Senior School
Seymour College
Advance Notice
Monday 16 November to Friday 27 November
Year 11 into Year 12 in 2027 Head Start
Monday 30 November to Friday 4 December
Year 10 into Year 11 in 2027 Head Start
Year 12 Farewell
On Friday 16 October we farewelled our Year 12 students. Congratulations on finishing 13 years of schooling and we wish those completing exams good luck!
“Success is never final; failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts.” — Winston Churchill
Year 12 Exam Timetable
The exams commence on Tuesday 27 October and finish on Tuesday 17 November.
The timetable can be viewed below.
https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/administration/key-dates/vce-examination-timetable
Extract from the Herald Sun on 20 October 2026.
Head of English shares her top tips to ace the 2026 VCE English exam
The VCE English exam is nearly here, and Strathcona Girls Grammar’s head of English breaks down the final revision moves and writing habits that can make a real difference.
The clocks are ticking to Tuesday, October 27, when tens of thousands of Victorian students will open their test booklets for the three-hour VCE English exam.
As the official curtain-raiser to the exam season, and a common prerequisite for university entry, English carries unique weight.
Head of English at Strathcona Girls Grammar Danielle Cooper says success in those crucial 180 minutes rarely comes down to late night cramming.
Here are Ms Cooper’s top tips for acing the English exam:
Section A: Analytical Text Response
In Section A, students write an essay on a text they studied.
Ms Cooper said students must answer the exact prompt instead of writing a memorised response.
“Answer the question you are given. Don’t write the essay you hoped would be on the exam,” Ms Cooper said.
“Underline the key words and keep returning to them throughout your response.”
Ms Cooper said students should avoid dropping large blocks of text into their work.
“Avoid ‘quote dumping’ and, instead, incorporate shorter quotations which should be analysed carefully,” Ms Cooper said.
“Analyse, don’t retell. Your assessor knows your text, so write for an audience who is very familiar with your text.
“For film, think about film techniques, while for novels, poetry and plays, consider imagery, symbolism, setting and narrative perspective.”
Section B: Creating Texts
In Section B, students write an original piece tied to a Framework of Ideas which this year includes Play, Protest, Personal Journeys, or Country.
The prompt gives a title and stimulus material that students must include.
“Make sure the title and stimulus are meaningfully integrated,” Ms Cooper said.
“The title must be central to your own text and extended through the stimulus you have selected.”
Students can choose to explain, reflect, or argue. Whichever option they pick, they need a clear purpose, a consistent voice, and strong ideas.
Section C: Argument Analysis
Section C tests how written text and visual images persuade readers. Ms Cooper said students should consider doing this section first while the texts are fresh in their mind after reading time.
“Carefully read the Background Information before closely reading and analysing the material,” Ms Cooper said.
Ms Cooper said students must avoid simple summaries of the text.
“Focus on analysing how and why language and argument are used to persuade the audience, rather than simply paraphrasing or describing the material,” Ms Cooper said.
“Your best preparation is to write regular timed practice responses.
“Access previous VCAA exams to help you refine your analytical writing.”
Ms Cooper says students who get stuck should “keep writing” and not panic.
“You cannot earn marks for something you haven’t written,” she said.
“At this stage, you know your texts. You know how to write an essay. You have been
writing all year … Now it is about making good decisions under exam conditions.
“If you open the exam and the question isn’t what you hoped for, take a breath.
“The exam isn’t testing whether you managed to predict the question. It’s testing
whether you can respond to it. And you can!”
Elevate Parent Webinars
We’re excited to announce that Elevate Education will be hosting a free webinar for our parents on Time Management on October 28th.
Elevate works with our students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series, you’ll learn how you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they’re learning at school.
Sign up for the session below to learn how you can help your child to stay focused and prioritise revision when it matters most.
Live Parent Webinar: How You Can Help Your Child Manage Their Time
Wednesday 28th October 6:30-7:30pm (AEDT)
Click here to register for free
Here’s what Elevate will be covering on the night:
✅ Aligning expectations on homework with your child
✅ Helping your child balance their schoolwork and social life
✅ Setting up a weekly planner tool with your child
We hope to see you there!
