Ignatian Newsletter: 2025 - Edition #9

Teaching & Learning News

Written by
Kathryn Wilson
Deputy Principal, Teaching and Learning

Semester One Examinations:

Semester One Examinations will only involve Years 9 and 10.

Year 10 ExamsWednesday, 25 June - Thursday, 3 July
Year 9 Exams
Thursday, 26 June - Monday, 30 June

Students who are absent will receive a mark of 0% unless a medical certificate, statutory declaration, or pharmacy certificate is submitted to the Head of House or Miss Wilson.

Information detailing expectations and procedures have already been distributed to families. Please contact the College, if you have not received a letter.

Term Three: Looking Ahead...

Term Three will be an extremely busy term at our school with a number of curriculum and learning related events including:

2x Parent Teacher Interviews14 August & 4 September
2x Subject Selection EveningsVCE VM: 29 July and VCE: 12 August 
Trial ExaminationsFirst 3 days of the school holidays

In order to prepare you for these upcoming events, please find a summary below:

Parent Teacher Interviews:

This year, our Parent Teacher Interviews will be held on Thursday, 14 August and Thursday, 4 September. For the first time, we have intentionally spread the interviews across two dates in response to feedback. This approach aims to better support:

  • Senior students, by offering an earlier opportunity to reflect and prepare for the final stages of VCE, and
  • Semester-based subjects, by allowing time for meaningful feedback later in Term Three.

Thursday, 14 August
We strongly encourage Year 10,11 & 12 parents/carers to attend on this earlier date. This provides valuable insight into student progress so far, and more importantly, allows parents to support their child as they prepare for the final assessments and Trial Exams, which take place during the first three days of the holidays.

Thursday, 4 September
Parents/carers of students in semester-based subjects are encouraged to book interviews on this date, as it provides teachers with adequate time to assess and discuss student progress for the second half of the year.

Naturally all parents/carers are welcome at either/both dates where relevant.

Subject Selection 2026:

The Subject Selection Process begins in Term Three, Week 2.  Please find a summary of the main events regarding Subject Selection:  

Subject AssembliesWeek 3
2026 Subject Selection EveningsVCE VM - 29 July and VCE - 12 August
Year 9, 2026 CLIL Information Evening30 July
Web Preferences Open12 August (Evening)
Subject Selection ConversationsWeek 5: During the Subject Selection process, all current Year 9 and Year 10 students will meet with a member of the Learning Pathways Team.

Application for Accelerated Subjects in 2026

In Term Three our Year 9 and 10 students will be considering their Year 10 and Year 11 subjects for next year. Please find details below:

Current Year 9 2025:
A number of students may wish to complete a Unit 1/2 Subject (Year 11 subject) in 2026.

Acceleration requires demonstrated consistent high academic achievement and an ability to take on the demands of an accelerated subject. Therefore, a student will need to be committed to their studies, be well organised and able to meet deadlines. English will be one of the subjects in which the student needs to demonstrate a consistently high level of academic ability.

Stages of the Acceleration Process: 

  1. Letter of invite from the Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning to those students who meet the desired criteria of 5A’s (5 x 80%) (one of which must be English) (75% for Enhanced / CLIL students)
  2. Completion of Application Form
  3. Completion of VCE Ready Test
  4. Invitation for an interview with the relevant Head of Learning
  5. Students and parents informed of the outcome by Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning.

    Students have been informed of this process at the beginning of the year.

    Current Year 10 2025:
    An invitational letter, from the Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning, will be sent out to students currently studying an accelerated Unit 1/2 subject. Acceptance for Unit 3/4 is not automatic. Letters will be sent to students who have been able to sustain a high level of academic ability and meet the demands of the accelerated Unit 1/2 Units. 

    The subject selection process takes place in Term Three for all of our students and once again students will be asked to complete their subject choices online, with your guidance.

    Vocational Process in 2025: Pre-V (Year 10) and VCE VM (Year 11) 

    As students consider their future pathways, they may feel that a vocational curriculum (Pre-V and VCE VM) is more suited to their needs. That may be in terms of the curriculum areas offered or simply a vocational approach best suits their learning needs. Please find below brief outline of the two Programs. 

    Current Year 9 2025 - Pre-V: 

    The Pre-V Program at Loyola is designed to provide students with valuable exposure and practical experience in various vocational fields. It aims to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge required to make informed career choices and excel in their chosen fields.   

    Current Year 10 2025 - VCE VM: 

    Students already enrolled on the current Pre-V course will automatically continue their vocational studies into Year 11 and Year 12. There is the opportunity, however for students in Year 10 to join the VCE VM Program in 2026.  

    Student enrolment for both Vocational Programs is by invitation only and recommendations are made following careful consideration and review of the academic record, skills and interests of the students, alongside conversations with staff. For those students who do not receive a letter of invite, parents/guardians are welcome to contact Mr. Langford (Head of VCE VM) or Miss Wilson if they feel a vocational program will suit the learning needs of their child.