Strategic Development & Organisation
Ms. Jodie Connell - Deputy Principal
In the next few weeks, all students will be completing their final assessment tasks for the Semester. Our Year 10 and 11 students are about to undertake their mid-year exams. Exam time is an important part of the academic journey of most students. It is not only a measure of academic progress but also an opportunity to develop essential skills. Exams provide a structured way to assess a student’s grasp of the material covered over a period of time and help identify areas of strengths and weaknesses. They also provide valuable feedback that can guide students on where to focus their efforts for future learning and development.
Preparing for and taking exams teaches students skills on how to manage their time effectively, help with critical thinking and problem solving and being able to focus for longer periods of time. All skills that are important for future academic success.
By recognising the importance of exams, students can approach them not just as a challenge, but as an opportunity for growth and development. Embracing the exam period with a positive mindset can lead to lasting benefits that extend far beyond the classroom.
All this assessment and testing can be quite stressful for students. We know our students want to achieve their best and this can often result in them putting a lot of pressure on themselves. So what can our students do to relieve some of the pressure and cope with the increase in stress?
Here are a few ideas:
- Get enough sleep. We all know the allure of the next episode on a streaming service, but if you resist and go to sleep instead, you will help decrease your stress;
- Exercise regularly. A walk around the block, a bike ride with friends or a kick of the football can all help relieve stress and help keep our minds healthy and ready for more learning;
- Mindful meditation. Apps like Smiling Minds are great for helping us clear our minds, focus on the here and now and de-stress. It only takes 5 minutes practised regularly to bring about amazing results for our minds and well-being;
- Listen to music. There are not many of us who don’t enjoy some time listening to our favourite musicians. This is such an easy and highly effective way to decrease our stress;
- Eat a healthy diet. The foods we eat can affect our mood. They can either boost our brain power or sap away our energy. By eating well, you can not only de-stress, but also help your brain be ready for more study and learning;
- Organise yourself. Sometimes our stress comes about because we have so much we need to do. By organising ourselves and our spaces, we can better manage our long to-do lists, and find the time to fit in our study, part-time jobs, leisure, family and friends.
As our students prepare well, try their best and manage their stress levels, they will be able to perform their best in their final assessment tasks and exams and do so in a way that is good for their mental health.
Year 11 Exam Timetable:
- Exam period will run from Friday 7th June to Friday 14th June
- Exams will be held in SS9,10 and 11.
- The English Exam is 10 minutes Reading time and 140 minutes Writing Time.
- The Maths Methods Exam 1 is 10 Minutes Reading time and 60 minutes Writing Time.
- All other exams are 10 minutes Reading time and 80 minutes of Writing Time.
- Attendance rolls will be taken in all exams.
- Students who do not have a scheduled exam are not required at School. If parents are not able to provide supervision at home, or students are not able to get home, the College will provide a supervised study venue for any students at school without an Exam. Parents are asked to please respond to the PAM notification for Year 11 Exams.
- All students should remain in the exam centre until the supervised exam is completed.
VCE Subject Changes
Students wishing to change subjects for Unit 2 need to speak with Ms Connell to collect a subject change form. Subject change forms need to be submitted to Ms Connell via the office by Friday 14th June.
Year 10 Exam Timetable:
- The Exam period will run from Monday 17th June to Thursday 20th June.
- As there is TAFE on Wednesday 19th June, there will be no exams scheduled. Classes will run as per normal, so that students can participate in their TAFE Classes.
- Exams are a summary of student learning that has taken place over the Semester and are used, along with Assessment Tasks, to determine a student’s overall result for the subject.
- All exams are 90 minute exams (10 minutes reading time and 80 minutes writing time).
- Attendance rolls will be taken in all exams.
- Year 10 Exams will take place in Middle School Rooms 22, 23, 24 and 25
- All students should remain in the exam centre until the supervised exam is completed.
General Achievement Test (GAT) 2024
The General Achievement Test (GAT) is a test of general knowledge and skills including communication, mathematics, science and technology, the arts, humanities, and social sciences taken by students in the course of completing their senior secondary studies.
Sitting the GAT is an opportunity to demonstrate literacy and numeracy skills – essential skills that show students are ready to move on to further study, training, or employment.
GAT results are also important for checking that VCE external assessments and school-based assessments have been accurately and fairly assessed and can be used if you have a Derived Examination Score (DES) approved.
The GAT will take place on Tuesday 18th June in two parts:
- Section A assesses skills in literacy (reading and writing) and numeracy.
- Section B assesses general knowledge and skills in mathematics, science, technology, the arts and humanities.
Who is required to sit the GAT?
- Scored and non-scored Unit 3/4 VCE students must sit Part A & B of the GAT
- Senior VCAL students must sit Part A of the GAT
- Scored Unit 3/4 VET students must sit Part A & B of the GAT
What should students bring?
- Students sitting the GAT may take an English and/or bilingual printed dictionary into both sections of the GAT, but not a thesaurus or a combined thesaurus-dictionary.
- Electronic dictionaries are not permitted. A scientific calculator is permitted in both sections of the GAT.
- Students will need pens, pencils and an eraser to complete the GAT.
How can students prepare for the GAT?
There is no need to do any specific revision to prepare for the GAT. The questions on the GAT are based on areas of academics that have already been covered in previous classes or through lived experiences.
There are some sample questions and past GAT papers availableHERE
For any general questions, concerns surrounding additional support, or queries regarding special examination arrangements, please contact Mrs Dianna Malloy.
There will be no Year 11 or 12 classes running on Tuesday 18th June. Students in Year 11 not involved in the GAT are not required to be at school. Supervised study will be available if required.
Year 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12 Study Skills Seminars
On Thursday 23rd May our Year 7 and 8 students had presentations from Elevate Education on reading skills and note-taking. They were also introduced to “Trigger Word Notes” as a way of condensing notes from a large body of information into a few key phrases or words. Reducing how much we write down makes it easier to increase how much we can remember. Students also were introduced to “Mind Mapping” as a way of collating and analysing information.
Our Year 10, 11 and 12 students also had presentations from Elevate Education on study skills, goal setting and memory mnemonics as tools they can access to achieve their personal best.
Elevate Education Parent Webinar Seminars
Elevate Education continues to provide parents of Mary MacKillop Catholic Regional Student College exclusive access to their Parent Webinar Series for Term 2, 2024.
To reserve your spot, you can register for free below,
Wednesday 5th June
Help Support Your Child Prepare during Exams
Click here to register for free
Here’s what Elevate will be covering on the night:
✅ Helping your child prepare in the week before an exam
✅ Establishing a good routine for your child the night before
✅ Helping your child to optimise their exam performance
Wednesday 19th June Ask Me Anything (Live Q&A)
The webinars are run live online from 6.30pm – 7.30pm (AEST) where the presenter will share Elevates key research and skills, and will conduct a live Q&A so you can ask them questions directly. If you are unable to make the webinar, don't worry! If you sign up to attend, you'll receive the webinar recording on Thursday morning.
Should you have questions or would like to contact Elevate directly, their details are listed below.
✉️ auscoaching@elevateeducation.com