From the Director of Studies

Upcoming Events

Over the next few weeks, we wish our students the best of luck in the following activities:   

• Week 5 – 7        Stage 6 Course Selection
• Week 6 – 9        Stage 5 Electives Selection
• Week 7 – 8        HSC Final College Assessments

Stage 6 Course Selection

Course Selection Interviews:    Wednesday 25 August

Course Selection:                         Wednesday 1 September 

Over the next few weeks, our Year 10 students will be choosing their courses for next year.  

The College launched its Stage 6 Course Selection Digital Space in Week 2. Families also attended information sessions via TEAMS Live. 

On Wednesday 25 August, Year 10 families will be involved in a Course Selection Interview to discuss their potential courses for next year. Students will upload their course choices by Wednesday, 1 September and their courses will be confirmed early next term.

Stage 5 Elective Selection 

Electives Session:         Wednesday 1 September

Electives Selection:      Wednesday 13 September

Our Year 8 students will be involved in choosing their electives for Year 9 – 10 during the second half of the term.

Students will gain access to a Stage 5 Electives Digital Space next week. On September 1, the College will hold an Electives Session via TEAMS Live and students will make their choices by Wednesday 13 September.

HSC Final College Assessments

Date: Monday 30 August – Friday 10 September

Although Trial HSC exams did not go ahead due to lockdown, Year 12 students will still have one last opportunity to demonstrate the skills and understanding they have gained during their HSC Final College Assessments. Students will complete a mixture of online and timed submission tasks over the two-week period. The feedback students receive from these tasks will help them prepare for HSC exams that are scheduled to begin on Tuesday 19 October.

Educational Continuity Plan

The College will continue to deliver online learning most probably until the end of the term. As part of the College’s Educational Continuity Plan, students are engaging in a range of independent learning and online teacher instruction using video conferencing. 

Although online learning has been challenging in many respects and has required our community to demonstrate great agility and flexibility in adopting new learning strategies and routines, our students have found unexpected positives in their day. The prospect of not having to catch the bus to school for some students has meant extra sleep-in time.

Having lunch at home has involved other students exercising new culinary skills. Our students have also found new value in engaging with teachers and other students via TEAMS meetings. They have also demonstrated new reserves of resilience and resourcefulness in completing the tasks they have been set.

As online learning continues, students in Years 7 – 10 will re-engage in assessment tasks, albeit in a smaller-scale online mode. Year 11 will also engage in online assessments at the end of the term instead of their Final Preliminary Exams. While we all hope that lockdown ends and we can go back to school next term, we have also learned to appreciate the small things about school in a new way.

Mr Riccardo Bombadiere

Director of Studies