Principal's Report

Report from Westall Secondary College

Principal 2024

Dear Westall Secondary College Community,

As Term 3 draws to a close we have much to recognize and celebrate.

School Performance Update – Annual Implementation Plan (AIP)

I am pleased to share that our performance across another metric has improved in 2024. Our Staff Opinion Data has just been released and performance in the 3 priority areas – Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum, Teacher Collaboration and Instructional Leadership have all improved from 2022 to 2023 and further improved again in 2024. With NAPLAN growth and performance targets met this year, Students Attitudes to School Survey results strong again and excellent student attendance and wellbeing data, our school is very well placed. 

We have had our biggest response rate to our Parent Carer Survey for the last 10 years and the survey has been reopened for another week and will close on the last day of Term 3. We look forward to seeing our parent opinion data and our VCE and VM results later this year. The final piece of our AIP data set that measures school performance is our destination data. This has been around 98% positive destinations post school (fulltime education/training or employment) and we have every confidence this will continue in 2024. We understand we only have our young people with us for 6 years before they take on the next 40 years pursuing their career passions. Hence pathways and career planning is so important and we make this a big priority at Westall throughout the time students are with us.

In summary, we continue to be a high performing school for 2 key reasons. The skill and dedication of our staff in their curriculum knowledge and their ability to build and create positive learning environments where students feel safe, a sense of belonging and feel challenge in their learning. Likewise, our students bring their will, energy, and effort every day. Student readiness to learn, bringing correct equipment, completing homework, and attending every day on time and in uniform. Our school CARE values and our Westall Way model captures this through our teaching and learning charts displayed in every classroom.

Student Enrolments

We now have a total enrolment of 700 students. We have steadily grown each year from 400 students, 10 years ago. We anticipate continued growth as our school becomes more and more popular. Population growth in the area is another factor. We are fortunate to have buildings and grounds that can accommodate 1000 plus students as we grow. 

Our International Student Program remains an important part of our school. We currently have 125 International students with Vietnam and Cambodia the biggest countries of origin. To support our International program, I will be in Vietnam and Cambodia from 3rd October to 11th October.

Miscellaneous

Our annual Year 12 formal will be held in the evening of the last day of term 3, Friday 20 September. We look forward to an enjoyable evening with our Year 12 students before they knuckle down for final assessments, practice exams, revision classes and VCAA exams and VM course completions.

Arts week this week has been another resounding success. Ms Ifandis is an absolute superstar and her team of staff and students have again put on an amazing spread of shows, displays and activities. Thank you Ms Ifandis and your team.

Our iCreate program gets stronger every year and students seem to love it more as each year goes on. Walking around the school every Wednesday afternoon seeing our students actively pursuing their passions is a joy to see. We also have groups outside the school on Wednesdays engaging in Dance, Taekwondo, Volunteering and Monash Uni sports events. Our Wednesday program really is an exemplar for Student Voice and Agency.

Westall SC turned 60 years old last year (we opened in 1963). After pulling together old photos, magazines, uniforms, and other memorabilia from the archives for our birthday last year, we didn’t want to simply return these items to boxes and storage. I am pleased to share we have a group of student leaders planning and developing our Westall Museum, which will be in B4. Stay tuned.

Progress Reports are due to be released to families via compass by the last day of Term 3, Friday 20th September. 

Day 1, Term 4, is Monday 7th October.

Enjoy the last week of Term 3 and have a safe and relaxing holiday.

Until next time.

Mr Tristan Lanarus

Principal