Year 11

Ending Term 1 Strong: Setting Up for Success

Year 11 students have been working well to complete and achieve their first outcomes and as we near the end of Term 1, it is timely for students to reflect on their progress so far. It is great to see some students making the most of opportunities and support and demonstrating strong study habits and routines. If this is not you, then there is still time to make a change and set yourself up for success in the terms ahead.

One key resource outside the classroom that students are making use of, as explained by Ash R.  are  - “Study Periods. These allow us to keep up to date and organised and also allow for us to work independently or communicate as a cohort on current topics from within the classroom!" 

Another important opportunity is Study Thursdays. Senior students are welcome to pop into the library after school on Thursdays to study or receive support from their classroom teachers. Those who have been attending are benefiting from the extra support: 

“I have found study Thursdays to be very helpful for catching up on work and getting feedback. I’ll definitely be attending more.” (Asha). 

“Utilising study Thursdays in the library as well as scheduling time to meet with teachers to discuss and reinforce knowledge also helps significantly in obtaining successful academic outcomes.” (Year 11 Student).

If you haven’t taken advantage of Study Thursdays yet, consider making it part of your routine next term.

Many senior students have already set a goal for their future. These decisions can be challenging and the completion of senior school may be your goal for now. Either way, it is important to manage your time effectively. Balancing school, home and a social life is a challenge that can, at times, be difficult to navigate. This is particularly the case when two or more of these aspects of your life are competing. Prioritising, making lists and sometimes changing the amount of time spent on certain activities can be some ways of managing these stressors. It is recommended that Year 11 students do at least 1-2 hours of homework/study/revision per subject per week. If you currently don’t feel you can fit this into your schedule, then it might time to seek some support or try some strategies your peers have developed. These include:

• Planning, at the start of the week, what you will complete when at home studying and during school study periods. 

• Sitting next to peers who encourage focus and engagement. 

• Utilising the study planner introduced in SELF as one student noted “to monitor and keep track of assigned tasks and upcoming assessments, it has assisted me in being able to maintain a balanced school-home life. It provides opportunity for scheduled and consistent study sessions, while also being able to make time for team sports, music and other hobbies and interests.” (Year 11 Student).

Setting goals and putting strategies in place now—such as better time management, prioritising tasks and seeking support when needed—will have a lasting impact. Small, consistent improvements can lead to significant progress over time. 

As we wrap up for the term, I encourage everyone to reflect on Term 1 and set some goals for the remainder of Unit 1.