Issue #5 22 May 2026

Term 2 is proving to be another busy term for our college community. The college has held several key events including SEAL Evening, Young Leaders Breakfast and an International Agent Visit.

SEAL Info Evening

On Wednesday 29 April (Week 2), we hosted our first SEAL Information Evening for prospective students and their families.

The purpose of the evening was to provide more detailed information about the SEAL program than is possible during Open Night. While Open Night continues to be an important opportunity to showcase the program, we identified that many families were seeking more in-depth information and asking higher-level questions. The SEAL Information Evening was introduced as a targeted strategy to address this, while also maintaining engagement with families in the period leading up to SEAL nominations.

The evening was very well attended by both parents and students and provided an opportunity to explore the structure, expectations, and benefits of the SEAL program in greater detail. Feedback and engagement on the night were highly positive. Since the event, the College has seen a strong increase in SEAL test applications, indicating the effectiveness of this initiative.

A number of student leaders and volunteers supported the evening, including Louis Smith (School Captain), Lila Fennell (Academic Captain), and Sadie Dorais, who spoke on behalf of the STRIVE program. We also acknowledge the contribution of several Year 7 and 8 students who assisted throughout the event.

Overall, the SEAL Information Evening was a successful addition to our recruitment and engagement strategy. It is anticipated that this will become an ongoing event in future years.

Young Leaders Breakfast

On Thursday 7th May, North Geelong Secondary College hosted student captains from 11 local primary schools for our annual Young Leaders Breakfast.

This event is hosted in the spirit of connecting and developing the leadership skills of young people in the Geelong Region. It provides the opportunity to bring together our future leaders in a setting where they can voice ideas, work alongside other like-minded students, and ultimately make positive contributions to their wider communities.

The Grade 6 students and NGSC student leaders had the honour of hearing from guest speaker, Laura Hingston, World Championship 10m diver. From overcoming career-ending back surgery at 15 to rising to 5th in the world, Laura forged an extraordinary path as a 3x National Champion, international medallist, and key member of the Australian Diving Team. Laura shared her story of overcoming challenges, losses, and injury and how she focuses on training smarter not harder, visualisations and goal setting.

The event was a great success and, as every year, visiting staff comment is the one they always want to attend.

International Agent Study Tour

On Friday 8 May, North Geelong Secondary College hosted its second annual International Student Agent Study Tour.

The purpose of the tour is to strengthen our international program by providing education agents with first-hand experience of both our school and the broader Geelong region. Specifically, the tour aims to:

• Showcase Geelong as a vibrant and welcoming city for international students
• Highlight Geelong’s proximity and accessibility to Melbourne
• Promote the world-class facilities at both Deakin University campuses
• Provide agents with a comprehensive understanding of North Geelong Secondary College and what we offer international students

This year, we welcomed a number of international agents to the College. The day began with a school tour and presentation, giving agents insight into our programs, facilities, and student opportunities. This was followed by a visit to Deakin University’s Waterfront campus, where agents participated in a guided tour to experience the quality of facilities available to students in the region.

The group then enjoyed lunch at a café along the waterfront, which provided an excellent opportunity to further showcase the lifestyle and appeal of Geelong. The weather was favourable on the day, allowing the agents to experience the city at its best.

Feedback from both this year and last year’s tours has been overwhelmingly positive. Many agents commented that they were previously unaware of the opportunities available in Geelong, particularly at North Geelong Secondary College. Several indicated that they would confidently recommend our school to prospective international students moving forward.

The continued success of this initiative highlights its value in promoting the College and strengthening international enrolment pathways. It is anticipated that the International Agent Study Tour will remain a key component of our international strategy in future years.

Curriculum Day 20th May

This semester’s curriculum day is focussing on the continued implementation of Victorian Curriculum 2.and the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model. Staff will be ensuring units are updated and that they contain key elements of Knowledge Rich Curriculum, Retrieval Practices and Managing Cognitive Load. Staff will be working collaboratively in Key Learning Area groups to ensure rich and engaging learning for our students.

Learning Walks

Learning walks were held on Wednesday 13th May. This is the second time that students have participated, and their input was so valuable and insightful and reflected a student's view. The focus was on collecting Victorian Teaching and Learning 2.0 implementation. This data and feedback will be presented prior to Curriculum Day and help shape the focus for staff. Students highlighted that this is a great way to promote student voice and share key learning, e.g. a key highlight was acknowledging different ways students learn and teachers teach.

GRO Model Learning Homework Sheets

The weekly homework program has now expanded to include English as well as numeracy. The sheets are provided to students each week and three levels of work are provided - Gain / Reach / Optimise. The aim is to continue to reinforce learning and develop organisational skills. Student feedback has been positive and the SRC have nominated the rewards students will receive at the end of the semester and the academic year - silver and red pens that are engraved and boxed.

Senior Pathways Information Evening 

On Wednesday 24th June there will be an information session held at the school for Year 10s and their families informing them of Senior School Pathways and the various options available. During the night we will discuss topics like:

• VCE
• ATAR and subject scores
• Vocational Major (VM)
• Vocational Education and Training (VET)
• Structured Workplace Learning
• Senior School Expectations
• Upcoming Careers Week

Please save the date in your calendars, more information will be released soon about specifics and RSVP details.

Upcoming Exams

End of semester exams are being held soon and classes are starting revision. There are revision sheets being provided by English and Maths for year 7-9 students to take home and complete (similar to the weekly homework sheets).

Dates:

*Year 7-10 Exams - 1-6 June. Students will be provided with specific timetables. *Year 11 Exams - 12-16 June - Exam timetable has been published.

End of Semester Reports will be provided at the end of the term.

Student Free Days:

8 June: Kings Birthday Public Holiday.

16 June: Assessment and Report Writing Day.  Students completing the GAT will be required to sit the GAT on this day.