Vsuccess English Education Term 2 Quarterly Newsletter

June 2026

In the second term of this year, our English students and tutors have been busy! Following on from Term 1 and our Drama Holiday Program in April, Vsuccess Education is offering exciting new extra-curricular projects, continuing the progression of our novel study analysis through yrs 4-9 and have completed the first semesterly exam with individualised feedback for every student.

April Drama Holiday Program 

Following Term 1 led by our own English Department Manager and experienced theatrical performer Hannah, eight students participated in a successful week of Drama workshops building their confidence and practising performance skills collaboratively and creatively.

These workshops involved comedic improvisation, writing monologues, memorising lines and exploring dynamics of vocal expression and physicality, particularly through methods of play and imaginative risk taking.

Our Drama students collected recognition of their involvement and developing abilities through personalised ‘Skill Passports,’ and discovered different styles of theatre and dramaturgy ranging from Shakespearean soliloquies, French mime art and postmodern comedy.

Introducing these complex cultural art forms through accessible interactive games and recreation, Hannah remarks that she was profoundly impressed by the resilience and courage of her young students making dramatic choices and engaging thoughtfully.

Meet our English Department Team member

Welcome! I am Angie, the lead Year 9 English educator at Vsuccess Tutoring. During my tenure here, I have cultivated a strong commitment to student success and holistic development. I take great pride in mentoring my students, facilitating engaging weekly discussions, and helping them reach their full academic potential. Teaching at Vsuccess has been instrumental in furthering my own professional development as an educator. In my spare time, I immerse myself in classic and contemporary literature, educational research, and exploring the arts.

New Winter Holiday Program: The Writers’ Room

In July 2026, we are innovating our traditional reading comprehension holiday program as intensive writing workshops fostering skills, structure and techniques across various styles and genres of writing appropriate and accessible across all year levels.

The program will develop confidence in communication, clarity in writing, critical and strategic thinking and adaptability in speaking. Students will learn that good speakers are strong thinkers, good writers are organised communicators, and performance helps ideas come alive.

Across several days of applied writing challenges, students will rotate thematic and stylistic focuses including persuasive and rebuttal practice, narrative and figurative writing, informative texts and exposition, all whilst integrating analysis and critical thinking.

Seeking Enrolment for Term 3: The Public Speaking and Debating Team

Commencing in Term 3 on Sunday afternoons, we are establishing across primary and secondary levels a new Public Speaking and Debating Team. All ages are welcome and encouraged to enquire interest.

Practising informal debates under trial conditions, this class will develop persuasive writing skills compounded with oral presentation.

Looking forward, Vsuccess intends to participate in inter-school competitions enrolling students in the opportunity to debate publicly and collaborate with like-minded thinkers, researching and challenging complex ideas.

Novel Study Progression: Film Adaptations Yrs 7-9

As our English students continue their analytical novel studies complimentary to their textbook curriculum, Term 2 introduced film adaptations to compare and contrast with the texts for yrs 7-9. In VCE, specifically Literature units, English students are expected to write analytically on evaluations between various forms of texts, which is why we have decided to integrate an adaptations study in preparation.

Learning technical terminology to analyse and describe cinematic technique, our English students view in class a film version of the novel they are reading and get the opportunity to develop and challenge original opinions through class discussion and regular TEEL paragraph writing practice.

✍🏻Term 2 Master piece from Morgan Zhang (Year 4)

I strongly believe that staying at the beach for vacation is better than staying at the mountain because of these incredible reasons.

Firstly, staying at the mountains is boring, you only feel cold with nothing to do. It's only plain white and standing in the blue. You get so bored you get bored to death. People like me that likes snow might not like staying there too much or you get frostbite and get a cold. (Which is very bad!)

Secondly, staying at the beach is loads of fun splashing around in the sparkling waves, and playing volleyball and sun bathing. There is so much to do out in the sunshine with humugus smiles a mile wide!

These are the reasons why I strongly believe to go the beach instead of going to the mountains.

✍🏻Term 2 Master piece from Molly Fan (Year 4)

Well, When you ask me if we should go to the beach or the mountains, I would not choose any of them. I would choose CHINA!!! Here are my persuasive reasons why:

To begin with, When you go to the beach, it might get very windy and the sand will go into your eyes. You don't want that do you?

Then, you want to rub your eyes but your hands are covered with sea waterish sand, which makes everything even worse.

My next reason is that when you go to the mountains you have to pack and hold so many things and climb forever while also taking the risk of injury and wild animals.

To summarise, when you go to China, you get to stay in beautiful hotels, get everything from the shops at a way cheaper price, visit amazing landmarks such as the Summer Palace, Great Wall of China, Forbbiden City and all these amazing places like claw machines!

Well, look at at all these amazing reasons above, You should definitely agree with me now!

✍🏻Term 2 Master piece from Kevin Shen (Year 5)

It was one day when Amy walked into her quiet garden, she didn't expect anything until she saw a money tree.

It was dropping $100 dollar bills. She carefully collected the bills and examined it to see if it was real or not.

To her surprise it was real, she decided that she wouldn't tell anyone about this tree and that she was rich. Because being happy dosen't require money. She would list down every person that was nice to her to repay them.

Day 1 of being rich She went back to her garden to collect some bills but she's not spending it she's keeping it for a surprise for the people that was nice to her.

Day 2 The list started to grow, about 5 people on the list, Bob, Jeff, Ella, Mark, Maddy. Amy wanted to see what people would treat poor and rich people.

2 MONTHS Later

Graduation Day, She had about 10 people on her kind list. "PLEASE WELCOME AMY FOR HER SPEECH"

Amy made a shocking announcment, that the following names gets 10 000 dollers for not caring about money : Bob, Jeff, Ella, Mark, Maddy, Shresh, Spencer, Kabir, Alitia, Sharpay. Once all of the people got on stage, they received their checks with 10 000 dollers inside but they didn't really care. Because friendship dosen't require money. No matter who you are.

✍🏻Term 2 Master piece from Coco Yu (Year 6)

As me and Aaliyah was playing footy in the oval, Suddenly we heard a windy howl near the dense forest near . It kept getting louder and louder, so we just had to see what was going on.

As we stepped into the dark and gloomy forest, we saw so much nature and greenery, and it didnt make sense how inside was as beautifle as a rose and the outside was as grim and dark as a withered flower. We saw animals dancing and singing, but there was something odd. noticed a big lush willow tree in the center of the forest - We approached it, it looked like it had wrinkles and eyes? Suddenly, the leaves dangled and danced along the breeze, scaring us, and it suddenly opened its eyes and started to talk.

It told us all the fascinating history it had encountered were animals died and were born, and died and were born. Interesting! how humans were missing out on all this. He said "At my old age, I have witnessed a lot of things." Then, Aaliyah asked: 'What is this place ?''

The willow tree responded: "Its the only safe place for animals and plants that need safety from the hunters. We call it 'The safe place for prey', Where flowers dance and where the sun always smiles down at everyone. Its home for us.""

then I asked: "Has there ever been a predator here?" "Yes!" He replied. A long time ago but its a rule that we never say the name of 'it', as it killed many of our species." As soon as it said that, the forest became darker and darker, until a creature so grim and creepy it could kill a lion just by looking at it appeared. After 60,000 years, it came back. It was the "Amule Wolf" It started shreding and killing until it finally came to the willow and it said "I only want you, willow and I wont come again."

As the willow sacrificed herself for everyone as its now known as ' the willows home '.

✍🏻Term 2 Master piece from Jeremy Liu (Year 6)

"Crunch" replied the soft yet hard forest floor, sunlight pushing its way through the leaves. The wind whispered to each other, trees leaning in as if they was trying to tell me a hidden secret. A blue, glowing butterfly fluttered past my ear, tickling me. I look around and in the center was something glintering towards me... A pond where animals gather in peace; there was a deer sipping the natural, crystal clear water while the squirrels were chittering and sqeaking. This clearing was spectacular, like no other one I had seen. This was it... The Enchanted Forest.

I continued the trek following the dancing dandelions up the hill. The Enchanted Forest was once believed to be a mythical land, where on the peak of the mountain-forest was a guardian protecting the Ancient Pond that was said to heal the human body in seconds. But it comes with a twist - only the pure-hearted people were able to pass the lush, green, luminescent vines that carried a deadly curse to scare off evil-hearted people. Along the way, I passed small branches leaping off the bigger branches. The birds chirping tuneful song into my ears; frogs were croaking, creating their own music just like the birds. Then droplets of water dripped onto face from my hair - I was sweating. The sun, beaming at me was sinking closer to the horizon in the clear blue sky.

I stumble across a bunch of wild dog cubs play fighting and squealing in delight. I watch as they cross to the other side of forest and disappeared into the dark, green bushes. I continued on, pushing past my limit until I heard crackling of fire. I flung myself towards the sound hoping it wasn't bushfire and to my surprise it wasn't, it was instead fire in big black pots licking the air and wind. I stood up straight and in front was a temple with vines...

I took 3 slow steps towards the entrance scared it will curse me when I pass through. I took a deep breath and I step through. My skin was tingling, and my brain was spinning with thought but the main one was: "Am I dead?". I took another step breathing slowly still not believing I made it through. I took off my backpack while inspecting the dark, barely-lit room then I adjusted to the pond in front of me. I took the jar out of my backpack and filled it with the glowing pink. I poured it into the soil, with a tree planted in it and it came alive! Then I suddenly felt happy. After minutes of realisation I found out I could feel what the tree was feeling and it was feeling very thankful, but after all this was all just an experiment conducted to see if this pond really brings things to life.

✍🏻Term 2 Master piece from Alissa Wu (Year 7)

The time to visit Brian's father had come again. Brian stared out of the window, travelling without his parents again. This time, it was a public plane, packed with people. Green and yellow plains, with trees like a green ocean stretched out. The sight gave Brian vivid flashbacks: struggling to survive, then maturing. He thought about the crash site, wondering about if he would even recognise it.

"Good evening passengers, this is your captain speaking, our flight to Canada will take about five hours,” The captain on the PA speakers said. Brian sighed. He dozed off for a while, sleeping like a baby but woke up to the plane violently shaking.

"What's going on?" Brian was deeply confused. One second he was sleeping, the other he was shaking. Probably just a small bit of turbulence? But it wasn't.

"Flight 198, we are going down. We are experiencing a malfunction with our wing," The captain screeched. Brian was speechless. Everyone was screaming, but Brian was silent during the chaos.

The plane tilted, jerking to the right. Then the nose dove down at a dangerous degree. It crashed; a loud booming noise. In the forest, the front and middle rows were demolished. Brian camly took his seat-belt off and walked to the exit. Survivors poured out of the plane. Brian was experienced now although it wasn't the same place, he wasn't the same any more either.

Brian was the youngest out of the ten survivors, but also the smartest. There was a lot of commotion. People were bawling their eyes out and begging for mercy.

"Guys, it should be alright. I've got experience," Brian said, but nobody listened.

He sighed again. Looking around, he saw there were trees scattered around. Brian still had his hatchet and so left the group, he went deeper into the forest.

Brian felt slightly isolated, but determined to survive again; he didn't know if he was supposed to be happy or grateful he had experience. Brian thought about how he was ignored by the group. He had to be resillient about this situation he was in. He isn't the same any more.

✍🏻Term 2 Master piece from Olivia Wang (Year 8)

My name is Dora Jackson, and I am an abalone diver. I am writing this to urge you to take caution about the sea. I wholeheartedly plead you to take action, or the sea will just gradually rot and die.

To commence, Longcoat Bay has lately been harmfully polluted and poached. For context, awful people have carelessly killed marine creatures that they don't need. Data states 70% of fish have been killed, and 30% of that are wasted. Thus, this isn't some casual matter, and if this continues there will be unstoppable consequences.

Additionally, our planet is getting destructed by us, humans. We purposely trash our sea and take too much sea life than we need. Imagine, just imagine, a clean, pristine land significantly turns to a disastrous, chaotic mess polluted enough to make people cry. And do you know who's the cause of this? You. Infact, all of us. Ultimately, I hope you will be willing to help the sea and save it from ghastly sights.

Fortunately, there is still a chance to save the sea. We can advocate into this matter by picking up trash, creating a team and finding ways to prevent severe threats. For instance, the extinction of fish, the growth of pollution and endless climate change. But that won't happen if some humans wake up and notice the sea. Therefore, I urge you to help me protect our mother Earth.

Overall, our sea and environment is dying from our devices. This is an urgent problem, and we must take action before it goes to serious problems. Why not now, pls reply back and we can see what we can do to help the ecosystem.

Kind Regards,

Dora Jackson