Assistant Principal (VM) Report 

Report from Assistant Principal Travis Mcintosh

Dear Parent/ Guardians, Students and Staff

Since joining the Westall Secondary College community early in 2023 as the Lead Teacher of the Vocational Major Certificate, I have been impressed at the genuine sense of community. Both staff and students have been extremely welcoming, and the sense of care and compassion people have for one another has certainly only reaffirmed why I was thrilled to be joining the team. 

This year however, my role has had some significant changes. Whilst I continue to oversee the implementation of the new VCE Vocational Major Certificate, I am now tasked with Teaching and Learning across the college as an Acting Assistant Principal. This piece of work is quite significant, as it looks at what is our current approach to curriculum and planning? How well our current teaching and learning program meets the needs of our students and how well as a school, do we capture the curriculum as it is taught across all our classrooms. 

This work is of course timely, as the Victorian Government begins to roll out an updated version of the F-10 Victorian Curriculum 2.0. This revised curriculum framework emphasizes deeper learning, critical thinking, and real-world connections. With a focus on personalized learning and fostering a growth mindset, Victorian Curriculum 2.0 empowers students to become active participants in their learning journey. We believe this shift will prepare them not only for future academic success but also for life beyond the classroom.

With an increase in enrolments in our VCE Vocational Major Program, we have also been able to offer more provision for the delivery of VET within the school which has included the Certificate II in Building and Construction. This program allows students to combine their chosen VCE VM subjects with nationally recognized vocational qualifications onsite, equipping them with valuable industry-specific skills and knowledge. The success of our Vocational Major program has also seen 7 students who have successfully signed HeadStart Apprenticeships whilst at school, which guarantees them a genuine career pathway upon completion of their VCE VM Certificate. Anyone interested in a HeadStart School Based apprenticeship should contact Jane Jamieson our HeadStart Coordinator. 

We encourage you to visit the College website or contact myself for further information about the VCVET or VCE Vocational Major program and Victorian Curriculum 2.0 implementation. We look forward to an exciting and enriching year together!

Sincerely,

Mr Travis Mcintosh

Assistant Principal (VM, VPC, VP -Yr 10)