Principal's Report

It is wonderful to be back for Semester 2 and Term 3! It has been fantastic to return and see the many positive changes that have taken place across the school during my absence. From improvements to our physical environment through to the learning and teaching initiatives occurring in classrooms, there is a real sense of momentum across Heathmont College.

The landscaping works around the bus stops have already made a noticeable difference to traffic flow and congestion, while the new carpet in A Block has created a much more welcoming and comfortable learning environment for both students and staff. I've also returned to meet new students and staff members and to see the many ways our school has continued to grow and evolve as part of our improvement journey. Every one of these changes, large or small, contributes to making Heathmont College an even better place to learn and work.

Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the outstanding work of our leadership team throughout Term 2 and, in particular, thank Kelli Russell for taking on the role of Acting Principal, which made my Long Service Leave possible. I would also like to formally acknowledge Tristan Russell for stepping into the Acting Assistant Principal role and Meg Dargan for leading Curriculum as Acting Leading Teacher.

More broadly, I would like to thank all staff members across the college. Whenever members of a leadership team take leave, many others quietly adjust their own roles and responsibilities to ensure everything continues to run smoothly. While this is a common part of school life, it often goes unrecognised. I sincerely appreciate the flexibility, professionalism and commitment shown by everyone during the term.

NAPLAN

The Year 7 and Year 9 NAPLAN results have now been released and should have arrived with families this week.

I recognise that these results can create some anxiety for both students and parents. It is important to remember that NAPLAN represents a snapshot of learning on a single day and does not provide a complete picture of a young person's abilities, achievements or potential. If you have any concerns about your child's progress, I encourage you to speak with their classroom teacher or Year Level Coordinator so that we can work together to support their learning.

When we look beyond the individual reports and examine our results at a whole-school level, there are some very encouraging outcomes worth celebrating.

In particular, our Year 9 Numeracy results demonstrate exceptional growth between Years 7 and 9. Seventy-five percent of our Year 9 students achieved medium or high growth in Numeracy, placing Heathmont College above similar schools and above both network and state averages.

Perhaps even more encouraging is what this represents for this cohort. When these same students completed NAPLAN in Year 7, only 50% had demonstrated medium or high growth from Grade 5 to Year 7. Typically, schools see relative growth slow between Years 7 and 9, making this 25 percentage point improvement a particularly significant achievement.

One aspect of NAPLAN that families do not receive is the individual growth data. If your child is currently in Year 7 or Year 9, I encourage you to discuss both their achievement and growth with their English and Mathematics teachers during our upcoming Parent Teacher Interviews. Our teachers have access to this information and can provide valuable insights into your child's progress, strengths and next steps for learning.

While NAPLAN provides one valuable source of information, it is only one measure of success. At Heathmont College, we are equally proud of the growth we see every day—in our classrooms, on the sporting field, in the performing arts, through leadership opportunities and in the way our students demonstrate curiosity, compassion and community.

As we move through Term 3, there are many exciting events and learning opportunities ahead. I encourage all students to continue embracing challenges, making the most of every opportunity and supporting one another to achieve their very best.

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing partnership and support. Together, we continue to build a school community in which every young person can flourish.

Kerryn Sandford

College Principal