER