INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE

A busy start to the term

IB students had a very busy end of Term 1 and a productive start to Term 2. Here is a brief rundown of what they have been up to.

At the end of last term, Year 12 IB students completed their Half Yearly Examinations. Their examination feedback sessions provide an opportunity to identify strengths and gaps in learning, allowing students to plan focused revision to build capacity and examination technique.

Practical investigations for the Sciences' internal assessment also took place at the end of last term. This involved students planning and conducting individual investigations in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Sports Health and Exercise Science and Environmental Systems and Societies. Experiments ranged in focus, exploring fuel combustion, soil analysis, nutritional value of food, respiration rates during exercise, and sound wave analysis, just to name a few.

The Geography field trip involving both Year 11 and 12 students was another highlight. The group headed to Sydney to study the impact of human activity on water quality along the Parramatta River. Recent flooding in the region made this analysis particularly interesting, with high levels of turbidity and excess nutrients evident in some sections. Students had hands on opportunity to explore the geographic processes that mitigate against the effects of pollution in this urban drainage basin.

Year 11 students are busy preparing for their Language and Literature Oral task. Students have been studying the text ‘On time and water’, a literary work that uniquely examines climate change as a global issue impacting us all. In their oral presentation, students are exploring the power of literature to create change in a way that science alone cannot. 

Year 11 students will be completing their first examination period in Week 5 this term.

Finally, our Year 10 students are beginning the process of considering their senior study pathways. A brief presentation on the IB and HSC pathway was provided this week, with additional resources supplied to families. The process of parent meetings will commence in the coming weeks. 

Patricia Humble

| Head of International Baccalaureate