Curriculum and Learning

The Holidays and the Year 12 Trial HSC Examinations

Year 12 students are encouraged to use the upcoming holidays wisely and not to let the time pass without having done substantial preparation for the Trial HSC examinations which begin Monday 4 August, i.e., the third week back next term.

With just under six weeks to the Trial HSC examination, the following is important information for Year 12 students and their parents.

HSC Examination Marking Feedback and Sample Answers Marking guidelines and sample answers for most HSC subjects from past examinations are available on the NESA website at: https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/Understanding-the-curriculum/resources/hsc-exam-papers

Parents of Year 12 ought to know that such resources are available and should encourage their sons to use them as part of their preparation for the Trial and HSC written examinations.

It is important to note that the sample answers provided are not student responses from the examinations nor are they intended to be exemplary or even complete answers or responses. Nonetheless, they are a most valuable resource for HSC students.

NESA publishes this information to assist teachers and students in understanding how the marking guidelines were implemented.

Details via Students Online

Year 12 students and their parents are reminded that NESA’s Students Online facility is the students’ personal source for information about their HSC. It is imperative that every HSC student logs on to Students Online to check their personal details to ensure their name, courses, ATAR eligibility or status, address, email and phone number are correct.

Change of address, email and phone number may be made in the personal details section of Students Online however, students and parents are reminded that the College must also be informed of such changes. Changes to personal details are made via the College Registrar, Mrs Saoud, and course changes via the Director of Curriculum, Mr Cutrupi.

Year 12 students ought to note their personal HSC timetable is available on Students Online, their assessment ranks will be available after the last HSC examination has concluded on Friday 7 November and their HSC results will be released on Thursday 18 December 2025.

Michael Cutrupi 

Director of Curriculum

The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability

As we prepare to submit data to the Australian Government on students with disability at the College, please note the following information the government provides on the National Collection of Data.

Introducing The Sophos Mentoring Program & The Sophos Alumni Mentoring Program 

Supporting gifted students through peer mentoring 

• Sophos, a Greek word: 

In ancient Greek, "sophos" (σοφός) is an adjective that can be translated as wise, skilled, expert, or clever. It was often used to describe philosophers, orators, and other learned individuals. The word is related to "saphes," which means clear or understandable, and the verb "pshepho," which means to know or believe.  

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One of the biggest myths about gifted learners is that they don’t need much help to thrive. Many assume that because these students are highly intelligent, they’ll naturally succeed without extra support. But research tells a different story. 

At St Patrick’s College, we understand that gifted students have unique emotional and social needs, and that those needs deserve attention just as much as their academic growth.  

In response to this, we designed and piloted a formal peer mentoring program in 2023 – now officially titled The Sophos Mentoring Program - which is growing steadily and proving to be a highly successful initiative in Diverse Learning.  

Teachers have long performed a crucial, if informal, mentoring role in schools, however peer mentoring for and by gifted and high potential students, has proven to be a powerful way to support these students—not just in school, but in life. 

Why Gifted Students Need Support 

Gifted students often experience emotional challenges that may not be obvious at first glance. Many report feeling isolated or misunderstood by their peers, and some struggle with perfectionism or anxiety. Without the right support, these issues can impact their confidence and overall well-being. 

A peer mentor who has walked a similar path can be a valuable guide. They offer emotional support, provide encouragement, build trust, share life experiences, and help students navigate both academic and personal challenges. This kind of relationship provides a safe space for students to express themselves, set goals, branch out, and feel connected. 

What Is Peer Mentoring? 

Peer mentoring is a form of support where students of similar age or experience work together to help each other grow. Think of it as a blend of friendship, guidance and coaching. While less formal than traditional mentoring, it’s still structured and supervised so that both students benefit. 

Peer mentors serve as role models, motivators, and trusted companions. They listen, share advice, offer encouragement, and help others feel seen and supported. This type of connection is especially important in school environments where students may feel pressure to succeed or struggle to fit in. 

How The Sophos Mentoring Program Works 

From Year 7, targeted students are carefully paired with an older student and offered an opportunity to be mentored.  

The program includes: 

• Clear goals and expectations 

• Regular, consistent meetings 

• Thoughtful matching of mentors and mentees 

• Support and guidance from Learning Enrichment staff 

• Time to reflect on progress and make adjustments 

• Using the GROW model and other Growth Coaching techniques to set and work towards goals. 

Key qualities of a strong peer mentor include: 

• Trustworthiness – building a relationship rooted in respect 

• Patience – listening and understanding challenges 

• Honesty – giving and receiving feedback 

• Motivation – encouraging others to grow 

• Reliability – showing up consistently and following through 

Why Peer Mentoring Matters  

Here are just a few of the benefits: 

• Builds Community: Helps students feel they belong. 

• Encourages Growth: Both mentors and mentees develop skills and confidence. 

• Supports Mental Health: Reduces stress and provides emotional support. 

• Fosters Communication: Encourages openness and trust among students. 

How Parents Can Help 

As a parent, you play a key role in supporting mentoring relationships: 

• Encourage your child to participate if they’re offered the opportunity to have or be a mentor. 

• Talk to them about their experiences—what they’re learning, how they’re growing, and how it makes them feel. 

• Celebrate their progress, both academically and personally. 

With the right support, gifted students can do more than succeed—they can truly thrive. 

The Sophos Alumni Mentoring Program 

Ms Katherine Sinadinos, Learning Enrichment Coordinator, has been working on an extension of the program to target and support gifted and high potential students in Year 12.  

We are blessed with a wonderful network of old boys, and fortunate to have the support of talented students of the Class of 2024: Michael Sakr, Elijah Tan, Alessio Agguire, Christian Coorey, Tadhg Murphy, Joseph El-Turk, Jeremy Simonetto, Luke Sultana and Alexander Bechara, who have agreed to work as mentors in the program this year.  

The aims of the program are to develop and strengthen social networks between high achieving alumni and current students, and to support the social and emotional wellbeing of students during their senior years at the College.​ 

We kick off the program this week with dinner, a panel discussion and the first small-group meetings of our mentors and mentees.  

If you’d like to know more about The Sophos Mentoring Program or how your child can get involved, feel free to reach out to either Ms Katherine Sinadinos or Ms Amanda Metua, at the College.  

Amanda Metua

Head of Diverse Learning

Arts and Culture Day 

On Friday 20 June, St Patrick’s College hosted its first Arts and Culture Day—a celebration of the value of the Arts, the richness of cultural diversity, and the importance of language learning in today’s world. 

The day provided students with an opportunity to immerse themselves in a series of creative and cultural workshops across Drama, Music, Visual Arts, Photography and Digital Media, and Languages. Designed as a taster for Stage 5 elective subjects, the event aimed to inspire curiosity, creativity and global awareness. 

Throughout the day, students rotated through a variety of interactive workshops, including: 

• Drama A – Acting for Film and Stage with Yure Covich, a professional actor known for his work in Thor, Red Dog, and Fury at the Sydney Theatre Company. Students experienced an exciting introduction to performance for both stage and screen. 

• Drama B – Improvisation and Intro to Acting with Miss Duff, where students participated in classic improvisation games that build essential acting skills. 

• Music A – DJ Skills with Kurt Lam, a professional DJ and music producer for online gaming platforms, who shared his expertise in digital music creation. 

• Music B – Serato DJ Lite Workshop, where students learned how to mix and create music using industry-standard DJ software. 

• Languages A – Italian Pasta Making, in which students made orecchiette (a traditional pasta from Puglia) from scratch with Ms Fisicaro and Ms Miletta and took it home to cook. 

• Languages B – Calcio (Soccer) and Culture, where students took part in a soccer tournament while learning about the cultural significance of the sport in Italy with Ms Macolino and Ms D’Arcangeli.   

• Visual Arts – Drawing with Charcoal, where students used erasers on charcoal-covered paper to ‘draw in reverse,’ creating striking tonal still life artworks. 

• Photography and Digital Media – Creative AI, where students explored generative AI platforms to produce digital images and animate them, sparking conversations around the intersection of technology and creativity. 

Authentic Italian treats such as zuccherati doughnuts and margherita pizzas added to the cultural immersion.  

The day was a success, highlighting the power of the Arts to enrich learning and broaden horizons. Students are to be commended for their enthusiasm, creativity, and willingness to engage with new experiences. 

A big thank you goes to the dedicated staff of the Art, Performing Arts, and Languages faculties for their tireless work in bringing this event to life. Special mention also goes to our Year 10 student volunteers, who were exceptional ambassadors for their subject areas. 

The feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive. Here’s what some of them had to say: 

Stephanie D’Archangeli 

Head of Languages