Recently, the College hosted the 2027 VCE VM, ERPP, and Sport & Business Academy Information Evening. It was extremely encouraging to see the strong level of interest in our VCE Vocational Major program, and to engage in meaningful conversations with students and their families as they explored their future pathways.
Parade College is very proud of our VCE VM programs and the dedicated staff and students who bring these programs to life. We recognise that for many students, engaging in an applied learning program provides both motivation and clarity. These pathways often offer students a more defined direction, including opportunities to pursue apprenticeships, traineeships, or further tertiary study.
The VCE VM pathway supports students in developing a clearer understanding of their post-school goals. Some of our VCE VM students begin School-Based Apprenticeships or Traineeships (SBAT) during Year 11 or Year 12. This valuable experience can enable them to transition more smoothly into the workforce, with some students able to commence the second year of an apprenticeship immediately after completing Year 12.
We also understand that choosing a pathway is a significant decision, and some families may be concerned that selecting VCE VM could limit future options. In reality, the VCE VM often broadens opportunities, providing students with practical skills, industry experience, and multiple post-secondary pathways.
Students interested in enrolling in VCE VM or ERPP for 2027 are required to select this option as part of the 2027 Subject Selection process, which opens on 24 July and closes on 4 August. Applications from current Year 10 students for the Sport & Business Academy are due by the end of Term 2.
Thank you to all who attended and contributed to the success of the evening. Should you have any further questions regarding the ERPP or VCE VM programs, please contact Ms Tegan Hopkins, Dean of VCE VM, or one of our College Careers Advisers.
As we move towards the conclusion of Term 2, we recognise the effort and commitment shown by our students, families, and staff during a long and busy period of learning. Looking ahead, the upcoming holidays provide a valuable opportunity to pause, recharge, and refocus. We encourage students and their families to make the most of this time. Prioritising rest and wellbeing over the break will help our students return refreshed, motivated, and ready to embrace the opportunities and challenges of Term 3.
Earlier in Term 2, Parade College staff participated in a Professional Learning Day centred around Artificial Intelligence and its use in an educational context, led by educational consultant Dr Leon Furze. The day focused on how Parade teachers can model and teach the safe, ethical, and responsible use of digital technologies, including emerging AI tools.
Advancements in AI are occurring at an extraordinarily rapid pace. Whilst exciting, this also prompts deeper questions about how emerging technologies can be used safely to support learning, and which components of learning remain critical, namely literacy, numeracy, and the ability to critically reflect on and interpret information.
I recently attended The Age Education Summit, where discussion centred on translating emerging evidence into practical recommendations for supporting both student learning and teacher pedagogy. Whilst AI may have a role in helping students plan tasks or generate ideas, the ability to critically evaluate what AI produces is itself an essential skill. All teachers at Parade share a responsibility in supporting our students' digital literacies, equipping them to engage thoughtfully with the tools available to them. The emergence of AI has also prompted us to reflect carefully on assessment design, considering where AI assistance may be appropriate and where independent demonstration of learning remains crucial.
It is timely that Pope Leo's encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, reminds us of the value of every human. AI presents not only great opportunities, but also a profound responsibility to ensure its use does not widen the gap between those who have access and those who do not.
Whilst some of what AI can do is remarkable, our students need to understand that it is not perfect or absolute and that critical thinking remains essential. Where students are tempted to use AI as a shortcut, conversations should be forward-looking, supporting students in understanding the value of genuine learning and demonstrating their own growth with confidence and integrity. In addition, it is important to recognise that current VCE assessment practices require students to complete their work under conditions where AI is not available. As most of our senior students undertake a scored VCE pathway involving formal examinations and supervised assessments, they must be well prepared to demonstrate their knowledge and skills independently. Building the capacity to think, respond, and perform without reliance on AI is therefore an essential part of their preparation for success.
Reports will be accessible on PAM from the afternoon of Friday 26 July. If you have specific questions about your child’s report, please contact your child’s subject teacher, who will be available to respond from the beginning of Term 3.
Student timetables are designed to maximise access to elective choices. At the end of each semester, when students change electives, there may also be changes to teachers for some year-long subjects.
As student programs become increasingly elective-based, these adjustments are a necessary part of accommodating individual subject selections and balancing class sizes. For this reason, students are not able to request changes to their elective or core subjects once timetables have been finalised. A preference for a different subject or finding a subject more challenging or less enjoyable than expected, is not considered sufficient grounds for a change.
In these circumstances, students and their families are encouraged to work collaboratively with teachers to support the student’s learning and progress.
Year 9-12 students and their families are invited to attend the Parade College VCE & Tertiary Expo, to be held on Thursday 23 July at the Bundoora Campus.
This event is an opportunity for students and families to:
Australian Catholic University |
Melbourne Polytechnic |
Southern Cross University |
Box Hill Institute |
Monash University |
St Kilda Football Club (Education Programs) |
Carlton College of Sport |
PGA International Golf Institute |
Swinburne University of Technology |
Collarts – Australian College of the Arts |
Richmond Football Club (Education Programs / Industry Partnerships) |
The Reach Foundation |
Holmesglen Institute |
RMIT University |
The University of Melbourne |
La Trobe University |
SAE Institute Australia |
Torrens University Australia |
LCI Melbourne (formerly Melbourne School of Fashion) |
SEDA College (Sport Education and Development Australia) |
Victoria Police |
After the subject selection evening, students will have an opportunity to be guided through the process during Tutor Workshops where they will discuss their potential elective choices with their Tutor Teacher. Below are the key dates that families need to be aware of.
23 July
VCE and Tertiary Expo (Moore Hall)
Subject Selection Information evening for Year 10 (2027) and Year 11 (2027).
Year 9 into 10 (2027) Presentation (Greening Auditorium)
Year 10 into 11 (2027) Presentation (Rivergum Theatre)
24 and 31 July
4 August
5 August
Students currently in Years 7 and 8 will begin the process of selecting elective subjects for 2027, with Year 8 students also making choices that connect to the Year 9 ExCEL program. Further information will be communicated to families early in Term 3.
For families of students enrolled in VCE, VCE VM, and VET courses, we have scheduled online Student Progress Interviews for Tuesday 4 August (Term 3) from 4.15pm to 8.30pm, with a break from 6:00pm to 6:45pm.
The Parent Teacher Interview portal on PAM will be open for bookings from 20 July (Term 3).
Families of Year 10 students accelerating in a Unit 1 & 2 subject will also be able to make an appointment on this evening, but only for the subject that their child is accelerating in.
For families with children in Years 7 to 10, the next student progress interviews will be later in Term 3 on Wednesday 16 September. More details will be provided closer to the date.
back
