Principal's Report 

NAPLAN RESULTS

As you are all likely aware, NAPLAN results have been released this week. This is an exciting opportunity for individual students as well as the broader school community to reflect on progress, pause to celebrate achievement, and use the data to set further directions for future learning and growth.

Vermont Secondary College has once again achieved outstanding results demonstrating how the learning environment, culture and values that underpin our school continue to deliver excellent results for students. 

A key indicator for success in NAPLAN is the percentage of students demonstrating performance in the Strong or Exceeding category. We typically achieve very strong results at Year 7, and this reflects the fantastic work done in the government primary schools within our network. As a school we are particularly interested in our Year 9 results, as this reflects the work that has been done with students during their time here.

When a cohort is already high-performing maintaining results from year 7 to 9 is considered a strong outcome.  Our results show that we have not only maintained our high level of results but seen increases in Writing and Numeracy. 

Particularly pleasing was the growth in Numeracy, where the percentage of students achieving in the Strong or Exceeding category increased from 86% in Year 7 to 93% in Year 9.

These results reflect the collective efforts of our students, staff, families and partner primary schools. The sustained excellence and growth demonstrated by the cohort is evidence of the strong culture of learning and success that exists across our college community. 

STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY – FRIDAY 28th of AUGUST

Friday the 28th of August will be a student free day as we will hold a Staff Professional Development Day. The day is set aside to provide us with an opportunity to build teacher knowledge and practice relating to our recently introduced VSC Instructional Model. 

COLLEGE COUNCIL

The VSC School Council had its meeting on Tuesday 21st July, immediately after its finance subcommittee’s meeting. Various motions from the finance subcommittee were presented and approved. Council also approved the insurance arrangements for the next year.

Council received an update on the many works that were done over the mid-term break and the various upgrades being undertaken such as fences, signs, painting and repairs. The overgrown vegetation between the driveway and the administration block has been removed and is going to be replaced by some landscaping and seating for students.

The council was presented with the latest results of the NAPLAN tests of 2026. It was extremely pleasing to see that the results were not just very good but were also indicative of the improvements VSC had set itself to achieve in its 4-year strategic plan. This means that not only do our students do well, but that the programs initiated and the work and effort of our staff have been very successful. Those aspects of a school often go unnoticed, but they are the main reason that VSC is performing well.

Various updated policies related to Child Safety were presented and council members will study them over the next period with the aim to provide feedback on them by the next council meeting. Since the Department of Education for the most part now dictates school policies, council can only make some insertions related to its own school.

Furthermore, school council approved the reports presented by the students, the canteen subcommittee and the VSCCA.

Frank Drost