As Heads of Department - Students Services we are here to support students through their high school journey. We will monitor students’ individual performance and behaviour to implement support and intervention strategies where necessary. This includes communicating and working with parents and carers, staff and outside agencies to develop strategies to improve the learning outcomes, achievements and attendance of students.

In our role we work with year level Deputy Principals and are supported by Year Coordinators. We are looking forward to a great 2025!

         

Junior Schooling Report
Year 7 and 8 

In Week 1 of 2025, we had just over 200 brand new wide-eyed Wynnum SHS Year 7 students start their high school journey. They participated in our ‘Welcome to Wynnum Week’ activities, with the aim to help students settle in to life here at Wynnum High as smoothly as possible. To start, students met in the Star Theatre for introductions before moving off with their Proud Start teachers to hand out planners and Yondr pouches. We then had our big Year 7 group photo on the front steps of A Block and finished the morning with a whole school assembly. Students were then taken through lessons about ‘The Wynnum Way’, introduced themselves to their teachers through our ‘All About Me’ activity, learnt more about themselves through the Ausidentities quiz and headed to the library with their iPads to be onboarded. What a busy first couple of days!

We continued the week with some Pat testing and an awesome session run by the support team about wellbeing at Wynnum where students were able to ask some anonymous questions of our school captains. There were some excellent questions asked and the leaders did a great job answering the Year 7’s ponderings. Mixed in, we also had some lessons where they chose their elective subject and met their core teachers. 

They finished the week with a House Assembly and by writing a letter to their future selves. Mr Gaffel has kept all of the letters and will give them back to the students in Year 12. Overall, we loved meeting all of our new Year 7 students and look forward to working with them for the next six years. We can’t wait to learn more about them on next week’s camp.

Middle Schooling Report
Year 9 and 10

As the Head of Department for Student Services in the Middle Years, I am excited to support our Year 9 and 10 students through a year of personal and academic growth. The middle years are a time of transition, where students develop independence, take on new challenges, and begin making decisions about their future pathways.

For our Year 9 students, 2025 will be a significant year. They will undertake NAPLAN, an opportunity to demonstrate their progress in literacy and numeracy, helping to guide their learning moving forward. Additionally, Year 9 students will embark on camp, a highlight of the year that fosters resilience, teamwork, and personal development. As the year progresses, students will also begin to think more deeply about their pathways for Year 10 and beyond, setting the foundations for future success.

Meanwhile, Year 10 students will be focused on preparing for their transition to Senior School. Careers Day will provide them with valuable insights into different industries, study options, and career pathways, helping them to make informed choices about their future. This will lead into the development of their SET Plans (Senior Education and Training Plans), where students will reflect on their interests, strengths, and goals to make decisions about their subjects and pathways for Years 11 and 12.

Throughout the year, our Student Services team will be here to guide and support students, ensuring they feel confident and prepared for each milestone. Whether it’s academic support, well-being initiatives, or career guidance, we are committed to helping every student thrive.

I look forward to working closely with students, parents, and teachers to make 2025 a year of growth, learning, and opportunity for all in Year 9 and 10.

As a new person to the Wynnum SHS community i have been thoroughly impressed by how supportive this school is and how focused on learning our students are. What a great place to be!

Senior Schooling Report
Year 11 and 12

It was wonderful to see our Year 11 and 12 students ready for learning on Day 1.

It was extra exciting when the senior jerseys arrived in the first week of school and seeing how proud our Year 12 students are to wear them.  

Year 12 exam block is in Week 5. More information about both of these events will come via email.

Year 11 students have now settled in to their new senior subjects and look determined to do their best as they pursue their chosen pathway. Year 11 students will complete an exam and assessment block in Week 9 of this term.

At this stage of Senior School, schools are bound by the guidelines set by the QCAA (Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority) with regards to learning and assessment. If a student is absent on the day of an exam, they are required to provide a medical certificate and complete an AARA application.   There are no extensions provided for assessment, including exams, for a pre-planned absence such as a holiday.  

The PROUD Support Program (PSP) has commenced for Year 12 students and will start for Year 11 students on 25 February. This program is held on Tuesday during period 4 and is an opportunity for students in the senior school to obtain further assistance with their subjects. Students may be referred to PSP by a teacher who is concerned about their progress in a subject or vocational education course. PSP will then appear on the student’s timetable until they are no longer required to attend.  If PSP appears on a student’s timetable, attendance is compulsory as per a normal timetabled class. Any other students who are wishing to obtain further support are able to come to A23 (or F07 for certificate courses) each Tuesday in period 4.

I look forward to a great year supporting the Year 11 and 12 students through their senior schooling journey.