Curriculum and Learning
Year 11 Examinations
As mentioned in last week’s Especean, the Year 11 Examination Block will begin on Wednesday 26 August in Week 6 and conclude on Wednesday 9 September in Week 8.
Pre-task information for each subject, the examination timetable, examination rules and expectations, and the College’s Assessment Policy in the Year 11 Assessment Handbook were distributed last week and are available on CANVAS. Students are encouraged to familiarise themselves thoroughly with these documents.
Parents/carers and Year 11 students are reminded that, if a student is absent due to illness or misadventure (IM) during the examination period, the Year Coordinator, Mrs Maria Cesarano, must be contacted by telephone on the morning of the examination. Where possible, an alternate examination will be arranged within the examination period. When the student returns to school, they must personally give Mrs Cesarano the completed IM form, with the relevant medical certificate or other official, independent supporting evidence attached.
If IM prevents a student from attending an examination, or affects their performance in an examination, the student is responsible for completing and submitting the IM application. A parent/carer or relative may complete the application on the student’s behalf only if the student is physically unable to do so.
If IM affects a student during an examination, the student should inform the examination supervisors at the time so the matter can be recorded appropriately.
IM applications apply where an illness or misadventure:
- occurred immediately before or during an examination
- was unexpected
- was beyond the student’s control and prevented them from attending or diminished their performance in the examination.
In line with NESA regulations, the College will not consider applications for:
- difficulty preparing or lost preparation time
- alleged deficiencies in teaching
- misreading the examination timetable
- misreading examination instructions
- attempting the wrong examination
- long-term illness, unless the student has suffered a “flare-up” of the condition during the examination
- conditions for which the student has been granted disability provisions, unless they have further unexpected difficulties
- conditions for which a student should have applied for disability provisions
- other commitments such as participation in work, sporting events, holidays, or attendance at tests conducted by other organisations.
IM applications must include advice or evidence from a relevant independent expert, not a parent/carer or relative. This evidence must be obtained on the day of the examination, either immediately before or immediately after it. Any medical certificate must be written by a practising medical doctor who is not a parent/carer or relative.
The student must provide documentation that is current, specific to the date and time of the examination, and submitted with the IM form. A medical certificate that only states “illness” and/or “unfit for work/study” is not sufficient, as the College requires evidence that clearly supports the application.
The College’s examination and IM processes, together with the Assessment Policy, provide clear expectations and help ensure all students are treated fairly and equitably throughout the examination period. We encourage all Year 11 students to approach this important time with confidence as they consolidate their knowledge, strengthen their examination technique and continue developing the skills needed for success in their future HSC assessments.
James Martin
Director of Curriculum
Visual Arts Major Works Exhibition - Alchemy
Please join us on Wednesday 2 September from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM as we celebrate the incredible works of the 2026 HSC Visual Arts class, alongside selected student works from Years 7–11, in this year’s exhibition, Alchemy.
Alchemy is the first exhibition of its kind at SPC, showcasing the diverse talents of our Visual Arts students as they transform everyday materials into extraordinary works of art.
The exhibition will be officially opened at 7:00 PM by Dr Vittoria Lavorato in the Mary MacKillop Art Centre, with refreshments generously provided by the P&F.
A special thank you to the Visual Arts teaching staff who have worked alongside their classes throughout the year, as well as the College Leadership Team, support staff, P&F, and student volunteers whose efforts have made this evening possible.
Finally, congratulations to the HSC Visual Arts Class of 2026 for producing a truly outstanding collection of innovative, ambitious, and show-stopping works. We look forward to sharing and celebrating your achievements with the broader College community.
Anthony Porra
Head of Visual Arts
Year 10 Cronulla Fieldwork Geography Excursion
Year 10 Geography students recently headed out on excursion to Cronulla to put their classroom learning into practice. As part of their Topic on Environmental Management and Change, students conducted fieldwork along Wanda Beach to investigate environmental processes, human impacts and the ways environments can be managed sustainably.
Students collected fieldwork data, made observations and considered the effectiveness of different environmental management strategies. The excursion provided an excellent opportunity for students to develop their geographical skills while seeing real-world examples of the concepts they have been studying in class.
Year 7 Geography Fieldwork – Place and Liveability
Our Semester 2 Year 7 Geography students recently took their learning beyond the classroom with a fieldwork excursion to Milsons Point and Lavender Bay, as part of their study of Place and Liveability.
Students investigated the characteristics of these locations and explored how both natural and human factors influence the liveability of a place. They collected fieldwork data and made observations about the environment, accessibility, recreational spaces, facilities, views and overall appeal of the area.
The excursion provided students with an opportunity to apply geographical concepts to a real-world setting and consider the question: What makes a place liveable? Students thoroughly enjoyed being able to explore the area while developing their geographical fieldwork and data-collection skills.
Constance Lukas
HSIE B Teacher