Learning & Innovation

As we progress through the term, our focus remains sharply on equipping every student with the tools for lifelong learning and success. This edition highlights our dedication to personalised education, rigorous study practices and crucial HSC preparation. We look at how advanced diagnostic tools, like the ACER PAT testing, inform our teaching; introduce effective new study methods to our middle years; and announce vital external support for our senior students preparing for their final years.

ACER Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT)

At Brigidine College Randwick, we are continually implementing strategies to ensure every student achieves her personal best. Our recent focus has been on harnessing powerful diagnostic data, equipping students with effective study skills and providing essential support for the HSC journey.

We recently completed our scheduled ACER Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) with students in Years 7 to 10. This is a crucial element of our strategy to monitor and guide student learning.

ACER PAT is a suite of online, objective, standardised assessments that measure student achievement and growth in key areas like Reading Comprehension (PAT-R) and Mathematics (PAT-M). Unlike end-of-unit tests, PAT is norm-referenced, meaning it allows us to compare a student's performance against a broad range of students across Australia. The data provides a detailed, diagnostic snapshot of what a student currently knows, understands, and is ready to learn next. This enables our teachers to:

• Tailor Teaching: Identify specific strengths and weaknesses within a cohort, allowing teachers to target lessons precisely to address learning gaps.
• Measure Growth: When administered over time, PAT data reliably measures learning growth, helping us track a student's progress and set appropriate, ambitious learning goals.

• Inform Support: Identify students who would benefit from extension work or those who require additional targeted support.

   

The PAT results are a single point of data that, when combined with classroom observations and ongoing assessment, helps us create a more personalised and rigorous learning experience for every student.

The Cornell Note-Taking System

As Year 11's begin their preparation for Year 12, we have introduced the year group to a powerful, systematic study tool: the Cornell Note-Taking System. The Cornell system encourages the '5 R's' of Note-Taking (Record, Reduce, Recite, Reflect, Review). By incorporating the Recite and Review phases, students move beyond passive transcription to actively engaging with the material, which is proven to significantly improve information retention and critical thinking - essential skills for HSC success. 

The Method: The system divides a page into three distinct sections:

The Main Note-Taking Area: For recording the core information, facts, and ideas during a lecture or from a text.

The Cue/Keyword Column (Left): Used after the lesson to write down key terms, potential test questions, or reflective cues. This acts as a self-testing prompt.

The Summary Area (Bottom): Used to write a 1-2 sentence summary of the page’s content, forcing synthesis and high-level understanding.

This process of retrieval practice or active recall also forces the brain to work harder to access information, strengthening neural pathways and helping to shift knowledge from short-term to long-term memory.

InspireED HSC Seminars

We are pleased to promote the upcoming free InspireED HSC Seminars being offered for both students and parents. This is a highly valuable opportunity for our community to gain expert insight into the demands of the Higher School Certificate.

What they cover: Presented by experienced Senior HSC Markers and qualified counsellors, the seminars deliver practical advice on:

• Effective study strategies and assessment techniques to maximise performance

• Managing the pressures of the HSC year, including stress reduction and encouraging open communication between students and parents

   

A Family Approach: The seminars are uniquely designed for students and parents to attend together, creating a unified approach to the academic journey. This ensures parents are well-informed partners in their daughter’s education and can provide the most constructive support at home.

The upcoming free November Kickstart Seminars for students and parents are scheduled at various university campuses across Sydney and Newcastle. 

Please visit this webpage for session dates and registration

Our commitment to academic excellence at Brigidine College is a continuous partnership between students, staff, and parents. We encourage all families to engage with these resources and look forward to celebrating the continued progress and achievement of our students.

Vince Papa

Director of Learning and Innovation