Senior School Report

Message from the 

Director of  Learning

Senior School 

Ms Helen Ifandis 

Term 3 has been a pivotal period of our VCE students as they continue to consolidate their learning in preparation for their final assessments. The term has seen significant progress in both academic and personal development, with many students demonstrating a strong commitment to their studies.

Overall, the academic performance of our VCE students have shown remarkable development. Our VCE results from the Attitudes to School Survey data demonstrated strong positive feedback from our students in all curriculum areas, Summary measures: Learning included - effective teaching practice for cognitive engagement, teacher-student relations, learner characteristics and disposition, Summary measures: Experience at school included social engagement, student safety (school safety), experience of bullying,  Summary measures: Health and Wellbeing - individual social and emotional wellbeing, physical and mental health, emotional and relational engagement.

Our Westall way point system – rewarding positive behaviours in the areas of care for learning, environment, self and others has demonstrated incredible success with our VCE students, which has resulted in the increased positive Attitudes to Schools data.

In VCE study space every Wednesday we strive for a positive learning environment, as well as achievements in learning. 

Term 3 focus has been on not only final assessments, but also on Career pathways. The VTAC workshop facilitated by Monash University in Week 3, provided students with great insight into pathways beyond Secondary school. The Victorian Admissions Centre (VTAC) facilitated access to tertiary education, further study opportunities, and pathways for learners in Victoria and beyond. VTAC empowered our learners through advice, information and resources about education opportunities, admission processes and requirements, and a wide range of pathways. A big thank to Ms Borgonha and Ms Vasilakis for organising the logistics and smooth running of the VTAC workshop.

The ELEVATE Education workshop this term was also a huge success! Elevate Education provides students with study skills seminars that are designed to achieve behavioural change amongst students. The challenge in any study skills program is getting students to use and apply the skills they learn. Elevate encourages students to use the skills from its seminars by using an integrated process that works. 

Elevate focused on giving students the skills to plan, prepare and maintain a level of continuity in their studies for assessments and the examination period. Student feedback is important, this is what students said: “10/10 5 stars, the program was honest and easy to understand”, “informative and enjoyable”, “entertaining and insightful”, “9/10 tips on how to manage stress, use time wisely” and manage exam preparation, “ tips on how to manage if set-backs occur – what if you don’t get into University”, “user friendly study routines”, “it was so relatable and reassuring”.

On the Wellbeing front Ashley Oehler and the wellbeing team have been running ‘Yoga’ workshops for our VCE students in the Flexi-Hub every Wednesday – the students are enjoying the relaxed mindfulness environment, as well as keeping their mental health in check!

In preparation for the examination period, Westall Secondary College is running Trial exams Week 1 of the September holidays. Trial exams are vital as they provide students with an authentic trial exam experience. They are effective as they build confidence in a practice run scenario, as well as an invaluable opportunity for students to learn from their mistakes, without the added pressure of achieving end of year results.

I would like to extend a sincere thank you to Ms Yuan, Mr Bottomley and Ms Vasilakis for organising the Fare-Share Foundation excursion to Abbottsford this term with the Vocational Major students. It was a very early start, 7.30am, a huge ask from our students and dedicated staff to give the students first- hand experience in making hundreds of meals for people who need it most! What an invaluable experience for the students and staff combined.

Ms Papagiannopoulos organised a ‘how to vote’ workshop for the VCE students. The workshop provided students with a great opportunity on how to enrol for the upcoming council Elections. The workshop provided insight to students on how to vote effectively. The students were educated on ‘how to make their vote count’. Thank you to Michael Fiddian form the Victorian Electro Commission, and Ms Papagiannopoulos for providing an invaluable experience, and teaching students in having a voice for a better community.

Term 3 has been productive, with many successes to celebrate. The challenges ahead will require continued dedication and support from both staff and students. I am confident with the momentum we have built this term, our VCE students are in a strong position in achieving their best in Term 4.

Art Making and Exhibiting Excursion 

Museum University of Modern Art, Monash University Caulfield Campus

The year 12 students visited MUMA gallery at Monash University on the 1st of August as apart of their Unit 4 School assessed coursework. Westall Secondary students joined Strathmore Secondary College in a workshop with the incredible Vera Moller, former Marine Biologist, now a renowned German-Australian artist. The students listened to Vera Moller’s journey as an artist who focus primarily on marine life in the Mornington Peninsula area. Her intricate sculptures captured shape, form and colourful organisms of the deep blue sea. Vera Moller works with a wide range of media, these include collage, paper magic clay, ceramics, drawing and painting.

Year 11 Legal Studies Visit to Pentridge Prison

The year 11 Legal studies students recently paid a visit to the historic sight of Pentridge prison in Coburg.

The National Trust has developed this sight into an amazing tourist and educational facility. There is a shopping precinct where we could all have lunch, and many different places to see and to wander around and look at the history. The VCE students had a quick tour of the Wardens cottage and the outside areas, then they were shown around the notorious H Division.

This division is also known as “Hell Division”. It was the maximum security division where all the most dangerous criminals were housed. This section remains one of the most notorious in Australian history. Household names such as Mark “Chopper” Reid, Victor Peirce (underbelly times), Peter Lawless and Ronald Ryan, who was the last man to be hung in Victoria, were all housed there at some time. 

All of us were given an audio device which triggered a story once you walked into the delegated cells. The stories about life in H Division were very interesting and at times shocking and also quite sad.  It certainly was an eye-opener for all of us; to see the conditions the men lived in and the history behind the entire prison. The visit certainly cemented the students experience of the legal system and some of the history behind what we have today.  

Ms Sue Stenning

Humanities Coordinator

 Fareshare Excursion  

Year 12 VM’s 

FareShare is a non for profit organisation that provides meal relief for people experiencing hardship. They received food donations and even grow their own produce to then turn it into healthy meals that help out Australians who are facing troubles. As part of the volunteering partnership under the Schools In The Kitchen program that Westall has joined with Fareshare, our students and staff participate in the experience and help out in the kitchen to prepare a range of vegetables and then measure, assemble and package meals. 

Our Year 12 Vocational Major students packaged just over 780 halal beef and vegetable curry with rice and prepped over 3 kg of broccoli along with assembling a little more than 30 packets of marinated chicken for cooking. All of the prepped food will be then cooked, used and assembled into meals the following day. The meals they packaged will be able to feed over 1400 mouths, and the food they prepared will be used to create over 800 meals. 

Donna Yuen

VCE/ VM Teacher

Year 11 Food Studies

Our Year 11 Food Studies students have been hard at perfecting their culinary skills and working on their production skills in the kitchen. They have been learning about the manufacturing and processing of foods and the influence of many food trends on our eating habits. Students created a chicken wonton soup, all dishes were had individual flavours and students got creative with their presentation and flavour combinations. 

Donna Yuen

VCE/ VM Teacher

VCE Yoga