Secondary Update – Term 3 Week 10
John Henry Newman Mass – Compulsory College Event
On Friday 17 October (Term 4, Week 1), the College will celebrate the Feast of St John Henry Newman. Students will attend Mass during PCG and Period 1, and attendance at this event is compulsory. If your child has an appointment scheduled, you are asked to move this to an alternate day or time. Students must wear their Summer Academic Uniform for Mass.
Champagnat Shield Announcement
On Monday 22 September, our College community gathered just before lunch to celebrate the announcement of the 2025 Champagnat Shield winner. The event was proudly led by our Wellbeing Captains and Mission Captains, who brought great energy to the occasion.
The Champagnat Shield recognises Guild excellence across a range of areas, including academic performance, sporting achievements, immersion engagement, mass attendance, and commendations.
Marcellin Guild was awarded 1st place, with an impressive 3107 points, finishing just 22 points ahead of second place!
To celebrate, Marcellin Guild enjoyed an extended PCG session and lunch, joined by their PCG teachers. Students were treated to a BBQ, Krispy Kremes, and a variety of activities including archery, outdoor games and a Nintendo competition.
The race for the 2026 Champagnat Shield will commence on Tuesday 14 October.
- In 1st place with a score of 3107, Marcellin
- In 2nd place with a score of 3085, Romero
- In 3rd place with a score of 2745, MacKillop
- In 4th place with a score of 2744, Catherine
- In 5th place with a score of 2521, Camara
- In 6th place with a score of 2445, Thomas More
- In 7th place with a score of 2421, Chisolm
- In 8th place with a score of 2311, Brigid




Year 10 Peer Support Training
On Thursday 25 September, Year 10 students took part in the Peer Support Training Day, aimed at preparing them to become confident and compassionate Peer Support Leaders.
Throughout the day, students explored what it means to lead with empathy, resilience, and responsibility. Key focus areas included:
- Character Strengths – Identifying personal traits like bravery, curiosity, and perseverance.
- Connection & Listening – Practising active listening to build trust and support peers.
- Empathy & Challenges – Navigating real-life scenarios with compassion.
- Team Building – Learning how to lead groups and design inclusive activities.
Congratulations to the following students who completed the training:
Lachlan Stevens, Patrick Borgas, Sunny Ebert, Eveline Rivett, Ruby Bekkers, Chiara Christiansen, Gabriella Mason, Levi Reynolds, James Clayton, Zarah Schwald, Anabel Raguseo, Tayla Maloney, Kai Denham, Jasmine Love, Jade Thorstensen, Indiana Vucic, Benji Davies, Callum Bick, Manuela Fanto, Bridget Tranter, Emma Paice, Marissa Manolikos, Estelle Stamelos and Michael Malaxos.
Thank you to Mr Van Der Heever and Mrs Vlahov for facilitating the day.
We look forward to seeing these emerging leaders make a positive impact in our school community!
State Sporting Representation
Congratulations to the following students for selection in the Western Australian teams in their respective sports:
- Stella Ferguson, Year 10 will play and captain the WA team as part of the School Sports Australia U15 Girls Cricket Championships to be held in Tuggerah, NSW from September 21 to 26.
- Pieter Kruger has been selected to represent Western Australia in the 2025 Touch Football 12s Boys Championship. This team will be competing at the School Sport Australia National Championships in Ballarat, VIC from 25th October – 31st October 2025.
- Will Malajczuk, Year 12, who has been chosen as the captain 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
Alternatives to University
Did you know that University is not the only place you can obtain a degree? There are several alternatives here in Perth:
- SAE: Offers degrees in things like Animation, Audio, Game Development, Creative Industries. https://sae.edu.au/
- ACAP: Offers degrees in things like Psychology, Criminology, Social Work. https://www.acap.edu.au/
- EIT: Offers degrees in Engineering, IT, and Renewable Energy. https://www.eit.edu.au/
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/
Mr Justin Farley
LEADER OF PATHWAYS & PARTNERSHIPS