It’s hard to believe we are already halfway through the year, and what a busy few weeks we have had!

I would like to firstly congratulate our Year 12 teachers for a very successful first round of Senior English confirmation. This process involves the state-wide confirmation of senior assessment. It is very reassuring to know that our senior English team have successfully had all samples confirmed. Our Year 12 English Essential teachers will complete their state-wide quality assurance early next term.

Our Year 10 and 11 English teachers are also currently assisting the Senior Schooling team to review student achievement and suitability in General and Extension English subjects. The teams will provide recommendations about English subjects and pathways in the coming week as QCE reviews take place.

Further to this, our Year 9 and 10 students are about to undertake the exciting journey of planning out their Senior Schooling journey. Part of this involves selecting their Senior English subjects. In senior, English branches into multiple different subjects and here at the college they are: English Extension (Year 10), General English (Year 10-12), Foundation English (Year 10), Essential English (Year 11-12), Literature (11-12) and Short Course Literacy. Students who intend to continue studies at university will need select one of the following subjects in years 10, and 11 and 12: English Extension (Year 10), General English (Year 10-12), or Literature (11-12). These subjects are rigorous and have a pre-requisite of a minimum achievement of a ‘B’ in year 9 English.

Students who intend to enter the workforce, or continue studies at TAFE can select from Foundation English (Year 10), and Essential English (Year 11-12). These subjects offer the same QCE points as the other English subjects, but do not contribute to ATARs.

If you have any questions about which English subject is right for your child, I encourage you to email your child’s current English teacher, or Head of Department - English, Ms Diesing to discuss.

On Thursday 6^th June, our Junior Readers Cup teams competed in the Brisbane West Years 7/8 Regional Competition. Our teams represented our college brilliantly, demonstrating perseverance when one of their team mates was unable to attend. We are looking forward to receiving the results from the competition very soon as we look forward to next year’s competition when you will compete in the senior competition! Thank you to Mr Shaw for managing our junior teams.

As students gathered around tables, and were treated to iced chocolate drinks and an assortment of freshly baked cookies, they digested the poetic works of Maya Angelou and many more.

Discussions flowed freely as students shared their interpretations and personal connections to the poems. The café setting encouraged open dialogue and fostered a deeper appreciation for the nuances and emotional power of poetry. One student remarked, “The Poetry Café made analysing poetry feel more accessible and enjoyable. It was a great way to learn and relax at the same time.”

The success of the Poetry Café has sparked excitement for future events, with plans already underway to make it a regular part of the Year 12 curriculum. By combining the pleasures of good food and drink with the intellectual stimulation of poetry, the Poetry Café has proven to be a delightful and effective method for enriching students’ literary education.