Secondary Update – Term 3 Week 8
R U Ok? Day
On Thursday, 11 September, the College came together to celebrate R U OK? Day—a national event dedicated to promoting mental health awareness and encouraging meaningful conversations.
This year’s theme, “Ask R U OK? Any Day—Because Life Happens Every Day,” reminded us that checking in with others should not be limited to one day. It is about making space for genuine conversations and letting those we care about know we’re here to really hear them.
The day was led by our Leaders of Wellbeing and Wellbeing Captains Jasmin Afflick and Leyla Do. Bright yellow lollipops, ribbons, and wristbands were shared to lift spirits and encourage connection.
To support meaningful conversations, we encouraged everyone to follow these four steps:
R U OK? Day serves as a powerful reminder that mental wellbeing is a shared responsibility. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make the day a success. Let’s continue to support one another and make wellbeing a priority—every day.
If you or someone you know is feeling distressed or struggling with their wellbeing, it is important to reach out for support.
- For immediate support in Australia, you can contact:
Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support) - Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 (24/7 mental health support)
- Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 (24/7 support for young people aged 5-25)
- Headspace: Visit www.headspace.org.au for mental health support services tailored to young people
Year 12 Legacy Project – Do It For Cancer
Throughout 2025, our Student Leadership Team has been reflecting on the legacy they want to leave as a graduating year. They wanted it to be something purposeful, something that could bring the Newman College community together and also make a difference to the lives of people outside of school.
After a series of workshops and collaborative conversations, the team chose to support the Cancer Council’s Do It For Cancer campaign. This Australia-wide initiative empowers individuals and groups to take on personal challenges—such as shaving their heads or completing physical feats—to raise funds for cancer research, prevention, and support services. It is a cause that resonates deeply with many in our community, touching the lives of students, families, and staff alike.
Over 60 Year 12 students courageously committed to the challenge, either by shaving their heads or taking on a physical challenge, all in the name of raising awareness, funds, and hope. On Wednesday 10 September, the College came together for the Greatest Shave event, a celebration of compassion and community spirit.
We are proud to share that the Class of 2025 have raised over $56,000.
Donations are still being accepted until the end of term. To support the Class of 2025 you can head to their fundraising page via the link. Just click.
Thank you to Newman College Community for supporting our Year 12 students.
2026 Leadership Process
We are delighted to announce that Grace Bradshaw and Thomas Butson have been elected as our 2026 College Captains. These positions recognise their exceptional qualities of leadership and character, as well as their dedication to supporting and enriching the life of our College. Well done to both of these students.
Applications for the remaining positions in the 2026 Student Leadership folio are now in the interview and voting stage. The complete 2026 Student Leadership Team will be announced to the College community at our Celebration Assembly on Thursday, 25 September.
Year 12 Final Day
The final day for our Year 12 students will be Thursday, 25 September. We invite the parents and guardians of our Year 12 students to our College on the morning to share in this special day with their child. The day will begin with a Celebration Assembly in the Gymnasium, where we will farewell our 2025 cohort. We will also announce our 2026 Student Leadership Team. The Year 12s will walk through a Guard of Honour of our students and conclude with a Year 12 Final Assembly in the Auditorium, followed by light refreshments with their parents and guardians. We look forward to sharing in this special celebration with our Year 12 students and their parents and guardians.
Guild Athletics Age Champions
Last Monday we celebrated the outstanding achievements from our recent Guild Athletics Carnival!
We announced the Age Group Champions across each year level and recognised the incredible students who set new records on the day. Their hard work, determination, and talent were truly inspiring. Congratulations to all who competed and contributed to making this year’s carnival one to remember!
Our athletes are now turning their focus to the ACC Athletics Carnival on Wednesday 17 September, and we can’t wait to see them represent Newman College on the big stage.
| Year | Place | Girls | Boys |
| 7 | 1st | Mia Dorrington | Lachlan Anderson |
| 2nd | Maggie Hughes | Benjamin Ferguson | |
| 3rd | Izzie Fitzpatrick | Phoenix Kinner | |
| 8 | 1st | Jessica Avins | Taj Webster |
| 2nd | Milla Grieve | Zane Thorstensen | |
| 3rd | Lola Vogl | Reef Wilsoncroft | |
| 9 | 1st | Jaime McNeill | Cooper Warrick |
| 2nd | Raphielle Fisher | Andrew Marshall | |
| 3rd | Annabelle Adamini | Deion Fernando | |
| 10 | 1st | Jade Thorstensen | Bastian Dominguez Rubina |
| 2nd | Clancy Boss | Kai Denham | |
| 3rd | Stella Ferguson | Thanavut Smith | |
| 11 | 1st | Hannah Seaborn | Thomas Butson |
| 2nd | Poppy Vogl | Aidan Iannantuoni | |
| 3rd | Sienna O’Rouke | Xavier Avins | |
| 12 | 1st | Audrey Fitzpatrick | Harrison Warrick |
| 2nd | Jenna King | Charlie Cossom | |
| 3rd | Amy Wilson | Archie Newman |
State Sporting Representation
Congratulations to the following students for selection in the Western Australian teams in their respective sports:
- Maxwell Franke, Year 7, who has been selected in the State Schools U12 Hockey Squad, that compete in the National Championships in Bendigo, Victoria in August.
- Isla Kalebic, year 8, who will be representing WA at the National Baseball competition for U16 girls, called the Barclay Cup. They will be competing in Adelaide from 27 September – 4 October 2025.
- Will Malajczuk, Year 12, who will be representing Australia as part of the Australian U19 Men’s Cricket Team, playing a 3 match series against India in Queensland from September 21 to 10 October.
State and National Representation is an honour and an important stepping stone in an athlete’s journey. We commend these students for their dedication and commitment to their sport.
If your child has achieved state or national recognition in their sport or extra-curricular activity, we would love to hear about it so we can celebrate their success. Please let us know the details by filling out this form. https://forms.office.com/r/qaCxCYLNX6
Mrs Anna Scanlan
ACTING DEPUTY PRINCIPAL SECONDARY
Pathways and Careers Information: Year 10
Subject selection for Year 11, 2026
Thank you to all the students and families who have now completed their subject requests for Year 11, 2026. The College is now in the process of constructing the timetable for next year, and after this process students and families will be advised of their allocated subjects for Year 11.
Apprenticeship Opportunities 2025
The March 2025 edition of the Apprenticeship Intake Guide has been published recently. This has details of dozens of apprenticeship opportunities with many major employers. You can access it here: Apprenticeship Intake Guide 2025
Pathways and Careers Information: Year 11
Re-selecting subjects for Year 12, 2026
Thank you to all the students and families who have now completed their subject requests for Year 12, 2026. The College is now in the process of constructing the timetable for next year, and after this process students and families will be advised of their allocated subjects for Year 12.
For students thinking of attending University
- TISC has a series of videos explaining things like ATAR calculation, prerequisite subjects, scaling, and preferences. You can find them here: https://www.tisc.edu.au/static/guide/video.tisc
- Here is a parents guide to University: https://www.ecu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/1099446/ECU-Parents-Guide.pdf
- And here is the “First in Family” resource, for students who might be the first in their family to attend University: http://firstinfamily.com.au/
- Are you thinking of attending a University Open Day? Dates are below. This blog might help you: https://infocus-careers.com.au/2024/02/20/year-11-how-to-approach-university-open-days/
Apprenticeship Opportunities 2025
The March 2025 edition of the Apprenticeship Intake Guide has been published recently. This has details of dozens of apprenticeship opportunities with many major employers. You can access it here: Apprenticeship Intake Guide 2025
Pathways and Careers Information: Year 12
Free ATAR revision classes
Due to popular demand, ECU will once again be offering FREE ATAR revision sessions both on campus and also streaming live for our regional and remote students. The sessions will be delivered by engaging teachers currently delivering the 2025 syllabus.
Each session comprises a four-hour seminar covering: the Year 12 syllabus, exam techniques and revision tips, a Q & A session and a copy of revision notes. The 2025 Year 12 subjects are Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, English, Maths Applications, Maths Methods, Maths Specialist and Physics.
Sessions will run between Monday, 29 September and Friday, 3 October 2025.
Register for on campus sessions: https://www.trybooking.com/DBYUE
Register for online sessions: https://www.trybooking.com/DBYVE
University Early Offer information
Please see below for the latest available Early Offer information.
Early Offers are now open, and all Year 12 students have been provided with information about how to access the TISC system and enter preferences.
Students and families can find this information here: Applying for University for 2026 – Early Offers and TISC.pdf
| Curtin University | Early Offers are available for ATAR and non-ATAR students. Must achieve WACE and meet any prerequisites. Submit your application via TISC, putting your Curtin Early Offer course as your first preference. Full information and list of eligible courses at: https://www.curtin.edu.au/study/undergraduate/early-offers/ |
| Edith Cowan University | Full information and list of eligible courses at: https://www.ecu.edu.au/degrees/early-offer-program Open to ATAR, Certificate IV, and UniReady students. Submit your Early Offer application by placing an eligible ECU course as your first TISC preference. First offers released to students on 2 September 2025. |
| Murdoch University | Must achieve WACE and meet any prerequisites. Early Offers for Certificate IV and UniReady/UniPath students will be conditional on passing. Submit your application via TISC, putting your desired Murdoch Early Offer course as your first preference. |
| Notre Dame University | Full information and list of eligible courses at: https://www.notredame.edu.au/study/applications-and-admissions/pathways/early-offer Opens 1 May 2025. First offers released to students on 1 September 2025. Apply via the Notre Dame online portal or via TISC. Open to ATAR Pathway students only. All offers are conditional offers. |
| University of WA | Submit your application via TISC, putting your desired UWA Early Offer course as your first preference. Open to ATAR Pathway students only. Students can apply for an Early Offer for all degrees excluding Assured Pathways to Medicine, Dental Medicine, Podiatric Medicine or the Bachelor of Biomedicine (specialised). Students must satisfy UWA’s English requirements and any subject prerequisite requirements. Further information at: https://www.uwa.edu.au/study/how-to-apply/early-offers/FAQs |
University information
- TISC has a series of videos explaining things like ATAR calculation, prerequisite subjects, scaling, and preferences. You can find them here: https://www.tisc.edu.au/static/guide/video.tisc
- Are you the first person in your family to attend University? This might assist: http://www.firstinfamily.com.au/
- Here are some useful tools to prepare students for the transition to University: https://unireadytoolkit.com.au/
- Here is a parents guide to University: https://www.ecu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/1099446/ECU-Parents-Guide.pdf
- This resource is a place where you can ask current University students questions about their University courses:
https://course-consultants.com/
University scholarships
Here is new scholarship at UWA:
- Engineering Excellence Scholarship.
- Must have an ATAR of 90+ and accepted an offer into Engineering at UWA.
- This scholarship is worth $10,000 and will be automatically awarded if you fit the above criteria.
| Curtin University | Search scholarships | Curtin University, Perth, Australia |
| Edith Cowan University (ECU) | ECU | Overview : Scholarships |
| Murdoch University | Scholarship finder (murdoch.edu.au) |
| Notre Dame University | Find a Scholarship | Notre Dame |
| University of Western Australia (UWA) | The University of Western Australia : Scholarships (uwa.edu.au) |
| Christian Leaders Scholarship | https://ichthys.org.au/christian-leaders-scholarship/ |
Gap year information
Students interested in taking a gap year in 2026 might find the following interesting:
- Defence Force Gap Year: https://www.adfcareers.gov.au/careers/gap-year?page=2&perPage=21&query=
- Other gap year ideas: https://infocus-careers.com.au/2024/04/02/leaving-year-12-try-these-gap-year-ideas/
- And: https://infocus-careers.com.au/2022/07/13/leaving-year-12-these-gap-year-ideas-may-interest-you/
- Also this Marist volunteering opportunity: https://maristyouthministry.com/bridge-builders
TAFE applications open for 2026
Please note the opening and closing dates for TAFE applications, for 2026:
Thursday 4 September: TAFE applications for 2026 open
Friday 31 October: TAFE applications for 2026 close
Students and families can find information on all available TAFE courses here: https://www.fulltimecourses.tafe.wa.edu.au/
Apprenticeship Opportunities 2025
The March 2025 edition of the Apprenticeship Intake Guide has been published recently. This has details of dozens of apprenticeship opportunities with many major employers. You can access it here: Apprenticeship Intake Guide 2025
UPCOMING CAREERS EVENTS
If you are thinking of attending a University Open Day, this blog might help you get the most out of it: https://infocus-careers.com.au/2025/02/07/year-12-how-to-approach-university-open-days-in-2022/