Closing date is fast approaching!!

2025 Academic Competitions

Dear Parents

St Bede’s will once again this year enter students in the following competitions:

The ICAS (International Competitions and Assessments for Schools).

Drawing on over 40 years of international assessment experience and academic rigour, ICAS is a school competition that inspires, celebrates and challenges millions of school students across Australia, New Zealand and the world.

The competition questions are set in modern, real-world scenarios where school students are assessed on their ability to apply classroom learning to new contexts, using higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills. The subjects span literacy (English, Writing and Spelling Bee) and STEM (Mathematics, Science and Digital Technologies).

Students from Years 2-6 may enter (except for the writing competition you must be in at least year 3). Students must be competent in their chosen subject/s as these assessments will be challenging! Over the years our students have found ICAS assessments to be an engaging and beneficial experience.

ICAS Subject	Cost of entry	Sitting Dates
Digital Technology (Years 2-6)	$20.95	4th-8th August 2025
Writing (Years 3-6)	$24.95	4th-8th August 2025
English (Years 2-6)	$20.95	11th-15th August 2025
Science (Years 2-6)	$20.95	18th-22nd August 2025
Spelling Bee (Years 2-6)	$20.95	18th-22nd August 2025
Maths (Years 2-6)	$20.95	25th August-29th August 2025

We will also enter students in the AMC (Australian Mathematics Competition).

First run in 1978, the Australian Mathematics Competition is Australia’s longest running, largest and most well-known maths competition for school students.

The AMC contains unique problems designed each year by leading educators and academics to challenge and extend your students’ problem-solving skills.

Australian Maths Competition (Year 3-6)

$9

5th-7th August 2024

For this to work I require all competitions to have the same closing date for entries and the school will strictly not accept any late entries.

Entries close on the last Tuesday of Term 2.

Tuesday the 1st of July

The Competitions basically are spread out across the month of August.

If you would like for your child to participate please fill in the table below by ticking the relevant boxes, putting this form in an envelope (with the correct amount of money) and return to the school office by NO LATER THAN Tuesday the 1st of July- the last Tuesday of Term 2!

Please label the envelope with:

ACADEMIC COMPETITION ENTRY

Your child’s name

What year level they are in.

A separate envelope for each child in the family is appreciated.

SUBJECT	TESTING PERIOD	YEAR LEVELS ALLOWED	COST	ENTRIES CLOSE	TICK TO ENTER!
Australian Maths Comp	5th-7th August	Years 3-6	$9	Tuesday 1st July 2025
ICAS Writing	4th-8th August	Years 3-6	$24.95	Tuesday 1st July 2025
ICAS Digital Technology	4th-8th August	Years 2-6	$20.95	Tuesday 1st July 2025
ICAS English	11th-15th August	Years 2-6	$20.95	Tuesday 1st July 2025
ICAS Science	18th-22nd August	Years 2-6	$20.95	Tuesday 1st July 2025
ICAS Spelling Bee	18th-22nd August	Years 2-6	$20.95	Tuesday 1st July 2025
ICAS Maths	26th -30th August	Years 2-6	$20.95	Tuesday 1st July 2025

Lastly, just a reminder that these assessments are designed to be challenging. Please only enter your children in the subject areas they feel confident and capable in.

Amanda Martin

Learning Diversity Leader/Deputy Principal

St Bede’s Primary, North Balwyn

amartin@sbedesbn.catholic.edu.au

St Bede's Primary School Newsletter

Bienvenue à notre école - Welcome to our school

Issue 15 · 22 May 2025

In this issue