Year 8 Students Shine in The Minister’s Innovation Challenge 2024

Eight Year 8 students proudly represented Belridge Secondary College in The Minister’s Innovation Challenge 2024, a six-week program designed to inspire design thinking and entrepreneurial skills. This prestigious event saw only 40 schools selected to participate, making our students’ involvement an incredible achievement.

The challenge encouraged students to tackle a real-world issue within a chosen community. Our team focused on improving the outdoor court area of the school, recognising its potential to better serve students during recess and lunch. Through thoughtful brainstorming and collaboration, they developed innovative ideas such as adding shade coverage, seating, improved drink fountains, increased greenery, and more.

To ensure their solutions resonated with the wider school community, the team conducted surveys with students and interviewed staff. They also sought advice from professionals, including obtaining quotes from a sail shade manufacturer, and used AI-powered tools to create realistic visual renders of their vision for the upgraded space.

The Innovation Challenge followed a structured process, guiding students through five key stages:

Empathize – Understand the needs of the community.

Understand the Customer – Identify who would benefit and why.

Ideate and Validate – Generate ideas and confirm their value through research.

Prototype – Develop preliminary designs and solutions.

Pitch and Present – Share their vision in a compelling presentation.

This experience not only showcased the creativity and teamwork of our students but also demonstrated their ability to tackle real-world challenges with practical, forward-thinking solutions. Their hard work and innovation are a testament to the bright future ahead for our young changemakers.

Well done to our Year 8 Team for their outstanding contribution to the school and for setting a high standard of excellence in this prestigious competition!

Mr Alexander Winch
Teacher - Digital Technologies

Home Economics

The Year 9 Food for Others classes have finished off successfully this year by completing a unit in High Tea service. Students investigated the origins of High Teas and then worked with their partners to explore, devise and produce dishes suitable for serving.  They finished their task by sharing what they had made with the rest of the class to truly encapsulate the meaning of “Food for Others”.  Each group then had the opportunity to enjoy their own High Tea platter filled with a mixture of sweet and savoury dishes.

Mrs Micael Corless
Teacher – Home Economics

Be Waterwise

On Friday, 15 November 2024, Year 7 HASS students participated in the Waterwise Experience incursion, with the Water Corporation. The Waterwise Experience is an interactive, multi-sensory incursion, inspiring students on the topic of water sustainability. Students were led through three engaging narratives in a silent disco format, empowering them to take action and become sustainability ambassadors. We learnt that resources are finite, and we need to work together to preserve, restore and protect the uniqueness of our planet.

Mrs Claire Green
Teacher - Humanities and Social Sciences and AEP Coordinator

Year 9 Careers Program 
Lab Rats Excursion to Edith Cowan University

On Thursday, 28 November 2024, 31 Year 9 Academic Enrichment Program (AEP) students attended Edith Cowan University’s (ECU) annual Lab Rats event, held at the Joondalup campus. The excursion provided exposure to what life would be like completing an undergraduate Science degree at university. During the day students learnt about the importance of examining eDNA (Environmental DNA) to gather information about the natural environment - both practically and in a simulated game manner - discovered the importance of cyber security protocols and received information regarding pathways and course options for university study at ECU in 2028 and beyond. The College’s Career Practitioner, Ashley Mouritz and Year 9 AEP Science teacher, Joan Orr, were involved in planning and supervising the excursion.

At the beginning of the day were warmly met by current lecturers, tutors and post graduate students from the School of Science. Students made their way to a large lecture theatre where they were ‘welcomed to country’ and had the itinerary for the day explained to them. Some students had been in a university lecture theatre, with a seating capacity of 100s, but for some students it was the first time they had the opportunity to be exposed to the unique learning environment that exists at a university campus.

After a short introduction and induction, students participated in the ‘Great Race’, a 30-minute trek across the campus that required groups of students locating and noting various physical landmarks from across the campus. Each group admirably completed this task independently, with the assistance of a campus map. All students made it back to the checkpoint in time for their scheduled workshops for the day. The winning team was awarded a bag of ECU goodies, which went down well! At the conclusion of the day, students were informed of the many different study options available to them at ECU, on completion of their secondary studies. ECU staff commented on the impressive level of engagement and respect demonstrated by Belridge students. Hopefully involvement in the event assisted students to become more aware of the many study and career options they have once they transit to tertiary education.

Year 9 Career Program
Taster at Stanley College
A Day of Learning and Hands-On Experience

On Thursday, 21 November 2024, twelve Year 9 students had the exciting opportunity to attend a Career Taster at Stanley College, where they explored the healthcare industry through a series of practical workshops. 

The students learned crucial skills for working in healthcare settings, such as hands-on activities, allowing students to actively engage with real-world scenarios. They practiced life-saving techniques like CPR under expert guidance, understood the importance of infection control, learned how to safely move patients in a clinical environment and the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE).  

The experience provided valuable insight into the essential safety protocols and equipment used in healthcare settings. 

Overall, the students had a fantastic day, gaining new knowledge and skills that broadened their understanding of healthcare careers. The event inspired many students to consider a future in the medical field, and it was a great success in providing a fun and educational introduction to these important roles. We look forward to more career taster days that provide our students with hands-on experiences and career insights. Thank you to Ms Currie, who accompanied students on the excursion.

Mr Ashley Mouritz
Career Practitioner

Year 9 Career Program
Taster - Nursing

A group of Year 9 students recently participated in a healthcare-specific Career Taster at North Metro TAFE’s McLarty Campus in Joondalup. During this experience, students practiced essential hygiene measures, including the ‘donning and doffing’ of scrubs, removing staples from a simulated patient’s limb (using a pool noodle), administering medications, and taking patient vitals. These students, who have shown an interest in pursuing healthcare careers, received valuable and up-to-date information on healthcare opportunities and pathways from NM TAFE staff, who collectively have over 65 years of nursing experience. We extend our gratitude to NM TAFE for providing this wonderful experience and congratulate the students for their professional behaviour and natural ‘bedside manner’ with patients. This opportunity has given them a great insight into the healthcare field and its various career pathways.

Mr Adam Smith
Senior School Pathways 

Belridge SC and the AMA team up to offer a Cert III Allied Health Assistance

Belridge Secondary College is excited to announce a new partnership with the Australian Medical Association (AMA) to offer a fully funded Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance in 2025, exclusively for Year 12 students. 

The Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance prepares students for roles supporting allied health professionals, such as therapy and physiotherapy assistants, podiatry and speech pathology assistant. Tailored for a school pathway, the course equips students with essential skills for the health sector, including interpreting medical terminology, assisting with therapy programs, and maintaining infection control standards. Students will complete a 120-hour work placement, gaining hands-on experience in a health care setting. This course offers an excellent entry point into the healthcare industry for high school students, helping them gain a nationally recognised qualification with practical workplace skills.

Belridge SC students will be trained by experienced AMA staff and have access to state-of-the-art medical resources. They will also participate in semester-based visits to the AMA's facility in Joondalup, which features a simulated ward and world-class training resources.

Upon completion, students will be eligible for various health support roles, including aged care and disability care. They can also progress to the Certificate IV in Preparation for Health and Nursing Studies, which serves as a direct pathway to a Bachelor of Nursing degree at university.

We are grateful to the AMA for providing this wonderful opportunity and look forward to working with them and our first student cohort in 2025.

Mr Adam Smith 
Senior School Pathways 

VET and Workplace Learning

Workplace Learning

Belridge Secondary College had over 40 senior students participate in work placements during Weeks 6 and 7 of Term 4. The feedback from employers was excellent, with many students being offered part-time jobs and apprenticeships. Employers praised the students’ initiative, punctuality, and strong work ethic. These placements spanned various industries, including education support, retail, business administration, hospitality, sport and recreation, automotive, construction, surveying, and healthcare. Notably, two Year 11 students, who are completing a Certificate III in Population Health through the VETDSS Program, completed their placements at Royal Perth Hospital. This was a first for our students and has now provided a platform for future students interested in healthcare to follow in their footsteps.

In addition to the official Workplace Learning Program, many students also completed work experience with local employers in industries they are considering for their future careers.

We congratulate all the students who fully embraced the opportunities provided by the Workplace Learning Program. They represented the College excellently and made the school and local community proud. We are confident that these experiences will help them make positive choices and further explore their individual career pathways.

Matthew Earns Highly Commended Award for ABCN Accelerate Scholarship Application

We are delighted to announce that Matthew Kay (Year 10) has earned a Highly Commended Award for his application to the ABCN Accelerate Scholarship!

Despite not being selected for the full scholarship, Matthew’s application stood out among thousands of applicants, showcasing his hard work and creativity. This recognition is a testament to his dedication and effort. As part of his Highly Commended Award, Matthew will receive:

• A certificate of recognition.
• Access to the online Financial Firsts module.
• A $500 gift card for school supplies.

Matthew will complete the Financial Firsts program, which aims to equip students with essential financial skills. The program covers:

• Understanding how values and experiences influence money habits
• Setting SMART financial goals
• Creating a budget for the award
• Learning about different types of bank accounts and credit

We are incredibly proud of Matthew’s achievement and look forward to seeing him excel with these new opportunities. Congratulations, Matthew!

Any student from Year 11 that is interested in applying for one of these great opportunities are encouraged to come and speak with Mr Smith, Program Coordinator – Senior School Pathways, beforehand. 

ATSI - Seasons Project