Nothing epitomises the swift passage of the school year quite like the arrival of the VCE examinations. It is hard to believe that we are already deep into Term 4 but this week our Year 12 students sat their English examination – a traditional rite of passage consisting of three hours of essay writing to culminate their English schooling. The students have been working with dedication and great focus and the English faculty are immensely proud of the work ethic and commitment they have shown. At this moment, it feels important to acknowledge the work of all the Kilbreda English teachers who have supported the students in their learning from Years 7 to 12. The students have certainly benefited from the collective wisdom and expertise of the faculty team. We also send our best wishes to our VCE Literature and English Language students as they continue to prepare for their impending exams.  

Recent highlights in English have included the visit of renowned author, Toni Jordan, who delivered a superb presentation to Year 12 students about her novel, Nine Days. The novel is set in Richmond and chronicles societal developments from the 1930s to the early 2000s, focusing on the interconnected experiences of a family across three generations. The students have found much to engage with in this novel and it was illuminating to hear the author speak about the challenges associated with constructing a complex novel that features nine different protagonists on nine different days, spanning multiple decades!  

Student Reflections

Toni Jordan was able to provide us with some great insight into the creation and distinct elements of her text to help further our understanding. Even though we have been studying this text in depth throughout the year, it was so useful to hear the author’s perspective and intentions behind certain decisions. We were very privileged to have this opportunity and this extra knowledge will be so helpful in our exam preparation.  

Siorcha Creaton
English Leader

I really enjoyed being able to hear from the author of the novel we have been studying all year, especially with our exam coming up. She was able to provide us with new insight we can apply to our essay writing providing us all with a big help!

Sarah Donlon
Year 12

Debating Update 

Under the stewardship of Ms Amy Masters, it has been delightful to watch our Junior Debaters excel in their recent competitive performances.  

Our Junior Debating is underway with 11 students from Year 7 and 8 participating. The students have demonstrated exceptional teamwork, commitment and skill. The students have completed two rounds of debating.  

Round 1 – Tuesday 18 October 

In Round 1, our students had to debate the topic of whether smoking and vaping should be banned in all public areas. We had two of the three teams win, with Amelia Meure (Year 8) and Zara Solomon (Year 7) both winning best speaker. 

Round 2 – Tuesday 25 October 

In Round 2, the debaters had to argue about the ‘Schools Spectacular’ and whether it was a waste of resources. We had one team win and Rhiannan Marie-Jeanne (Year 8) won best speaker. 

Congratulations to the debaters for their participation, dedication, and hard work!  

Nicola O’Shea
Learning Leader: English