PBC Newsletter
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Senior Secondary School

Congratulations to all of our Senior Students on a wonderful start to Term 2, we are very excited to what the next 5 weeks also has in store. Special mention must go to the cast, orchestra and crew involved in Rock of Ages. PBC Musicals hold a special place in our school’s history and with this production being big enough to take off-site to the Star Broadbeach we are ready to be wowed and transported back to the 80’s! Congratulations once again to all, we are certainly very proud of our PBC Reds. 

 

YEAR 12 KEY DATES

  • Parents of Year 12 students should have received an update from Deputy Principal Mitch Kennedy regarding our Graduation Ceremony & Formal Celebration last week. Please make note of the payment schedule in relation to these events. 

     

  • After the raging success of our Year 12 Trivia Night held earlier in the term – with over 300 students in attendance, we will be holding our Year 12 Bingo Night on Wednesday 2nd June in our Hall. All Year 12’s are encouraged to attend, with some outstanding raffle prizes once again up for grabs! 

     

  • ATAR Predictions will be issued to ATAR-eligible students during CARE on Wednesday 2nd June as part of our Pathways Session. Students will again be afforded the opportunity to learn more about QTAC, industry pathways, tertiary options and direct entry programs which have opened recently. 

     

  • Year 12 students that registered for the upcoming First Aid and Safety course need to check their emails as they would have been sent details regarding the online learning which must be completed in full by 9:00am Monday 1st June. Please allow 2 to 3 hours for this. Another First Aid and Safety course will be offered in term 3. 

UPCOMING SHUTDOWN EXAMS

Please note that for Year 10 and Year 12 students there is an upcoming shutdown exam period held during Week 10 of Term 2 (June 22 – June 26). Any absences for these exams must have a medical certificate as per our Assessment Policy. 

 

Assessment calendars for Term 2 have been published on the school website and shutdown calendars for Year 10 and 12 will be published on this page in the coming week.

 

Year 12 students are now completing Unit 4 work and will only have 2 assessments left in each of their subjects. At the end of Year 12, students’ results in Unit 3 and 4 are combined to award an exit grade and for General subjects a numerical value. As such it is imperative that student do not rest on their laurels and remain focussed for the rest of 2026.  

YEAR 11 ASSESSMENT

Year 11 students have just completed their Unit 1 assessment. Their next assessment block is early in Term 3 (week 2). Year 11 Unit 1 subject reports should be emailed home in the week commencing June 8. 

Year 11 students will have the opportunity to change classes at the end of Unit 1. They are available from May 22 until Friday June 12. 

 

  • All Year 11 and 12 students should by now have registered for the QCAA student portal on the myQCE website. They also should have completed the Academic Integrity Course in the Online Learning section. This will become a pre-requisite of the QCE. Students are not sent certificates by the QCAA upon graduation from school and completion of the QCE, all results and certificates are now provided digitally within their student portal. 

     

  • Year 10s and 11s are again encouraged to register for School based traineeships and apprenticeships (SAT) in Y block. A SAT will give students paid employment, work experience and a Certificate 3 qualification which gains extra QCE credits but also opens up a tertiary pathway. Please contact Ms Shreeve in Y block for more information.  

 

  • Students in Year 10 are again reminded that their academic performance in Year 10 semester 1 will determine which pathway they can choose in Year 11. Students wishing to complete an ATAR pathway need to achieve Bs in English and Maths.  Students wishing to study a senior science course in year 11 and 12 also need to achieve a B in Year 10 Science. 

 

STUDY SKILLS FOR SUCCESS

Senior students are reminded and encouraged to make use of the study skills resources available on the school assessment page: PBC SHS Testing and Assessment Resources. These resources provide practical support for preparing effectively across all subject areas and can help students build strong study habits. Across the year, our newsletter will continue to highlight practical study strategies students can use with confidence to maximise success. 

 

Study Strategy Spotlight: Retrieval Practice 

A highly effective strategy students can use is retrieval practice — actively recalling information from memory rather than simply rereading notes. Research shows that when students regularly test themselves, it strengthens understanding and improves long-term retention. 

 

Retrieval practice can be used in simple and practical ways, including: 

  • answering practice questions without notes  
  • using flashcards or quick quizzes  
  • explaining concepts aloud from memory  
  • writing down everything remembered after a lesson before cross-checking against notes 

 

By attempting to retrieve information, before reviewing notes in detail, students can improve confidence, memory, and performance across all subject areas. This strategy works best when completed regularly in short study sessions across several days, rather than cramming the night before assessment.  

Senior students are welcome to seek further assistance with effective study skills and habits from Mr Poirrier in Y Block.