Australian Education Awards 2026, Finalist Awardee in four categories.

Recognised as a benchmark for excellence in Australian education, the Australian Education Awards attract outstanding candidates from schools nationwide. As Australia’s leading independent education awards, they celebrate excellence across schools, principals, department heads, and teachers nationwide.

We are proud and excited to be named a finalist in four categories, Department Head of the Year, Street Science Best Stem Program, Secondary School Teacher of the Year – Government, and A Team Tuition Secondary School of the Year – Government. This recoginition is the result of our staff’s commitment to student success through inclusive and personalised learning, strong relationships with the community, wellbeing approaches that strengthen belonging and engagement, and the development of the Western Australian Space Science Education Centre (WASSEC). 

A Team Tuition Secondary School of the Year – Government

All staff at Joseph Banks Secondary College maintain a steadfast commitment to student success through high expectations and through inclusive and personalised learning, ensure every student can thrive. A clear focus on staff and  leadership learning supports the professional learning and growth of all staff to continually build their instructional and leadership practices.

A continual school improvement agenda, with clear annual targets helps maintain this focus and in 2025 the College met or exceeded our academic, vocational and engagement targets while expanding state‑wide impact through the launch of the Western Australian Space Science Education Centre (WASSEC), which provides immersive, industry‑aligned STEM learning and deep partnerships with tertiary and industry partners.

This work is supported by strong relationships across the school community and enhanced by purpose‑designed environments such as the Learning Hub and Kaardijin Koolungah cultural classroom. This is further supported by whole school wellbeing approaches and a Positive Behaviour Support framework that strengthens belonging and engagement.

We were really excited to be named a finalist in the Secondary School of the Year (Government) category, and it is a lovely recognition of the commitment of our staff, the success of our students, supported by our whole school community.

Department Head of the Year – Jessica Remi

Jessica was nominated because of her strong commitment to supporting students, colleagues, and the wider school community. As a Leading Teacher, she has led a range of professional learning communities focused on instructional leadership and improving outcomes for both students and staff.

In 2025, she supported the implementation of Positive Behaviour Support at Joseph Banks Secondary College, helping to strengthen a positive and inclusive school culture. Jessica also worked closely with the Literacy Improvement Team to embed evidence-informed practices through the Write to Learn initiative, improving literacy outcomes across the college. In addition, she has built strong community partnerships by coordinating programs such as the Health Expo and the High Performance Netball Program, creating valuable opportunities for student engagement, wellbeing, and growth beyond the classroom.

In 2025 WASSEC engaged 1,763 students from 87 schools across metropolitan and regional WA through immersive, curriculum-linked programs including Mission to Mars, Plants in Space, and Cybersecurity. These programs combine hands-on experimentation, simulation-based learning, and real-world problem solving within purpose-built learning environments including a simulated Mars surface, Mission Control, and specialised cybersecurity and STEM laboratories. A further 7,913 community touchpoints through state events and showcases were achieved throughout 2025.

Secondary School Teacher of the Year – Government – Miss Brittni Balogn

Brittni was nominated for her work in Digital Technologies, particularly in her role as Teacher-in-Charge and her commitment to supporting the development of staff capacity and student outcomes in this area. Much of Brittni’s work has focused on encouraging others to feel more confident and capable when teaching and engaging with Digital Technologies—not only students, but also teachers who may not yet feel confident in this space. Brittni has prioritised the development of engaging programs, continuously refined her teaching practice through reflection, and created opportunities for staff to learn alongside one another through initiatives such as DigiMeets and shared practice. At the centre of this work is a strong focus on improving student outcomes while building confidence, capability, and professional growth among colleagues.

“A lot of the work I do is driven by reflection—trying something, refining it, and sometimes starting again, so it’s reassuring to know that this approach is making a difference. It reinforces that focusing on student engagement, being willing to adapt, and supporting colleagues is worthwhile” – Brittni.