Especean

Curriculum

Years 7 to 10 Semester 1 Reports

By the end of this week the Semester 1 Reports for Years 7 to 10 will be posted online via the TASS Parent Lounge.

 

It is worth noting a few key features of the report which include:

  • Co-curricular Involvement to date, if applicable
     
  • Attendance at key College events such as the Opening Mass and High Achievers Assembly, the Swimming Carnival, the Athletics Carnival, and others as applicable to relevant Year groups.
     
  • Attendance Record from Tuesday 31 January for Year 7 and from Wednesday 1 February for Years 8 to10, up to and including Friday 2 June 2023.
     
  • The Homeroom Teacher’s Pastoral Profile, which describes the student’s general school and homeroom practices associated with grooming and uniform, co-operation, manner, punctuality, responsibility, and contribution to Mission. These Profile elements are described as Consistently, Usually, Occasionally or Rarely.
     
  • A course report A, B, C, D or E Overall Achievement grade referenced to the Common Grade Scale as defined by the New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) which represent the collective professional judgement of the course teachers in applying the course performance descriptors and the Common Grade Scale to designated formal tasks, however, selected informal assessment activities may have supplemented evidence from the formal tasks to verify or shift a grade cut-off when on the cusp of a grade.

The Common Grade Scale criteria are as follows:

A

The student demonstrates extensive knowledge of content and understanding of course concepts and applies highly developed skills and processes in a wide variety of contexts. In addition, the student demonstrates creative and critical thinking skills using perceptive analysis and evaluation. The student effectively communicates complex ideas and information.

 

B

The student demonstrates thorough knowledge of content and understanding of course concepts and applies well-developed skills and processes in a variety of contexts. In addition, the student demonstrates creative and critical thinking skills using analysis and evaluation. The student clearly communicates complex ideas and information.

 

C

The student demonstrates sound knowledge of content and understanding of course concepts and applies skills and processes in a range of familiar contexts. In addition, the student demonstrates skills in selecting and integrating information and communicates relevant ideas in an appropriate manner.

 

D

The student demonstrates a basic knowledge of content and understanding of course concepts and applies skills and processes in some familiar contexts. In addition, the student demonstrates skills in selecting and using information and communicates ideas in a descriptive manner.

 

E

The student demonstrates an elementary knowledge of content and understanding of course concepts and applies some skills and processes with guidance. In addition, the student demonstrates elementary skills in recounting information and communicating ideas.

 

  • a Grade Distribution in terms of the number of students awarded each A to E grade in a course.
     
  • For Years 9 and 10 reports only, a percentage Course Mark and Course Average are provided. It is important to note that the Course Mark and Course Average may have been linear mapped in some courses for parity across all courses such that an A = 85-100, B = 70-84, C = 50-69, D = 30-49 and an E = 0-29. For example, a Course Mark of 86 corresponds to an A in Overall Achievement in all courses, a Course Mark of 74 corresponds to a B, and so on for the other grades.
     
  • Achievement in one or more Learning Areas or descriptors expressed by one of the following indicators: Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, Elementary or Limited. Each indicator indicates the level of performance complementary to the Common Grade Scale.
     
  • Demonstrated level in a number of Learning Practices, such as application, conduct and commitment to study indicated as either Consistently, Usually, Occasionally or Rarely.

It is important to note that the Overall Achievement grades and the Grade Distribution provide two kinds of information about the academic progress of students. The Overall Achievement grade gives an indication of academic performance relative to the achievement of course outcomes referenced to the Common Grade Scale. The Grade Distribution gives an indication of that performance compared with other students in the Year undertaking the course.

 

The issuing of the reports is an important time for parents/carers to constructively assess their sons’ academic progress and make the necessary adjustments for Semester 2, with the view of making realistic and progressive improvements over time.

Reminder: Years 7 to 10 Parent/Teacher Interviews

As per the Wednesday 31 May issue of the Especean, the Years 7 to 10 Parent/Teacher Interviews will be scheduled for the afternoon and evening of Thursday 22 June from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM and on Friday 23 June from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. All interviews will be conducted in the College Gymnasium. Note that parking around the College may be more difficult than usual given the old College Tennis Courts are currently a construction zone.

 

All students from Years 7 to 12 will be dismissed at 1:25 pm on Thursday 22 and all sports training and other Co-curricular commitments on this afternoon are cancelled. Friday 23 June is a pupil free day, except for the parent/teacher interviews.

 

Parents/carers are reminded that they may book interview time slots themselves via the TASS Parent Lounge using the interview tab, opened from 7:00 AM yesterday, Tuesday 13 June. The College will not be allocating interview times. Parents/carers need to ensure interviews are booked by no later than 11:59 PM, Tuesday 20 June.

 

Interviews are for 5 minutes only. There is a 2-minute break between each interview to allow the interviews to run smoothly. Please note that parents/carers cannot double book a teacher for a longer interview. Should more interview time be required, parents may arrange with the teacher another mutually suitable time.

 

There is an expectation that parents/carers will book interviews with all of their sons’ teachers, if possible. There is also an expectation that students are present with at least one parent/carer for the interviews.

 

For parents/carers encountering difficulties logging on to the TASS Parent Lounge, please contact the College’s IT Department via College Reception on 02 9763 1000.

 

If for any reason a parent/carer needs to cancel or change a booked interview time after the closing times stated above, then please contact the relevant teacher via email.

 

The interviews are an opportunity for parents/carers to meet their sons’ teachers and to discuss aspects of the Semester 1 Report with respect to their sons’ progress and adjustment to study routines, including strategies and recommendations for improvement in Semester 2.

 

Please note that for parents/carers of Year 10, the interviews will not be an appropriate forum to discuss prospective subject selections for Year 11 in 2024 with individual class teachers. There will be a very thorough and extensive process, conducted by senior College staff, to specifically address upcoming subject selection for Year 11.

2024 Stage 5 and Stage 6 Subject Prospectuses and Parent Information Evenings

By the end of next week, the 2024-25 editions of the Stage 5 and Stage 6 prospectuses on subjects for Years 9 and 11 respectively will be posted on the TASS Parent Lounge for parents/carers and the relevant CANVAS Year pages for the students.

 

A thorough and sequential subject selection process is in place and details of this process will be given at the appropriate times. On Tuesday 18 July, an information evening will be held firstly for parents/carers of Year 8 commencing at 6:00 PM and concluding at 6:45 PM and then for parents/carers of Year 10 commencing at 7:.00 PM and concluding at 8:30 PM. Both parent/carer information sessions will be held in the College Hall. Students are not required to attend.

 

Subject information sessions will also be held for Year 10 students in the same week on the mornings of Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 July. An elective subject information morning for Year 8 students will be held on Wednesday 19 July. The purpose of the information evenings and sessions is to complement and clarify the information provided in the subject prospectuses and to provide details of the subject selection process.

 

Parents/carers of Year 10 boys should note that there will be Parent/Carer-Student-Teacher Subject Selection Interviews on Tuesday 22 August. For the majority of Year 10 boys, these interviews will be optional, however those boys with diverse learning needs or concerns around their ability to self-regulate and engage in their learning may require an interview. The interviews will be held before and after normal timetabled lessons on this day. It will be a normal school day for Year 10.

 

Michael Cutrupi 

Director of Curriculum