From the Principal

At St Francis, we place great value and importance on our partnership with you, our parents and guardians.

You are the first educators of our students and share our commitment to ensuring they achieve the best outcomes in a safe and supportive learning environment.

We also know that sometimes, you will have questions or concerns and I strongly encourage you to contact the College to discuss these. 

Our staff are always happy to listen, explain our processes and work with you to support your child. Generally, concerns can be resolved quickly by contacting your child's Mentor teacher or House Leader. 

If a more formal process is required, there is information to guide you on the College website. 

I would also like to draw your attention to the information below relating to the Child Safe Standard that informs our policies and procedures.  

Child Safe Standard 7

As you will have seen in previous newsletters, each month we are highlighting the Child Safe Standards we follow as part of Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) child-safety campaign, MACS Care.

This month, the focus is on Standard 7. It reinforces that children and young people have the right to be heard, listened to, and responded to with care and justice.

By ensuring that complaints and concerns are handled through clear, accessible, and child-focused processes, Child Safe Standard 7 supports a school culture where children feel safe to speak up, families feel confident to raise concerns, and issues are addressed promptly and fairly, strengthening trust across the whole school community.

You can read more in the document below.

Looking Ahead - Melton Campus

Looking Ahead - Cobblebank Campus

Year 7 2028 Enrolments Due

A reminder that applications for Year 7 2028 are due on Friday 14 August.

If your child is in Grade 5 and you would like them to attend the College, please get your application in as soon as possible. Demand for places is high and if you submit an application after 14 August, it will be classed as late and you may be placed on a wait list. 

This also applies to current families.

Please also note that applications that are missing documents will be considered late if the documents are not provided before 14 August. 

If you need help to complete your application, please email enrolments@sfcc.vic.edu.au.

Photo Permission

A reminder to families that if you wish to change your child’s photo permission status at any time, you are required to fill out the form below and return it to the College office.

Parent Webinar

Student Exits

A reminder that if your child is leaving the College and transferring to another secondary school, you are required to complete and return the St Francis Catholic College Exit Form. You can download the form here.

The Exit Form is required by the College and is used to settle family accounts. Parents will be charged fees until the form is received, and it is important that the student's official exit date be included.

The College also requires a letter confirming the student’s enrolment from their new school. The letter should include the starting date and can be submitted with the Exit Form.

Please remember, students are required to continue attending school each day at St Francis Catholic College until they begin at their new school.

The exit form and confirmation of enrolment from your child’s new school should be emailed to enrolments@sfcc.vic.edu.au.

Students not transferring to another secondary school

Parents and guardians of students under 17 who are not transferring to another secondary school must complete and return two forms.

1. The St Francis Catholic College Exit Form – click here to download.
2. The Victorian Government Exemption from School Application Form
• Click here for the Melton Campus form
• Click here for the Cobblebank Campus form

Students under the age of 17 need to seek an exemption to leave school for TAFE, apprenticeships, work, or alternative job training.

Families can assist the College by completing sections A, B, C, D1, D2, and F of the Exemption from School Form.

Part of this form also requires a contract of employment stating full-time work (25 hours per week or more) and a copy of enrolment into TAFE (letter of acceptance, enrolment confirmation, etc.).

Please note:

• students in Years 10 to 12 who are not transferring to another secondary school must attend an interview with the Pathways Coordinator before the Principal signs the Exemption from School Form.

• students are required to attend school each day until their Exemption from School Form has been approved.

The exit form and Exemption from School Form should be emailed to enrolments@sfcc.vic.edu.au.

School reports

Once students are removed from College records, their reports can no longer be accessed via the Parent Portal (PAM). Parents and guardians are advised to print or download the reports and save them for future reference.

Upcoming Traffic and Train Disruptions

Exford Road, between Brooklyn Road and Staughton Street, will close to traffic from 7pm next Tuesday 11 August to 7am on Monday 31 August as part of the Melton Level Crossing Removal Project.

Pedestrian access will be maintained at Exford Road and around the station precinct. Detours will be in place via Richard Road to the north and Wilson Road to the south. Please see the map and further information below.

There will also be service changes on the Ballarat, Ararat and Maryborough train lines from the first service on Wednesday 12 August to the last service on Monday 31 August.

Replacement services will depart some stations earlier than usual. Students can plan their journey using the PDF temporary timetables available on the V/Line website.

Please remember that bikes are not allowed on buses that are replacing trains. For more information and to plan your journey, visit www.vline.com.au/Timetable/Service-changes.

Community event

Please see below details of a free community event to celebrate the removal of the level crossing at Ferris Road.

When: 9am to 12pm on Sunday 30 August.
Where: Cobblebank Indoor Stadium, 14 Stadium Drive, Cobblebank.

There will be something for everyone, including food trucks, coffee, kids’ entertainment and more.

SACCSS Success!

Melton Girls AFL champions

Huge congratulations to our Melton girls' AFL team, which won all four matches at the SACCSS Intermediate AFL tournament to take home the champion's shield last week.

The squad was one of the smallest on the day with only 16 players, meaning no substitutions could be made. They also faced a challenging fixture, with their last three matches, including the semi and grand finals, played back-to-back, with only 10 minutes of rest between each.

Despite these hurdles, the team worked hard, displaying excellent sportsmanship and teamwork throughout, resulting in a well-deserved victory over Thomas Carr College in the grand final, 17-6.

Congratulations to all our girls and a special mention to Sheera, who was awarded Best Player in the Grand Final.

Thank you to our outstanding student helpers, Shameka, Talia, Kiana, Athiak and Gabby, and to our coaches, Nyomi Stowers and Leah Thorburn.

Claudia Alp, Sports Coordinator Melton Campus

SFCC Boys Hockey Champions

We're also celebrating a grand final win by our SFCC Senior Boys Hockey team at yesterday's SACCSS Senior Hockey Tournament.

The team was made up of students from both campuses who played under the Cobblebank banner and were undefeated throughout the day.

This was a big moment for the Cobblebank students who notched up their first championship hockey title.

Congratulations to Year 10 Melton student Ben who was named the best player in the grand final.

A big shout-out to all the players on our Cobblebank Senior Girls' Hockey team who also had a fantastic day on the pitch, ending as runners-up in the tournament.

Well done to Year 10 student Gurnoor, who was named best player in the grand final.

Sophie Cryan, Sports Coordinator Cobblebank Campus

Year 10 Reflection Day

To be brave enough to flourish is to be brave enough to stand up against domestic violence.

This was the theme for our Year 10 Reflection Day that brought together students from both campuses to explore what healthy relationships look like and why they matter.

Activities and discussions highlighted the importance of relationships built on respect, trust, honesty, safety, and freedom and how to identify the warning signs of an unhealthy or abusive relationship, in which someone uses fear, pressure, guilt, isolation, monitoring, or control to get their way.

A presentation by members of the Proactive Policing Unit focused on recognising warning signs in others, how to safely respond to concerns, and where to seek help. 

The impact of family violence on victims, as well as the serious legal and personal consequences for those who use violence, was discussed.

The final activity of the day was a walk against domestic violence to raise awareness, show support for survivors, and urge individuals, communities, and governments to take meaningful steps to prevent violence and hold perpetrators accountable.

Students wore purple t-shirts, created signs, and walked together through parks and streets surrounding Melton Campus in a peaceful display of solidarity against violence.

Student reflections

Reflection Day was one we will never forget. The day started off with both campuses hearing a presentation from the Proactive Policing Unit about how to recognise domestic violence followed by group activities. The highlight of the day was the walk against domestic violence. It raised awareness, urgedindividuals to take action, showed support and reminded the community that domestic violence is not okay. Not now, not ever. Dawt, Faith and Mission Captain, Cobblebank Campus

This was such a great opportunity as it taught us about domestic violence and how it can not only impact an individual but also everyone around them. We learnt about what to do if faced with domestic violence and who to call and what to do to help to prevent further violence. At the end of the day, our cohort took part in a walk around the school with signs and purple shirts to show our respect for domestic violence victims. A key takeaway from this day for me was that I should stand up for what is right and how it can make a difference. Sienna, Year 10, Melton Campus

Students Explore Careers in Sport

A group of Melton Campus students visited the Melbourne Storm offices at AAMI Park last week to take part in the Storm Waka – Careers Experience, a program designed to support young people in Victoria who are exploring careers in sport or rugby league. 

The students participated in:

• a presentation from staff in key administration roles about their career journey
• A networking lunch with Storm staff
• a back-of-house tour at AAMI Park
• an NRL player panel.

Students received a Storm Waka careers program pack and Storm merchandise during their visit.

Student reflections

It was a good way to learn about potential career pathways. I found it engaging, with the different activities and speeches. Layla, Year 9

I enjoyed the experience; I didn't know how much effort went on in the background for the athletes to be able to play on the field, and all the different roles. Viliami Year 11

It was great and I would definitely go again; very grateful for the experience. Frederick, Year 11

It was cool seeing the facilities and some of the players. Also cool to see Big Dylz. It was a great opportunity for us to see the behind-the-scenes opportunities at Melbourne Storm for Pasifika peoples in sport. Melakhy, Year 11

It was a really enjoyable experience. It taught me that some things take time and that being patient is important. I also learned that there are lots of different pathways you can take to reach your future goals. We learnt about different careers, like graphic design and geography, which showed me there are many job opportunities to choose from. I also enjoyed learning more about Māori and Pasifika cultures, which made the experience fun and interesting. Awatea-Lilly, Year 9

Kimiora Joyce, Pasifika Engagement Project Officer

Basketballer Represents South Sudan

Our congratulations to Year 11 Melton Campus student Ring, who recently represented South Sudan at the FIBA U18 AfroBasket Qualifiers in Cairo, Egypt.

At the end of the two-week tournament, the South Sudanese team finished third. Ring was a key member of the team, playing in three out of the four games, including the playoff for third place against Uganda.

We look forward to seeing where Ring's basketball talents take him next.

Year 10 Hospitality - Cobblebank Campus

Our Year 10 Hospitality students have kicked off the semester by exploring the art of food presentation and garnishing. 

Throughout the unit, students have developed essential knife skills, practised chocolate decorations, created cucumber roses, and designed creative fruit garnishes to enhance the visual appeal of their dishes.

These practical activities are helping students build the foundation skills required for the hospitality industry while preparing for their first assessment task. 

It has been fantastic to see their creativity, attention to detail, and confidence grow as they discover that we really do eat with our eyes first! Well done to all students on a great start to the semester.

Students' Success in NAPLAN 2026

We are delighted to share the positive outcomes from our 2026 NAPLAN results and celebrate the achievements of our Year 7 and Year 9 students.

These results reflect the combined efforts of our students, teachers and families. Across both year levels, students demonstrated strong achievement in Reading, Spelling and Numeracy, with positive growth across many learning areas.

A particular highlight was Numeracy. Following analysis of our 2025 NAPLAN results, Measurement was identified as a focus area and included in our 2026 Annual Action Plan. Teachers incorporated measurement learning across a range of subjects, giving students regular opportunities to apply mathematical thinking in real-world contexts.

We are pleased to see this targeted approach reflected in our results.

• In Year 7, the proportion of students achieving the Strong and Exceeding proficiency levels in Numeracy increased from 64% to 67%, while those in the Developing category decreased from 27% to 24%.
• Year 9 students also showed growth, with more students achieving Strong and Exceeding levels and fewer in the Developing category.

While we celebrate these achievements, we remain committed to improvement. Staff continue to use student achievement data to inform teaching, provide targeted support and challenge every learner to achieve their best.

You also play a vital role in supporting their children's learning. Some of the most valuable mathematical learning occurs through everyday experiences at home. Cooking together develops measurement skills, playing sport encourages students to estimate and measure distances, and budgeting or shopping provides authentic opportunities to apply mathematical thinking. These simple, everyday experiences help build students' confidence, deepen their understanding of mathematics, and reinforce learning in the classroom.

We thank our dedicated teachers for their professionalism and commitment, our students for their effort and perseverance, and parents and guardians for their ongoing support.

The results highlight what can be achieved when students, families and staff work together as one school community.

Sports Update

Melton Senior SACCSS Sport - Round 3

Melton Year 9 Premier League - Round 3

Cobblebank Year 9 Premier League - Round 3

Community Notices

Mountain Bike Program

Edmund Rice Foundation run a free weekly mountain bike program for young people called “On Track”.

The program is designed for young people aged 10-16 years who love riding bikes but could also use some additional support and guidance. Group sizes are intentionally kept small, to allow young people to feel comfortable, seen and supported – all whilst having fun outdoors, learning new bike skills and socialising with peers.

The program teaches a variety of bike skills, like how to ride over obstacles and mountain bike-style tracks to night rides - all from Edmund Rice Community Centre, 121-179 Greigs Rd, Truganina. The group occasionally explores new trails off-site as well.

After a successful Eynesbury school holiday program in partnership with Edmund Rice, it has offered to run a bus service from Eynesbury Discovery Centre to and from the program, so that young people in Eynesbury to attend. The bus service will operate if there are enough enrolments.

For more information or to register, please see the flyer below.

Useful Links

Keep updated with College events, procedures, resources and information via the links below.

PAM – Parent Portal

Enrolment

SFCC Careers Tools

Facebook

Instagram

Policies

Uniform

Library