Year 8 – Enrichment Term 1

13 February 2026

 

Dear Parents/Carers

This year in Enrichment, our Year 8 students are focusing on strengthening their written communication skills. Developing clear, confident writing is an essential life skill that supports success across schooling, future study and the workplace. Throughout this term, students are learning to plan, draft, edit and refine their writing with increasing independence and confidence.

As part of this learning sequence, students are working towards producing a piece aligned with the Whitlam Institute’s *What Matters?* writing competition. This national competition invites young people to write a 400–600 word piece about an issue that matters deeply to them. It encourages thoughtful expression, civic awareness and authentic student voice.

Students have now completed the planning stage for their response and are currently working on developing their drafts. This stage of the process is an excellent opportunity for them to experiment with ideas, refine their thinking and practise meaningful revision. We encourage you to speak with your son about his draft, the ideas he is exploring and the choices he is making as a writer. These conversations can make a significant difference to students’ confidence and engagement.

Participation in the competition is entirely optional. Students are not obliged to enter; however, if they are proud of their final piece and wish to share their ideas more widely, we would warmly encourage them to consider submitting their work. Entry is free. A permission note is included in your child’s Enrichment booklet should you wish to provide consent for the school to submit their writing on their behalf. However as the work is entirely their own, students may also choose to enter independently if they prefer.

Thank you for your ongoing support of your child’s learning. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Kind regards

 

Emily Mattick
Leader of Learning Enrichment & Leader of Wellbeing – Year 11