College Newsletter

Principal's Report

As the end of the 2024 school year fast approaches, it’s a good opportunity to reflect on the many accomplishments and milestones of our school community. At Doncaster Secondary College, our vision remains clear: “All students are active participants in a learning culture that promotes academic excellence and personal development through a diversity of challenging experiences.” This year, we have seen this vision come to life in countless ways, as students, staff, and families worked together to achieve remarkable growth and success in learning and wellbeing.

 

NAPLAN Achievement and Growth: Our relentless focus on maximising learning growth has yielded outstanding results. In NAPLAN, we’ve seen:

  • Reading and Numeracy Achievement and Growth improving to high levels and our students a growing at rates above state and similar schools.
  • Our numeracy growth has been recognised as being well above these benchmarks.

 

VCE Outcomes: Our Year 12 students have worked incredibly hard with the support of our dedicated staff and together we have been looking forward to the release of student results in the hope that they have obtained the outcomes required to achieve their goals.

 

In recent years, our VCE outcomes have increased significantly, surpassing those of similar schools and growing at a rate well above the state average. Our College median study score has continued to trend upwards from 29 (2021), 30 (2022 and 2023), to an outstanding 32 (2024). Our College Dux was Christian Varrasso who achieved an ATAR score of 99.85. This is an exceptional achievement by Christian and a testament to his dedicated approach to learning, and the support of his teachers and family over many years. Well done, Christian! Additionally, 24% of our students achieved an ATAR above 90, 46% above 80, and 62% above 70. Our VCE-VM students should also be very proud of their efforts in 2024, with a 100% completion rate.  and they are well set up to move forward into further employment, education, and training.

 

Beyond academic performance, our students have contributed to their communities through programs like the Duke of Edinburgh Award, volunteering at primary schools, childcare centres, and local businesses. Partnerships with organisations such as the Victorian Health Department and Manningham City Council have further enhanced learning, fostering design thinking and the development of personal and social

capabilities.

 

Wellbeing remains at the heart of what we do, and this year, our school culture has continued to thrive:

  • Attendance rates are well above the state and similar schools average, highlighting our engaging environment.
  • Endorsements for emotional awareness and regulation exceed those of similar schools.
  • Positive feedback on managing bullying reflects our commitment to student safety and inclusion.
  • An above-average sense of school connectedness speaks to the strong relationships within our community.

 

This year’s Alternate Program Days, including Revive Days and Cluster Days, provided students with enriching experiences in intercultural understanding, careers and pathways, child safety, and more. Programs like Wear It Purple Day, the Pat Cronin Foundation, and the Butterfly Project reinforced our commitment to building resilience and fostering diversity.

 

Enriching experiences beyond the classroom been filled with opportunities for students to connect with peers, staff, and the wider community:

  • Camps: From Year 7 transitions at Camp Weekaway to Year 9 adventures at Wilson’s Prom, Music Camp, Sailing Camp, and the Central Australia Tour, these experiences have helped build confidence and friendships.
  • Performances and Events: The DSC Talent Show, School Production, and Music Concerts showcased student creativity and talent.
  • Sports and Competitions: Students participated in interschool sports, futsal, and intraschool tournaments, while clubs, fundraising events, and the Arts Festival kept our school buzzing with energy.

 

This year also saw recognition for our International Student Program, with students receiving prestigious awards such as the International Student of the Year and the Year 12 Student Leadership Award.

 

None of this would be possible without the incredible efforts of our staff, who have gone above and beyond to support learning and wellbeing. Their dedication to fostering growth and providing meaningful opportunities for students has been the driving force behind our school’s continued success.

 

As we prepare for 2025, we remain committed to our strategic goals of fostering academic excellence and personal development. Our school’s achievements over the past four years have positioned us as a leader in education, and we are excited to build on this momentum.

 

School Savings Bonus: All families should have received an email from the Department of Education recently with details of how to access your students 2025 School Saving Bonus. You will need to go to the link in your email and select what you would like to allocate these funds to. They can be used for any combination of Uniform, Books or School Activities. We have asked for Edrolo to be added to Doncaster Secondary College’s list of suppliers so families of senior students can use this to pay for their subscription. At the time of printing this Newsletter we cannot confirm if or when this can be done. The due date for Edrolo has been extended to allow for this. We thank all families for their patience and support of this program. We are getting regular updates from the School Saving Bonus team with more information that we will pass on to families as required. Follow this link for more information vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus

 

To our students, staff, and families—thank you for your contributions to another exceptional year at Doncaster Secondary College. Together, we continue to create a vibrant, inclusive, and thriving learning community.

 

Glenn Morris

College Principal