Written by
Kathryn Wilson
As we approach the end of term, I would like to take a moment to highlight that mid-Semester reports and Parent Teacher Interviews will take place in Term Two.
Mid-Semester Reports:
Reports will be available to parents/carers through the Parent Portal from Friday, 2 May (the second Friday of Term Two).
ALL (both interim and end of Semester) reports will only be available for you online. Therefore, I would suggest that you either print a hard copy or save the report as a PDF if you would like to refer to it during your Parent Teacher Interviews.
Parent Teacher Interviews (PTIs):
Our first Parent Teacher Interviews for 2025 will take place when we return in Term Two.
The purpose of these interviews is to discuss the learning that has occurred in Term One and look at the academic successes and challenges that your child may have encountered so far this year.
Dates and Times:
| Wednesday, 21 May | 4.45pm - 8.15pm | Online |
| Thursday, 22 May | 2.00pm - 8.15pm | Face-to-Face |
More details regarding locations and bookings will be available in the next edition
NAPLAN 2025:
I would like to congratulate all our Year 7 and 9 students for successfully completing their NAPLAN tests this week. The students’ attitude and dedication was exemplary and hopefully the hard work and effort pays off when we receive the results later in the year. Whether our students achieve their desired score or not, taking these tests is a significant accomplishment in itself. We must remember that this is only one step in the students’ journey, and there will be many more challenges ahead.
Assessment & Reporting Codes:
As many students are in the midst of assessments, I would like to remind and inform new parents of the assessment guidelines and codes used at the College. The aim of this is to provide clarity and consistency across subjects, making it easier for both parents and students to track progress and identify areas for improvement.
Please find below detailed information about the new reporting and assessment codes, including examples and case studies of how they could be used in practice.
Y7-10 students (except for VCE RE in Year 10):
There are 3 possible codes:
1. Ex – Exempt: No Penalty
- Approved non-submission (illness with Medical Certificate, Pharmacy Certificates and Statutory Declarations provided to the teacher.)
- School sanctioned events
- Compassionate grounds as approved by any of the following:
- Head of House
- Head of Learning
- Deputy Principal - Teaching & Learning
- Deputy Principal - Students
- Head of Student Services
2. 0%:
- Not submitted (not handed in)
- Late submission
- Plagiarism (including AI)
- Absent with no explanation from parent to teacher prior to or day of assessment.
- Holidays during term time
Students will have the opportunity to redeem in the case of below 49%, however the redeemed grade will be recorded in comments on the LMS. The original % remains.
3. % grade:
- This is awarded to the assessment piece according to the school’s grade descriptors.
Case Studies:
The case studies below will hopefully aid an understanding of the new codes.
| Case Study 1: | “Alex, a Year 7 student, missed the Science test unexpectedly. The teacher later found out that Alex attended a last-minute audition for a drama performance and had told the supervising teacher that he had nothing important going on in Science that period.” Question: What should Alex be given for the missed Science test? Answer: 0% |
| Case Study 2: | “Emily, a Year 8 student, missed the Music test as she was supposed to be representing the school in a JACSA sports competition. However, Emily did not attend the JACSA event and provided no reason for her absence”. Question: What should Emily be given for the missed Music test? Answer: 0% |
| Case Study 3: | “Lily, a Year 9 student, missed the Geography assessment due to a doctor's appointment. She informed her teacher beforehand and submitted a medical certificate confirming the appointment”. Question: What should Lily be given for the missed Geography test? Answer: Exempt |
| Case Study 4: | “Jake, a Year 10 student, was absent on the day of the Maths test. He did not inform the teacher in advance, but later provided a medical certificate explaining that he had a contagious illness and was advised by a doctor to stay at home for a few days.” Question: What should Jake be given for the missed Maths test? Answer: Exempt |
| Case Study 5: | “Michael, a Year 12 student, was absent during the English SAC without prior notice. His teacher later discovered that he had been participating in an off-campus community service activity that day, supporting a local charity. Michael and his family did not respond to emails from his English teacher addressing the absence.” Question: What should Michael be given for the missed English SAC? Answer: N |
