DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - TEACHING & LEARNING REPORT 

Vision for Teaching and Learning at St Mary MacKillop College - a statement that drives the development of a high performance learning culture at SMMC

At St Mary MacKillop College we have high expectations of our students as we equip them with the knowledge, skills and dispositions for lifelong learning. We pursue excellence through a teaching and learning environment that is inclusive, engaging and encourages growth. We value collaboration, innovation and building strong relationships.

As we head towards the end of the term, our students are busy completing final assessments, and our Year 8 to 11 students will soon complete exams.

Exams are an important part of the academic journey for our students. As daunting and stressful as they can be, exams provide an opportunity for growth. Exams not only measure academic progress, but they also provide students an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to complete a task under timed conditions. Exams provide a structured way to assess whether a student has grasped the material covered in class or not, and they also help to identify strengths and areas for improvement. The feedback from exams is valuable in helping students to identify the areas they need to focus on for their future learning.

As students prepare for exams, they are learning how to manage their time, as well as focus for a long period of time to complete a task in a given time frame. They also develop their ability to think critically and to problem solve. All of these skills are important for success in the future. Adopting a positive mindset leading into the semester 1 exams can have benefits that extend beyond the classroom.

Here are some tips for our students to manage their stress levels as they prepare for their exams: 

• Make sure you get enough sleep and eat healthy
• Build regular exercise into your daily routine
• Engage in mindfulness activities such as meditation
• Listen to music in between study sessions
• Be organised and create a study plan

We wish our students all the best as they prepare for their exams.

General Achievement Test (GAT)

All VCE and VCE VM students who are studying a Unit 3 and 4 subject during 2025 will sit the General Achievement Test (GAT) on Tuesday 17 June, starting at 9.00 am. The General Achievement Test (GAT) is a pen-and-paper test of general knowledge and literacy/numeracy skills taken by students in the course of completing their senior secondary studies. The exam is designed by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) and all students across Victoria sit the same exam.

The GAT plays an important role in the quality assurance of VCE assessments. The GAT is compulsory:

• If you’re enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3–4 sequence, you are expected to complete Section A and Section B of the GAT.
• If you are enrolled in one or more VCE VM Unit 3–4 sequence, you’re expected to complete Section A only.

Please click on the link below to be taken to the 2025 VCAA GAT Student Brochure

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/sites/default/files/2025-05/2025GATInformationforStudents.pdf 

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) has released the 2025 exam timetable. Please find the timetable in the link below.

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/administration/key-dates/vce-examination-timetable

Nathan Lane

Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning