As Semester One draws to a close, the English team is proud to celebrate a number of successes both in and beyond the classroom. We sincerely appreciate the ongoing support families provide, helping students strive for their best in English. As we look ahead to Semester Two, we kindly remind families to ensure students are well-prepared for their classes by replenishing any necessary stationery and workbooks.

Early next term, students in Years 10 and 11 will begin selecting their VCE subjects, while Year 9 students will be choosing their English electives for Semester 2, 2026. We encourage all students and families to consult the upcoming subject handbook to make informed decisions about future English studies. Available options include Core English, English Language, and Literature, as well as Year 10 Applied English—designed for students interested in pursuing the Vocational Major Certificate (VM-C) pathway in VCE.

It has been wonderful to see students actively engaging in their English classes and challenging themselves to achieve their best. We’re also pleased to see many students taking advantage of extra-curricular English opportunities, such as the Writer’s Club—held every Day 6 during the big break in Room 7205—as well as public speaking and debating. If you’re interested in getting involved in any of these activities, please don’t hesitate to speak with your English teacher.

In addition to regular classes, Year 12 Core English teachers are available every Thursday from 3:30–4:30pm in the St Martin’s Resource Centre to support Year 12 students. During this time, students can access one-on-one assistance, receive feedback and guidance on their writing, work in small groups with teacher support, or simply use the time for focused study. This session also offers valuable supervised working time for VET students who miss their English class on Wednesdays. Furthermore, English Language support is also available each Tuesday morning from 8:00–8:55am with Andrea Hadley. These sessions are held in the open space on Level 3 of the Xavier Flood Senior Learning Centre and are open to students in Years 10–12.

On Wednesday 21 May, VCE Literature and English Language students had the valuable opportunity to travel to Melbourne to attend Bell Shakespeare’s production of Henry V. A big thank you to the students for representing Damascus College with enthusiasm and maturity—they were outstanding ambassadors for our school.