Learning and Teaching News

End of Term 1 Exam Block – Year 12 Updates

As per the email sent to Year 12 students and their parents today, the exam scheduled has been pushed back to now commence on Friday 25 March. Students will remain in normal classes until the commencement of this exam block. As per previous communication, Year 12 students will go home when they are on exam block, attending campus only when they have an exam scheduled. Any student who has outstanding assessment/competencies (with no extension in place) will lose exam block privileges and will remain at school.

Due to the delay of this exam block, Year 12 Unit 3 reports will not be released until Week 3, Term 2.

End of Term 1 Exam Block – Years 7-10

• Year 10 exams will run as scheduled on the calendar from Friday 18 – Friday 25 March. Year 10 students will go home when they are on exam block, attending campus only when they have an exam scheduled. Any student who has outstanding assessment/competencies with lose exam block privileges and will remain at school.
• Year 7-9 exam block will continue to run as scheduled on the calendar from Friday 18 – Friday 25 March. Students will remain in classes over the exam block, only missing normal timetabled classes when they have an exam scheduled.

At the end of Term 1, students in Years 5-10 will receive an interim report card. These will be accessible on Parent Lounge from the afternoon of Friday 1 April.

Year 10 and 12 students

Please remember that exam block privileges will only be given to students who have completed and are up to date with all assessments - this includes the Year 10 Work Skills competencies and Year 12 Certificate and Diploma competencies. All Year 10 and 12 students will be expected to attend school and complete the work they have due before being given the privileges of exam block. 

When utilising the exam block to study at home, the expectations are as follows:

• Normal College rules apply when on campus
• Boys must arrive to and from school in full school uniform, including College hat and bag.
• Boys are to travel directly to and from school without congregating at shops, outside other schools or the like.
• Boys must arrive 15 minutes prior to their scheduled exam.
• Boys must bring all required equipment (calculator, pens, highlighters etc).
• Boys must always adhere to the exam coordinators’ instructions.
• Boys are also encouraged to bring their equipment in a clear plastic sleeve or container and that their water bottle should be clear. This is great practice for external assessment in Year 12.

Extensions for Assessment

As we enter the assessment period, please be reminded of the process of requesting an extension. 

Years 7-10

Students can request an extension form through the Studies Office or via the Portal / Curriculum Form tile (Special Consideration Form). It is easiest if students present with the form complete with the assistance of their parent/guardian stating why they require an extension (illness, COVID-19 quarantine, bereavement) and that it is signed by their parent/guardian. Students will need to take the Special Consideration form to their relevant subject teacher/s and discuss the reason for the extension as well as the new due date. Once this conversation has taken place, the form needs to be returned to Mrs Kim Rabie through the Studies Office. Your son will receive an email confirmation once it is processed.

Years 11-12

Students can request a Special Consideration form for extension/s on assessment due through the Studies Office or via the Portal / Curriculum Form tile. According to QCAA regulations, in senior this extension must be accompanied by a medical certificate. Students will be given an extension form to take to their relevant subject teacher/s to discuss the extension and a new due date. Once this conversation has taken place, the from needs to be returned to Mrs Kim Rabie through the Studies Office. Your son will receive an email confirmation once it is processed.

Preparing for Exams

Students should now be coming to the peak of their study and review schedule. They should be in full revision of exam content and concepts, be looking to refine any skills or processes needed, and be accessing their teachers to consolidate understanding. Our young men should be looking at the following in the lead-up to their exams, to help get the most of their revision and active study time:

• Continue their study schedule. This should prevent procrastination from a change in routine, and familiarity can bring comfort and control into pre-exam anxiety.
• Whilst extra study time will be needed (and should be done) in the lead-up to exams, “cramming” is not what we want to see happen. This is the time where student-created ‘visual’ study notes (e.g., summaries, revision notes, flashcards, question books, etc.) should be refined and revisited, learning questions formulated, and boys should be giving themselves the hard questions that they can take to their teachers to fill-in any remaining gaps of knowledge.
• The study environment should be distraction-free. Mobile phones should be in another room, alongside gaming control pads and other items of distraction. Those who have trouble with this should be studying in a quiet yet public area (e.g., dining room) where screens can be seen by parents.
• Group study, done productively, can be highly effective. Brain scans have shown major activity when students attempt to ‘teach’ another the content, as opposed to just reading or reciting the content on their own. 

Getting enough sleep and eating a healthy, balanced diet is essential to make sure that our boys can fire on all cylinders come exam time. 

The Academic Care team wish all our boys the best of luck in their preparation for exams. Work hard boys – effort reaps rewards.

Middle School News

Next week the middle school exam block begins.  During these times your son will sit these exams and then return to his normal school timetable. 

Sitting cohort exams provides practice for our students to sit these tests in an environment that mimics senior exams (Years 10-12) as well as providing assessment integrity.  Your son is to ensure that he has all necessary equipment for his exam days.  This includes:

• 2B pencil
• Sharpener
• Eraser
• Blue, black and red pen
• Calculator
• Water Bottle

The assessment schedule for middle school students have been emailed to all students.  Please ensure your son is aware of where his exam will be taken.  Many exams are in the Gym (Champagnat Centre) with some in classrooms. 

Those students who have special consideration for exams (technology, scribe etc) you will be contacted by the Centre of Learning Enrichment about where they will need to be.  If you are a student eligible for extra time, these exams will take place in a designated classroom, and you will be emailed this information prior to your assessment. 

Catch-up exams

If your son is away due to COVID-19 or is unwell, catch-up exams are provided on Friday 25th March and Monday 28 March from 3:15pm-5:00pm in Rooms 105 and 106.  If your son is absent, please contact me and I can organise a catch-up schedule for him (rosenbergr@marash.qld.edu.au).

Learning from Home

If you are unable to attend school due to COVID-19 please access your classwork via the Moodle subject page.  If you are unsure of what work to complete or require further work or assistance, please contact your classroom teacher for further guidance.

Study Hall

Study Hall continues to be held at the Resource Centre on Tuesday and Thursday morning from 7:45am-8:30am. Please note Thursday’s session is a repeat of Tuesday’s lesson. These sessions are open to all boys from Years 5-12. 

Please find below the outline for the Study Hall for the remainder of Term 1.