Learning and Teaching News

NAPLAN – Years 7 and 9

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests for Years 7 and 9 will take place in Weeks 7 and 8 of this term. These assessments are an important way of tracking your child's academic progress and identifying areas for improvement. To help ensure your child feels confident and well-prepared, we encourage them to take part in practice sessions. The public demonstration site (https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site) offers valuable resources where students can access practice questions and familiarise themselves with the test format. Our students will also continue engaging in literacy and numeracy initiatives during their classes to support their preparation for the upcoming tests.

In Week 2, students in Year 7 and 9 participated in NAPLAN readiness testing. If your son was absent, please note that this event was primarily for system testing and for students to become familiar with the platform. He can still log on to the public demonstration site (link above) to practise and get familiar with the format.

The specific testing schedule for NAPLAN has been sent to parents of Years 7 and 9 students via email (and is also listed below).

A reminder that students will need to bring: 

• A fully charged laptop
• Charger (for IT support)
• Wired headphones/earphones
• A pen
• A water bottle

Update to NAPLAN browser

A new NAPLAN browser was rolled out through our IT Department this week. ACARA updated the browser, and all schools will be running this process at the moment. Please confirm that your son has a purple NAPLAN Browser on their desktop and when they click on that icon the version number is 5.9.2 

Adjustment forms

Students requiring adjustments or special provisions for NAPLAN testing have been contacted via email.  Please read through the form, sign and return it as soon as possible so we can enter the details into the NAPLAN platform next week.

Withdrawal forms

If you would prefer your son not to complete NAPLAN, please contact Mrs. Leigh Jackson to discuss the withdrawal process and the alternate program available.

If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please contact Mrs Leigh Jackson, Assistant Head of College – Learning and Teaching – Middle Years, at jacksonl@marash.qld.edu.au

Exam Block and Assessment Schedules  

Assessment schedules have been released. This document outlines the dates of all summative assessments your sons will have throughout the term. Parents and students are encouraged to review these documents so our boys can manage their time effectively, plan their study routines, and approach assessments with confidence. 

Exam block schedules were also released at the end of last week. The end of Term 1 Exam Block is being held for Years 8, 9, 10 and 12 students. Below is an outline of these important assessment blocks: 

• Year 5, 6 and 7 – Formative and summative assessments will take place in normal timetabled classes (except for Year 7 History/Geography). 
• Years 8 and 9 – Summative exam block will run from Monday 24 – Friday 28 March.
• Years 10 and 12 – Summative exam block will run from Friday 21 – Friday 28 March.
• Year 10 will remain at school during the exam block and are not on exam block privileges.  
• Year 11 students will remain in normal classes as they continue work on Unit 1. The end-of-unit exam block will be held in Week 5, Term 2. There may be examinations during this time. 

Students in Years 5-11 will all remain at school throughout the assessment period. The only cohort who are granted study leave (to study at home and only come to campus for scheduled assessments) is Year 12. Any Year 12 student not up to date with all required assessment items will not be granted study leave and will be required to remain at school. This includes modules for Certificate and Diploma courses. 

A reminder that if students are absent for an exam, a medical certificate is to be submitted for all year levels. Students must be prepared to sit their exams as soon as they return to school, and exams may be scheduled later in the exam block or in Week 10. Year 11 and 12 medical certificates must list the specific illness and not just state “medical condition”.  Please do not arrange holidays during this time.  

Boys will be able to locate the schedule in the Orbit app and Student Café on the portal under “Exam and Assessment Schedule Information”. Your son is encouraged to download this schedule and transfer assessment dates to his College Diary and any home planners. Please note that the Parent Orbit app will eventually become the primary source of this information, as the College will be moving to this platform in future terms.

Tutoring – Marist Subject Support. Days and Timings

Marist Subject Support will launch in Week 7 for the boys in Years 7 to 12. Marist Subject Support will be offered in the senior school library. 

Tutoring will be offered by a variety of people in our community including old boys, teachers, boarding tutors and other staff. Each of these experts will provide support to our boys and provide them with an opportunity to correct, refine and improve their academic achievement.

The Marist Subject Support schedule is listed below. Tutors will be updated shortly along with the subject focus for each session. 

Preparation for Academic Success

At Marist College, Ashgrove, we believe that being prepared is key to academic success. It is important for students to arrive in class ready to engage, with all the necessary materials for each lesson. We encourage parents to help their children develop good habits by ensuring they charge their laptops, use their college diaries, and organise their work with the prescribed coloured folders. These simple steps can make a significant difference in supporting students' learning and helping them stay organised.

In addition to completing homework assignments, we recommend that students review their classwork each night. This extra step can reinforce their learning, boost retention, and help them stay on track with their academic goals.

Your continued support in fostering these habits will contribute to your child's success in the classroom!

Year 12 Study Session 

On Wednesdays 5:00pm – 8:00pm, Year 12 students are able to access the Library for their own private study. This is a privilege for Year 12 students in preparation for their senior assessment and a recommended study habit. In the past, students have used this time to work on their external exam study nights, prepare their drafts, or even create small study groups. Students will need to sign in and out. They can arrive and leave at any time between 5:00pm – 8:00pm; but they are not able to keep coming and leaving during the night.

Laptop - Condition and Usage 

The laptops are a key learning tool and in today's learning environments, the laptop is an often used and essential tool in the classroom. 

As parents, monitoring laptop condition is essential and we ask that you sight your son's laptop, check the overall function and usability of the machine and check the condition. 

If a machine is damaged it needs to be reported to IT immediately, as per the schools Acceptable Computer Use Agreement. 

 A reminder below of the agreement 

 Elevate Education - Parent Webinar Series

Study Tip