Year 9 & 10 Explore
A Fantastic Start to the Year
It has been an incredibly positive start to the year in our Explore Program, with high levels of engagement across both Year 9 and Year 10 classes. Over the first two weeks, both cohorts have demonstrated strong attendance, with Year 9 averaging 89% and Year 10 at 88%. While this is a great start, our goal is for both cohorts to build on this and achieve over 90% attendance across the year.
Our Year 9 students have kicked off the year by participating in a series of team-building competitions designed to strengthen relationships within their classes and with their Explore mentors. These sessions have helped students with the transition into senior school and help them feel more connected to the senior school. Congratulations to 9B and 9F, who were the winners of the competition and enjoyed a well-deserved pizza lunch!
Looking ahead, Year 9 students have a busy and exciting few weeks. They will begin preparing for NAPLAN before shifting their focus to Academic Review Conferences in Week 8, Term 1, and Mock Interviews in Week 2, Term 2. Preparation for these sessions is extremely important and will support students to be successful in their programs.
Year 10 students have also made a strong start, rotating through a range of class competitions that focused on building positive relationships and teamwork. It has been fantastic to see students working collaboratively and supporting one another.
In the classroom, Year 10 students have begun exploring the science behind habits and how understanding them can help achieve personal goals. These lessons are grounded in research and align with concepts from Atomic Habits by James Clear, providing students with practical strategies they can apply to their own lives.
The coming weeks will be busy for our Year 10 cohort as they prepare for their Academic Review Conferences. Following this, students will begin preparing for Work Experience, which will take place in Week 6 of Term 2—an exciting opportunity for students to explore future pathways.
We look forward to continuing this positive momentum throughout the term.
Stuart Horner
Leader of Learning & Improvement Year 9-