The VSV English team supports a diverse range of learners across the school. English is a core subject for students in Years 7–10, and all VCE students are required to undertake an English study as part of their VCE program. Many of our students have experienced interruptions to their schooling and may not have had consistent opportunities to develop the key skills and knowledge that support success in senior studies. For this reason, our English courses are carefully designed to be responsive and supportive, ensuring every student can build confidence and experience success in their learning.
English at Senior School Level
In VCE English, many students are enrolled under our Medical–Mental Health category and study full-time at VSV. Around a third of our Unit 3 and 4 students also undertake an unscored VCE. These students often require additional care, flexibility and support. Through empathy and expertise, our English team continues to guide students toward strong VCE outcomes, alongside the challenges they have navigated in their schooling. Here, we share some of those stories.
Sanaya was our highest-achieving English student in 2025, earning an outstanding study score of 44 while completing her studies as a full-time VSV student. Across the year, Sanaya consistently demonstrated exceptional discipline and resilience, balancing the significant demands of being a high-level table tennis athlete with her academic commitments. Her oral presentation, which explored the personal challenges of striving to become an elite athlete, was particularly impressive—thoughtful, authentic and highly engaging.
Despite frequent travel for international competitions, time pressures and personal challenges, Sanaya maintained a strong work ethic, regularly communicating, planning and making the most of every opportunity to improve. Her success is a testament not only to her ability, but also to her determination and commitment to excellence.
In an interview that appeared in the Daily Mirror last year, Sanaya explained,
“VSV provides flexible academic support for students like me who are deeply engaged in sports. This setup allows me to manage my time more effectively between training and studies, maintaining a structured routine and prioritising rest when needed to avoid burnout. The support from VSV has been invaluable in helping me keep up with my academics while I pursue my table tennis goals.”
Lucinda demonstrated remarkable perseverance throughout 2025, achieving a 40-study score in English with support from her teacher Sean Conroy despite living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). As a full-time VSV student, Lucinda navigated ongoing health challenges that significantly impacted her energy, concentration, and ability to complete work consistently, often working through periods of severe fatigue and recovery. What stood out was her determination to stay engaged with her learning, regularly communicating, seeking feedback, and maintaining a clear focus on improvement, even when circumstances made this incredibly difficult. Her Creating Text SAC was particularly impressive, seamlessly weaving the lyrics of Edge of Seventeen by Stevie Nicks into a sophisticated response, while her oral presentation advocating for increased funding for the arts was compelling. Lucinda’s is a powerful example of persistence in the face of adversity and a testament to what can be achieved through dedication. Her ATAR result and 40 study score result in English enabled her to be accepted into Science at Melbourne University.
English Language teacher Kaz Lynch shares the story of full-time VSV student, Stella. Although she found the first SAC challenging, Stella responded exceptionally well to feedback, and made sure she had completed all practice and preparation work for subsequent SACs. By the middle of the year, it was clear she would be in our top five of students if she performed consistently in the exam; she worked exceptionally well with feedback and checked in if she was uncertain of something. Her dedication to exam preparation was evident in her attendance to the on-site seminars and the many practice exams she completed. Stella ultimately achieved a study score of 40 in English Language, securing entry into her desired tertiary course, a pre-medical pathway at a regional university.
Success in English is not measured by results alone. For many of our students, simply reaching the point of completing their VCE studies can be a significant achievement. Supporting students to successfully achieve ‘Satisfactory’ results in their VCE English units is therefore a source of great pride for our English teaching team.
Year 11 student Abbie shared with her Literature teacher, Linda Paddon, that she was “grateful that Linda explains where we are in the semester and what is coming up in future weeks, as it helps me prepare.”
Another student reflected that “the online classes were well structured. Having access to recordings and slides took the stress out of missing a lesson.”
Linda also noted that several students have commented positively on the resources provided and the clear, consistent structure of lessons, which helps them feel supported and confident in navigating their learning in the online environment.
English in the Middle Years
Our Year 7–10 English teachers create dynamic learning experiences that expose students to a wide range of text types while supporting them to build confidence and achieve success. These lessons are designed to encourage interaction and connection, even within the online environment.
Year 9 English student Vinny recently shared with teacher Tara Komaromy that he learns best when lessons are interactive. Activities using Microsoft Whiteboard allowed him to see other students’ ideas and discover shared interests. He said the experience made him feel as though he was back in a physical classroom and more connected to the VSV community.
Year 10 English teacher Luke Ferguson highlighted positive experiences during recent English Connect Week sessions:
“We put a spotlight on fanfiction, and we had such a positive and engaged group of students, who shared their love of fanfiction and creative writing. We spoke with teachers Jeanette and Emel (from VSV Writer’s Workshop and Book Club) to help direct those students to the respective clubs as they were eager to continue new friendships that came out of that session.”
There are often opportunities to attend in-person seminars for VCE English, Literature and English Language at VSV’s Thornbury campus. Last year we offered the chance to visit ACMI in the city to attend film screenings of texts ‘The Sapphires’ and ‘Sunset Boulevard’. Recently, Year 12 English as an Additional Language (EAL) students attended an excursion to the Immigration Museum, which helped them prepare for the upcoming SAC exploring personal journeys in writing. Unit 3 EAL teacher, Alex Floreance-Curwood shares,
“Inspired by the stories of millions who came before them, many echoing their own journeys to Australia, students engaged enthusiastically in creative writing activities that encouraged them to draw on their senses and memories. Maya Hodge, writer of text Bidngen, also spoke to the class, encouraging them to embrace their authentic voices in their writing. The day provided a valuable opportunity for students to connect with each other and reflect, and they left with fresh ideas and inspiration for their Creating Texts SACs, brimming with confidence and creativity.”
Beyond academic outcomes, studying English helps students develop important transferable skills that support them well beyond the classroom. Through reading, writing, discussion and reflection, students build their ability to communicate clearly, think critically and engage thoughtfully with ideas and perspectives. Progress in these areas often happens gradually, through the small but meaningful steps that strengthen confidence and capability over time. These incremental “little wins” in thinking, expression and understanding are an important part of each student’s learning journey.
Sara Tacey
Instructional Leader – English
With appreciation to the broader English teaching team for their contributions.
