As we rapidly approach the conclusion of Term 2, Parade College Preston is humming with activity. This is a critical period for our senior students, a time for future planning, and an opportunity for all students to finish the term on a strong note. We would like to share several essential updates and reminders with our parent and student community regarding upcoming learning programs, senior pathway information evenings, and vital attendance guidelines.
First, an important reminder for our senior cohorts: the Work Learning Program is scheduled to begin on Monday 15 June and will run through to Friday 26 June. Alongside this program, our Year 12 VCE VM students—including those enrolled in the Sport and Business Academy—will be completing Section A of the General Achievement Test (GAT). Please note that students within the Business Academy are also required to complete Part B of the assessment. Sport Academy students only complete Work Learning in the final week of term (22 - 26 June).
SBAT students should note that during the WLP time, they will be working with their employer, and they should advise the employer of this. Students completing Carpentry or Plumbing as an SBAT student, should note that they have Block Week from 22-26 June.
Looking further ahead to the future, we are thrilled to invite families to our upcoming 2027 Information Evening. If your child is interested in applying for the VCE VM, ERPP, or the Sport and Business Academy at either our Bundoora or Preston campuses, please join us on Thursday 4 June at the Rivergum Theatre, Bundoora Campus. This evening is a fantastic opportunity to explore our specialised senior pathways and discover the incredible opportunities available to our students. Registration is essential for this event, and families are asked to secure their places online via the official Humanitix ticketing page.
https://events.humanitix.com/parade-college-2027-vce-vm-erpp-sport-academy-and-business-academy-information-sessions
Families are reminded of the importance of their child engaging with school each and every day. Students who have one day off per fortnight have an average attendance rate of 90%. Over the course of one term, this equates to nearly 30 hours of lost instruction time. Teachers carefully plan each lesson they teach, and the expectation is that students are in attendance to engage in the learning.
If a student is struggling to attend school due to wellbeing circumstances, we ask that parents connect with their child’s House Leader so that supports can be enacted to help their child reengage with the College.
We strongly encourage families to plan holidays during the term break. Absences during term time due to family holidays are considered unapproved absences. As a result, missed assessments or assignments during this time are graded with the NS – Not Submitted grade. It is the responsibility of students to catch up on missed work due to such absences by accessing the lesson plan on SIMON (PAM). The College does not require its teachers to prepare alternative work for students who are absent due to family holidays.
Students who are travelling overseas will require IT support to ensure they can access the SIMON and their College email abroad. Please contact Digital Learning DigitalLearning@parade.vic.edu.au with the relevant dates and information.
Families are asked to enter all absences on PAM and to advise their child’s House Leader of extended absences such as family holidays.
It is also important to note that there are important VET requirements that require students to attend a minimum of 80% and if they do not, they may be at risk of not receiving their full VET certificate.
Finally, as we wrap up Term 2, the College is placing a renewed focus on daily organisation. We want to remind all students of the importance of arriving at every single class fully prepared to learn. Bringing the simple essentials—such as pens, paper, textbooks, and a fully charged laptop—not only ensures a smooth and productive lesson, but also helps our young men and women build the vital, everyday organisational skills they will need for life beyond the College gates.
Thank you to all our parents, guardians, and students for your ongoing cooperation, support, and dedication to the Parade community as we finish this term strong.
We invite all interested Year 9 families and Bundoora Campus Year 10 families to attend our information evening at the Bundoora Campus on Thursday 4 June. This evening will provide valuable information about our 2027 program options.
Please refer to communication sent to all Year 9 and 10 families regarding the evening.
Please note that the Sport Academy information is specifically for current Year 10 students based at the Bundoora Campus.
For any questions regarding ERPP and VCE VM, please contact me or the College Career Advisors at https://www.paradecollegecareers.com.au
All Year 12 VCE VM including Sport Academy Students based at Bundoora will sit the General Achievement Test (GAT) on Tuesday 16 June at the Greening Auditorium, Bundoora Campus.
VCE VM students who are not enrolled in any VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3–4 sequences will only complete Section A of the test. This section assesses literacy and numeracy through a two-part writing task. Whilst this is on at the same time as the Work Learning Program, the GAT takes precedence and should attend Bundoora Campus on this day.
The GAT plays a crucial role by enabling students to demonstrate that they meet the Victorian Literacy and Numeracy Standards required at the senior secondary level. No special study is needed, past learning in Literacy and Numeracy will support students in completing the test. Each student will receive a GAT Statement of Results, which will indicate whether they have met the literacy and numeracy standards.
For further details, please refer to official communication from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA).
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