Head of Secondary

Term 2 Reflection

It's with excitement that we celebrate the incredible Term 2 of Secondary School in the Newsletter! Looking back, it's clear God has blessed our school abundantly, making this a period of significant growth and achievement. We want to particularly commend our students for their commitment during the Year 7-12 Examinations, a challenging yet rewarding milestone. Our VCE students all sat the GAT (General Achievement Test) this term as they continue to prepare for their Subject Examinations at the end of the year. This year we have introduced regular Secondary and Year Level Assemblies. These gatherings have provided wonderful opportunities to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of our students across many areas. The focus in Pastoral Care lessons this term has seen students explore their personal strengths and offered students the chance to reflect on what things they do well in order to focus on their Wellbeing. We are so thankful for God’s blessings and the spirit of community that has thrived here. We invite you to share in the joy and reflection of this past term as you read on!

Year 7 News

It has been another busy term in the lives of our Year 7 students at St Andrews! Term 1 flew past as they admirably navigated through the many opportunities and challenges that Secondary school inevitably brings.

Students have continued to plan and run Year 7 Assemblies, that has included devotions, announcements of future events in the coming fortnight and celebrate birthdays in the cohort. We have also been very blessed to have a Worship Team compromising of many students who have so willingly given of their talent and their time in their quest to serve and glorify the Lord. For the first time this year, we all joined in with the Worship Team to sing of ‘the goodness of God.’ We are so appreciative of our Assembly and Worship Teams, and it continues to be open to any student who would like to join us.

At the Year 7 assembly, as part of our ‘Get-to-know-you’ series, we invited Mrs Natalie Farmer, Head of Learning and Teaching Secondary, who shared some of her journey as an educator and also spoke with our Year 7 cohort about electives for Semester 2 and how to go about the process if they needed to be changed. That has been successfully completed.

Wellbeing also ran two sessions in conjunction with the homeroom teachers in Term 2. Our counsellors Chloe and Melissa ran a session for the girls called, ‘Girls on Board’ which focused on friendship. Our Youth Worker, Mike ran a session for the boys inspiring them to think about what they were really all about and hold themselves and each other responsible to that aspiration or belief. Students enjoyed these sessions and the opportunity to complete these sessions with peers from the other classes.

Monday lunch times of this term have also been a time for students to bring their lunches and participate in board/card games or to enjoy their ‘noodle lunches.’

Our Year 7 students also successfully completed their End-of-Semester examinations and must be congratulated on their efforts. We are grateful to Year 7 parents for their help, partnership and support with this process.

As we approach the end of this term, we wish all our families a safe and happy break. As always, it has been a pleasure and a privilege to watch our Year 7 students change and grow into who God has created them to be. Looking forward to Term 3, on the other end of the holidays. 

E³ Gateways Ignite Incursion

Selected students from Year 7, 8 and 9 were involved in two workshops throughout the day. One workshop, The Peasants Are Revolting, took the students on an immersive role-playing game that reenacted key moments of and motivations behind the French Revolution. The other workshop, Curious Minds, encouraged students to explore the use of words in a creative and interesting way, exploring techniques from various famous authors. A great day of stretching thinking and thinking outside the box.

Academic Enrichment Programs at The University of Melbourne

We are incredibly proud to share that two Year 9 students and have been selected for two prestigious academic enrichment programs at The University of Melbourne: sheCommerce and Girl Power in Engineering and IT.

Abygail Xiao was selected to join sheCommerce. This program inspires the next generation of young business leaders and helps students gain insights into Economics, Finance, Marketing and Business Analytics.

Hannah Vun was selected to join Girl Power in STEM, Engineering and IT. This program is for girls with an interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and includes a three-night camp at the University of Melbourne (in Year 9), work experience (in Year 10) and mentoring opportunities (in the VCE).

Students enter these programs in Year 9 and for four years engage with university students, academics and industry professionals as well as participate in inspiring events at The University of Melbourne.

We warmly congratulate Abygail and Hannah on this outstanding achievement and look forward to following their journey in these programs.

VCE & Careers Expo 2025

On Thursday 1 May, Year 10, 11 and 12 students attended the VCE and Careers Expo, where they visited a wide range of exhibitors and seminars to assist in their future study, career, and pathway decisions.

The VCE and Careers Expo was held at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Wharf. All Victorian and many inter-state tertiary institutions’ Future Students Teams were there, ready and waiting to answer questions about their courses, campuses and study options.

There was a huge range of private institutions there, including NIDA, Carlton College of Sport, Melbourne Cricket Education Academy, LCI, JMC Academy, as well as many employers offering apprenticeship and traineeships. Emergency services such as Victoria Police, the Australian Defence Force, and Ambulance Victoria were also present and eager to explain their unique career training pathways.

The excursion was a great success. For many students it was a really eye-opening experience that made them think about tertiary study and career opportunities. It was exciting to see our students comfortably chatting with educators, asking questions, getting course guides and walking away with information and inspiration.

Day Out at Barista Coffee Course

On Tuesday 17 June, a group of twelve students accompanied by Mrs. Irena Yevlahova went to ‘Bean Around Town’ Bayswater, to be trained on the art of making coffee.

The course was delivered by experienced and accredited trainers at ‘Bean Around Town’ and the school covered the cost for the training.

We offered this hands-on experience to Year 11 students who were interested in learning the basics of professional coffee making techniques, latte art and an experience in hospitality industry. It was an enjoyable and productive day for all!

Completing a barista course can open up various career opportunities and it’s exciting that our students already started using new knowledge and skills at our school’s café, at home and at their church cafés.

VCE Formal

The 2025 VCE Formal was a night to remember. Held for our Year 11 and 12 students, it was a celebration of friendship, hard work, and the community we’ve built together. From the moment everyone arrived—dressed to the nines—the energy was high. With a delicious dinner, plenty of laughs, and a packed dance floor, the night was full of joy from start to finish.

But it wasn’t just about the glamour. The formal gave students and staff a chance to connect outside the classroom, to reflect on how far they’ve come, and to enjoy each other’s company in a relaxed, festive setting. It was a beautiful reminder of the memories, growth, and relationships that have shaped these final years of school.

A big thank you to everyone who came and made it such a special night.