Principal's Report

As we enter the second half of Term 1 at Ballarat High School, I have been reflecting with great pride on the strength of our student culture and the many ways it is expressed across our community each day. I know that this is a topic I return to regularly, but it is something that we need to remind ourselves of all the time. We are a fully comprehensive school with students who face challenges every day: some seen but many unseen. When students make social learning errors, as they will as part of their development, we must address them and hold all students accountable to our high expectations and aspirations for them: every student deserves that. As teachers this term, we have had a big focus on creating positive classrooms to support learning through routines, predictability and reteaching behaviours that we want to see. The changes we want to see cannot be confined to the classroom; what our students do in the wider community matters just as much.   At BHS we are lucky to have so many students who are prepared to represent us with pride.

There is something about the annual Head of the Lake rowing regatta, whether you are a seasoned rower or don’t know one end of the oar from the other, that has a special place in the wider Ballarat community. Perhaps it is the long history of the event, or maybe it’s the passion, commitment and hours put into its preparation by crews and coaches alike (and the family Uber drivers who get up at the break of dawn to ferry students to training) that adds to the prestige. As the only state school competing, we know that we face challenges of resourcing a program without additional funding whilst ensuring it is affordable for all. 

As I have said before, echoing the words of one of our parents, our students have two arms, two legs, a head and a heart: the same as every student from any school we compete against. As in all things, our students are the equal to all and deserve the best support we can give. As a school we are committed to identifying what that looks like within all our programs and we will be working with an external agency to capture the experiences and aspirations of our rowing community to map out a development plan for the next five years and beyond.

And we have a strong foundation on which to build: our student culture.  This school spirit was encapsulated by our Spit Crew at the Head of the Lake. With one voice and accompanied by staff and student brass and percussion magicians, we owned Lake Wendouree. They cheered all our crews, lifted them in their disappointments and respectfully acknowledged all the other school crews who passed our area. So many of the students who gave up their Sunday to weather the wind and the rain have no connection with rowing, but they have a deep connection with their school and each other.  That’s something to be proud of.

And as we bid farewell to one season and plan for the next one, it was fitting for our students to secure podium finishes in the State Regatta last weekend. Congratulations to the Senior Boys Division 2 & Senior Boys Division 1 for their silver medal positions and to the Senior Girls Division 1 for their Bronze and hats off to double medallists the Year 10 Girls Crew who bagged both a Bronze and a Silver Medal over the course of the weekend.

Our teams keep competing for honours with our Senior Boys’ Cricket team having to navigate a final game against College to determine whether they have the right to avenge last week’s defeat by Grammar in the BAS Grand Final. Let’s hope that they take a leaf out of our Senior Girls’ Cricket team who looked like they were chasing an insurmountable 102 runs off ten overs in the Greater Western regional final. To add to the tension, the girls needed 34 runs off the last two overs and got them after only 9 balls!

Whilst it is always pleasing for our students to achieve the rewards of victory, characters are not developed by winning medals alone. How we conduct ourselves matters more and while success on the water and on the field is visible and often publicly applauded, the sustained effort required for academic growth is just as significant. The quiet persistence of students who seek feedback, revise their work, ask questions and strive to do better each lesson is a powerful reflection of who we are as a school. I need that from every student because every student deserves the chance to see their efforts - socially and academically - pay off with the success that lives in growth. Through a match, competition or season, teams and individuals develop in the face of challenges. 

Perhaps the biggest challenge for many students is the transition from primary to secondary school.  The transition to high school is both exciting and challenging. Year 7 Camp provides a unique opportunity for students to form friendships, strengthen existing relationships and develop positive connections with their teachers in a relaxed and supportive environment. Removed from the usual routines and social pressures of school, students are encouraged to step outside their comfort zones, work with new peers and discover strengths they may not yet have recognised in themselves. Experiences such as the Year 7 Camp in Alexandria are intentionally designed to complement classroom learning. They foster resilience, communication, teamwork and independence — qualities that underpin academic success and personal wellbeing.

I would like to sincerely thank our dedicated staff for their care and commitment and our families for supporting this important opportunity. The connections formed and lessons learned at camp will continue to strengthen our Year 7 cohort throughout the year and beyond. 

Our Year 12s, who so clearly carry their learning from within and beyond the classroom, have strengthened so many connections that they made in those first weeks of Year 7. It was there at the lakeside; it is there as they navigate this final year at school. They still make those occasional social errors, but they learn, own and grow from them.

Ballarat High School is strong not simply because of results, but because of the culture our students create every day through their effort, attitude and unity. That is something we should all celebrate.

Stephan Fields

Principal