STAGE 4

Welcome Year 7

What's been happening in English 

Stage 4 English students have been developing their skills in short answer analytical writing. Students are learning how to respond clearly to texts by using evidence, explaining ideas, and identifying language techniques. Both Year 7 and 8 tasks will not be due until next term, allowing students plenty of time to practise and refine their responses. Alongside this, classes are continuing their exploration of literature through either poetry or the study of a novel, where students are building their understanding of how authors use language to create meaning and engage readers. 

Getting hands-on 

Stage 4 Technology students have been exploring Aboriginal land management and agricultural practices, gaining valuable insight into sustainable methods used for thousands of years. Alongside this learning, students have been developing practical food preparation skills, creating dishes such as Napoletana pasta, blondies, and ramen. They have also begun investigating the design process, learning how recipes are developed and refined from concept to creation. This combination of cultural understanding, hands‑on cooking, and design thinking has supported students in building confidence and capability across both food and agricultural contexts. 

Stage 4 take on the Premier's Reading Challenge

This year all stage 4 students are participating in a wide reading library program designed to encourage students to read widely and regularly for pleasure and academic growth. It fosters a love of reading while supporting students’ literacy development. 

We have started the year with some fun activities to get to know the library. They included a scavenger hunt and a speed date with a book. For the rest of the term, our lessons will focus on participation in the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC). 

Safe scientific practice leads to engaging experiments in Science

The Science faculty has had a fantastic start to the year, with students across all year levels engaging in hands-on investigations and practical learning experiences. Our laboratories have been full of curiosity, creativity and plenty of exciting experiments.

Year 7 students have been learning the foundations of safe scientific practice. For many, a highlight has been learning how to safely light and operate a Bunsen burner as they begin their journey in the secondary science laboratory.

Year 8 students have been exploring energy through a range of engaging experiments. They investigated how solar radiation is absorbed by different coloured surfaces, measuring temperature changes to understand how colour affects heat absorption. Students also explored energy transformations using marble runs and mechanical toys, observing how energy changes form as it moves through different systems.