From The Executive Principal
This was a week of both sadness and joy at our campuses. Yesterday we commemorated the anniversary of the bus accident that impacted our community last year. A beautiful service of remembrance was held at our Highton Middle School Campus to remember the life and legacy of Milla Killeen, and to reflect on the resilience that our students, staff and families has shown over the last 12 months. The students were centrally involved in planning how to remember their friend. They wrote and read out poems, sang songs, revealed a basketball backboard in her honour and launched the Milla Killeen scholarship so that her name will never be forgotten at Christian College. You can find out more about the scholarship here.
It was also a week of great joy as we celebrated Book Week and all the joy that losing yourself in a book can bring. Reading is the foundation of academic success, helping students develop vocabulary, comprehension, critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills. It also sparks imagination, builds knowledge, develops empathy, and helps children make sense of the world around them. Whether students are exploring new worlds through fiction or discovering fascinating facts through non-fiction, every book helps to strengthen their confidence, curiosity, and love of learning.
At Christian College reading is a high priority and is at the heart of everything we do. We are proud of the strong reading culture we have built together with our students, staff, and families. This commitment is reflected in our most recent NAPLAN results, where students in every year group achieved reading results above both the state and national averages. While we celebrate these excellent outcomes, we are equally proud of the enthusiasm our students show for reading each day. Keep reading!
Dr Mathilda Joubert, Executive Principal
What’s Happening at Surf Coast?
TERM 3, WEEK 8 – National Health and PE Week
Monday 31 August -Gymnastics Rd 3– Prep-Year 4
Monday 31 August – VSMF Hawthorn Town Hall -Stage Band/Jazz – Selected students
Tuesday 1 September – City to Surf – Bellarine Division Athletics – Selected students Year 4- 6
Tuesday 1 September – Middle School Father’s Day Breakfast 8.00am – Year 5-8
Tuesday 1 September- Year 1 Camp Araluen – All day – Year 1
Wednesday 2 September – GISSA Year 7 and 8 Program Intersport- 1.00pm
Wednesday 2 September – Debating Year 5 and 6 – 4.00pm- Year 5 and 6
Wednesday 2 September – Official Opening of Stage 3 -1.00pm
Thursday 3 September – Footy Colours Day – All students
Thursday 3 September – Junior School Father’s Day Tabloid Sports- 4:30pm- 5:30pm – Prep-Year 4
Friday 4 September – Junior School Assembly – Year 2 – Prep- Year 4
Friday 4 September -Father’s Day Stall Father’s Day – Prep- Year 6
Friday 4 September -Prep Discovery Session– Prep
Friday 4 September – GISSA Golf Championships- DIV 2- Selected students -Year 7&8
WEEK 9
Monday 7 September -Gymnastics Rd 4 – Prep-Year4
Tuesday 8 September – Year1 Day Camp Araluen – All day
Tuesday 8 September – Year 2 Excursion Chitty, Chitty Bang Bang
Tuesday 8 September – Science Expo 2.15pm-3.30pm- Prep-Year 6
Wednesday 9 September – GISSA Year 7&8 Program 1.00pm- Selected students – Year 7&8 Intersport
Thursday 10 September -RUOK Day – All
Thursday 10 September -Year 6 Immigration -Excursion Melbourne
Thursday 10 September – 2T Strings Concert -11.45am-12.15pm- 2T Students
Thursday 10 September – Lunchtime Concert – Selected Music Students
Friday 11 September – Middle School Assembly
Friday 11 September – Prep Day Camp – All day 9.00am-6.30pm
Friday 11 September – Vic Schools Music Festival – RW Gibson Music Centre -12.00pm-6.00pm
Sunday 13 September – Tournament of the Minds – Selected students
WEEK 10
Monday 14 – 16 September – Middle School Music Camp – Selected Students
Monday 14 September – Science Expo – Prep- Year 4
Tuesday 15 September – JS Choir at Wonders Schools -JS Choir Students
Wednesday 16 September -GISSA Junior School Girls &Boys Basketball 10.00am-2.00pm – Selected students from Year 7 &8
Wednesday 16 September – Watato Choir Visit
Thursday 17 September – Year 2 Fairytale Day
Thursday 17 September – Year 4 Excursion to IMAX
Friday 18 September – Final Whole School Assembly 1.45pm – All Students
Friday 18 September – Talent Quest
Friday 18 September – Last Day of Term 3- 2.30pm Dismissal
Weaving, Patterns and Lots of Maths Fun in Year 1!
Over the past fortnight, Year 1 students have enjoyed learning about the story of Baby Moses and creating their own woven baskets. They cut strips of paper and created their own patterns as they carefully wove the strips together to make a basket. Students enjoyed experimenting with different patterns and designs, and we talked about how activities like this can also connect to Maths through patterns, repetition and sequences. It was wonderful to see students using their creativity while also thinking mathematically.
Students have also been learning about the days of the week through a range of fun games and activities. They have been practising the order of the days, identifying which day comes before or after another and using the days of the week in everyday contexts. They have enjoyed playing games together and challenging one another to remember the correct order of the days.
We have also begun exploring multiplication through hands-on games, developing our understanding of equal groups and repeated addition. Students have enjoyed working together, sharing their thinking and building their confidence with these new mathematical concepts. It has been a busy and enjoyable fortnight of learning, with lots of Maths fun along the way!
Olivia Vandenberg
Year 3 Explores the Hellenic Museum
Our Year 3 students recently enjoyed an exciting and educational excursion to the Hellenic Museum in Melbourne, that provided a wonderful opportunity for students to learn more about Ancient Greek history.
Students participated enthusiastically, asked thoughtful questions and shared their knowledge. We are proud of the way our Year 3 students represented the school, demonstrating responsibility, enthusiasm, and a genuine love of learning throughout the day.
Jackson
“The statues were great. Especially the marble one of Zeus because it was just like the ancient ones.”
Valentina
“I learned so much there and how the statues were made. I loved how interesting they were.”
Emily
“We learned so many things there, they were very engaging, telling us all about the artefacts. We also learned a fun new game.”
Lexi
“We saw lots of cool ancient artefacts in cases and saw someone’s death stone. My favourite part was that we got to touch ancient helmets they used to wear.”
Hunter
“It was very fascinating that we got to see real Roman artefacts from war to peace, all those things were amazing.”
Amy Shirley
Year 5 Prospectors hit Paydirt at Sovereign Hill!
Year 5 students had a golden time at Sovereign Hill, diving headfirst into Ballarat’s famous Gold Rush history.
The action kicked off with panning for gold in the creek, where eager prospectors cheered at every glittering fleck. Brave adventurers explored dark underground mines, while others got crafty with old-style candle making. Sweet-toothed historians loaded up on boiled lollies at the traditional lolly shop. Students perfected their penmanship with ink and nib in the old schoolhouse, before being spellbound by the dazzling Aura light and sound show illuminating the night sky. It was a spectacular mix of education, history, and non-stop fun!
Nick Hogan
Year 7 Geography Excursion to West Barwon Reservoir
As part of their Term 3 Geography studies exploring liveability and water as a valuable resource, our Year 7 students recently visited the West Barwon Reservoir in the beautiful Otway Ranges.
The day began with an informative presentation from a Barwon Water Education Officer, who helped students develop a deeper understanding of where their drinking water comes from and the importance of managing water resources sustainably. Students also learnt about the various sources of water used throughout Victoria and the vital role reservoirs play in supplying communities with clean, safe drinking water.
Situated at the junction of the West Barwon River and Munday Creek, the reservoir benefits from an excellent catchment area, collecting clean, unadulterated water that supplies much of the Geelong region. Standing beside this significant water source gave students a valuable perspective on the journey water takes from catchment to tap.
During the excursion, students completed a learning task at the reservoir and participated in a bushwalk through the surrounding forest. Along the way, they observed water outlets, explored features of the catchment environment, and noted local wildlife inhabiting this unique ecosystem.
The excursion provided an excellent opportunity for students to connect their classroom learning with real-world applications. Seeing firsthand how water is collected, stored, managed, and distributed to the broader community enhanced their understanding of the crucial role water plays in supporting liveable and sustainable communities.
A big thank you to Barwon Water for providing such an engaging educational experience and helping our students gain a greater appreciation for one of our most precious natural resources.
Leanne Crole
Tournament of Minds – State Finals Bound!
On Sunday 23 August, two teams of seven students travelled to Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, to compete in the Tournament of Minds Regional Challenge.
Over the past six weeks, our students have worked collaboratively to solve a S.T.E.M. Challenge. Their task was to develop a pitch for a science-fiction film, create a moving miniature for their film, a 30 second video of their moving miniature and explain the science, technology, engineering, digital technology and mathematics used to successfully complete their challenge.
Throughout the competition, our students demonstrated outstanding teamwork, resilience, creativity, problem-solving and imaginative thinking. Both teams should be incredibly proud of the effort, commitment and determination they showed throughout their Tournament of Minds journey.
We are thrilled to announce that Team 6 was awarded First Place, while Team 5 received High Honours! As a result of their fantastic achievements, both teams have been invited to compete at the Tournament of Minds Victorian State Finals on Sunday 13 September at Deakin University, Burwood.
A very special thank you to all our Tournament of Minds families for your ongoing support, encouragement and commitment throughout this journey. Your encouragement has played an important part in their success, and we truly appreciate the time and support you have given the teams.
Congratulations Team 5 and Team 6! You should be extremely proud of yourselves, we certainly are!
Good luck at the State Finals!
Christie Waight
Book Week
The Library has been a buzzing hive of activity this week in the lead-up to our annual Book Week celebration day. Each lunchtime, the Library has hosted a range of special activities, including Blackout Poetry, LEGO challenges, Just Dance, crafts and a Where’s Wally-themed playground scavenger hunt. It has been wonderful to welcome so many extra faces into the Library, all excited to join in the Book Week fun.
Book Week culminated in our highly anticipated dress-up day on Friday, with another incredible array of characters and creative costumes. It was wonderful to see such a high level of engagement across our student community, with students embracing the opportunity to celebrate the magic of stories, reading and imagination.
The day began with our talented staff performing a ‘Surf Coast’ version of Eric Carle’s 1969 classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. To the delight of our students, our caterpillar (Mrs Riddle) didn’t quite stick to the original script and went a little rogue, feasting on a very unique diet of Surf Coast foods and objects! The story ended with our transformed caterpillar (Miss Maher) eventually emerging from a cocoon as a beautiful butterfly.
Following the performance, students paraded their wonderful costumes around the stadium for the crowd of classmates and parents. It was a vibrant and energetic celebration of creativity, imagination and our shared love of books and reading.
We extend our thanks to all families for their generous support of Book Week for its continued success and for helping to instil the importance of reading in our students.
Katherine Tatnell-Moore
Community Prayer Update
Thank you for providing your feedback regarding our community prayer group!
The community prayer group, as you will see on the poster, will run on Wednesdays, from 2:30-3:00pm.
If you are a parent, carer, or member of our community, I hope you feel welcome to join us in prayer, in the Middle School library space. If you are unable to attend, but have prayer needs that you would like to be prayed into, please contact myself at a.cutter@ccg.vic.edu.au.
Aaron Cutter, Chaplain
Geelong Summer Music Camp Jan 10 -15, 2027
Registration Open | A Day Camp for Music Students aged 10 – 21 years
Christian College Geelong is proud to once again be hosting the Geelong Summer Music Camp at the Senior Campus in January 2027.
The GSMC committee are excited to have registrations now open for the January 2026 Camp, with early bird discounts available until September 18th. Last year the 240 camp places were filled early and so there was a waiting list of hopefuls!
If you have a budding band, choir or string musician, or you are involved in a school or community music program, please encourage students aged 10 – 21 years to attend GSMC ‘27.
Camp highlights: The GSMC is a friendly, welcoming, and inclusive day camp. The staff are a mix of passionate teachers and community musicians who all believe that making music and encouraging each other is a great thing to do during the summer break. Students will play in a concert band, string orchestra, or sing in a choir, take part in a broad range of elective activities, make friends, enjoy hanging out with other likeminded people, and then on the Friday evening feature in a wonderful concert at Costa Hall for their family and friends.
As mentioned, campers will also have the opportunity to choose an elective activity. The camp builds social time into its program where students are encouraged to connect with others, developing positive friendships and relationships with other campers and staff. Auditions at the start of the camp are designed as a time for the students to connect with the music tutors but also allow the tutors to place students into the ensemble that best suits them, to set them up to have a rewarding week of growth and fun making music.
Key information and contacts:
A Day Camp for Musicians 10 - 21 Years*
Venue: Christian College Geelong Senior Campus, Waurn Ponds
Camp Concert: Friday 15th January, Costa Hall
Camp fees: $450 & $410 additional family members
Early discounts apply before September 18th
*Age Calculation - 1st January 2027
Enquiries: 0411432155 or gsmc.secretary@gmail.com
More information can be found on attached poster and online registration on the camp website
Please help us to promote the camp which is run by a volunteer committee who are passionate about providing a wonderful experience for student musicians from the Geelong community and beyond – it’s a Geelong institution! Each year students from across Victoria, Interstate and even as far away as New Zealand attend.
Please share the promotional poster attached. This can be emailed and/or printed out and displayed anywhere you think appropriate.
Looking forward to another wonderful and inspirational week of music and joy in January!
Fiona Gardner – Musical Director GSMC 2027
On behalf of the GSMC Committee
Fiona Gardner
2026 NAPLAN Results: A Strong Year for Our Students
Earlier this month, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and the Victorian Department of Education released the national and state benchmark data for the 2026 NAPLAN assessments. We are pleased to share a College-wide snapshot of how our students performed.
Across every year level (3, 5, 7 and 9) and every domain (Reading, Writing, Numeracy, Spelling, and Grammar & Punctuation), the proportion of Christian College students achieving in the Strong or Exceeding proficiency bands exceeded both the Victorian and national benchmarks. It's a pleasing result that reflects the dedication of our teachers and Learning Support staff, and the strength of our teaching and learning program.
A few highlights:
- Our Year 3 cohort produced standout results in Writing and Numeracy, well ahead of state and national benchmarks. In Writing, for example, 91% of our Year 3 students achieved in the Strong and Exceeding proficiency bands, compared to the state's 79.8% and national 73.9%.
- Reading and Numeracy were consistently strong across all four year levels. At Year 7, 84% of our students achieved in the Strong and Exceeding proficiency levels in Reading, compared to state 71.4% and national 66.8%. And in Year 9 Numeracy, 77% of Christian College students achieved in the Strong and Exceeding proficiency levels, compared to 68.5% for state and 65.3% national.
It's worth mentioning that NAPLAN offers one useful, point-in-time snapshot of literacy and numeracy. It doesn't, however, capture the fuller picture of a child's growth, character, wellbeing, or the breadth of learning happening across our classrooms and co-curricular life. We are certainly grateful for these results, and we hold them alongside everything else we know about your child as a learner - and what we value most at Christian College.
Individual Student Reports were sent home to Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 families earlier this term. If you have any questions about your child's results, please don't hesitate to reach out to their homeroom teacher or Head of Campus.
Rick Geall, Vice Principal
ISV LEAD Parent Survey – Reminder
Thank you to all the parents and carers who have already taken the time to complete our LEAD Parent Survey - your feedback is genuinely valued and will help shape teaching, learning, and wellbeing at Christian College.
If you haven't yet had a chance to take part, there's still time. The survey takes around 10–15 minutes and covers everything from academic programs and teaching quality to pastoral care and student wellbeing. Your responses are completely anonymous and reported to the school only as aggregated results.
Click on the link below to enter the survey:
The survey will close on Friday, September 18, 2026.
If you have any questions, please contact the Student Office at your child's campus.
Rick Geall, Vice Principal
Join us for the Christian College Foundation Golf Day
63% of places have already been sold, so don't miss your chance to be part of this fantastic day.
Looking for a great way to spend the Geelong Show Day public holiday on Friday, 16 October?
Gather some colleagues, friends, or family and join us for a fantastic day of golf, fun, and community at The Sands Torquay.
Whether you're a regular golfer or simply keen for a fun day out, this event is for everyone. With a relaxed Ambrose format, players of all abilities are welcome. Enjoy a breakfast on arrival, on-course competitions including Longest Drive and Nearest the Pin, and the chance to win an incredible $30,000 Hole-in-One prize.
After your round, join us for a buffet lunch and hear how the Christian College Geelong Foundation is helping provide life-changing educational opportunities for students and families in need.
Event Details
Date: Friday 16 October 2026
Venue: The Sands Torquay, 2 Sands Boulevard, Torquay
Cost: $200 per player
Dress: Casual golf attire
Format: Ambrose Teams of 4
Register individually, bring a friend, or enter a full team. We'll happily help place individual players into teams.
Register Today
Places are limited, so don't miss the opportunity to enjoy a memorable day of golf, great food, wonderful company and community impact.
To learn more and register, click here.
Proudly Sponsored by AECS
We extend our sincere thanks to AECS (Australian Environmental Cleaning Services), our Major Sponsor, for their generous support of this event and the work of the Christian College Geelong Foundation.
Sponsorship Opportunities Available
Limited sponsorships are still available. Support local students and families while showcasing your business.
Enquiries: Tennille McInnes, t.mcinnes@ccg.vic.edu.au
