Learning  

Dear Parents and Guardians

Last week we saw our Year 12 students farewelled and we welcomed our Year 7, 2025 students to the College for the first time.  We saw a range of emotions; sadness to be leaving, excitement and nerves for the next stage of their lives, whether it be starting at the College or leaving it behind, or becoming a leader of the College for 2025.

It has been pleasing to see so many Year 12 students come back this week to take the opportunity to sit a second trial exam, or to work with their teachers in preparing for the upcoming exams.  We wish the Year 12 students all the best over the next few weeks with their exams and offer a few little tips for thriving over the next few weeks:

• Sleep is important, aim for 8 – 10 hours a night
• Eat healthily, have regular meals with a variety of fruits and vegetables and protein and drink plenty of water.  Avoid energy drinks and junk food
• Maintain a balance; keep in touch with friends, do some exercise, play music or do an activity to allow the brain to relax
• Allow enough time to arrive before the exam and account for any disruptions so that there is no additional stress on the day

A reminder to families and students to reach out if you need any additional support during this time.

In addition to the VCE exams, the Year 10 and 11 exams start in three weeks and   students should have started the revision process for their examinations.  They should look back at how they performed in the Semester One examinations and how they felt about their preparation.  Students are encouraged to continue what worked well or make adjustments to the revision process.  For many it was to start revising earlier, create a study timetable or make a list of everything they needed to learn and what to do to revise.

Following on from the last newsletter article about spaced practice rather than cramming when revising, here is some more advice for effective study and revision:  

• Learn the facts first using a variety of techniques such as flashcards, summarising and resummarising notes, making mindmaps, drawing tables or diagrams, quizzing each other or asking someone else to quiz them 
• Apply knowledge to a range of contexts and new problems.  Previous exam questions, Edrolo and text book questions can all help with this
• Attempt questions that combine information from multiple topics.  These are usually at the end of examinations or after multiple chapters in a text book
• Practise in exam conditions, set aside time in the week before exams to sit one exam and get feedback on it
• Revisit any errors or anything that was challenging, seek help and feedback and redo these questions later

I wish all students and their families all the best for the upcoming exam periods.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or suggestions.

Ms Lucy Neil

Deputy Principal – Learning and Teaching