Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching
Welcome back to 2025! What a fantastic start to learning we have had this year, right across Years 7-12. I am delighted to see that students have returned equipped for lessons and prepared for learning. Long may it continue! Thank you to all parents/carers who have supported their children to ensure they are equipped for learning. We know this is a team effort between home and school and we are thrilled to be on the journey with you.
Year 11 and 12 Study Periods
We are continuing with year group study sessions for Year 11 and 12 each week. This will be a valuable time for the students to meet as a year group and be provided with additional intervention on a range of topics. Ms Meg Ryan and Mrs Tess Meehan have a variety of sessions planned to target study and future planning for Year 12 students. Next week Year 11 will be onboarded for the program Atomi which will support their study skills during Year 11 and 12. These lessons will also provide opportunities for wellbeing support for the students as they face their final years of school; years that can be stressful and challenging.
Atomi
As mentioned above, the whole of Year 11 and 12 have access to Atomi. Not all subjects are on the platform as it is mainly for exam based subjects, however all students have access to the Study Skills lessons. Your children are encouraged to be using this platform to support their learning throughout their HSC period. I will be talking about this often with the students and there will be canteen vouchers for the top users each fortnight!
Year 11 and 12 Assessment Blocks
This Term the Year 12 students will have their Assessment Block in Week 8 and the Year 11 students will have their Assessment Block in Weeks 9 and 10. It is imperative that students are preparing for these assessments as soon as the notifications are released. If they prepare in advance they will be able to give appropriate time to each assessment without cramming at the end. Please support your children by encouraging them to use a study plan and dedicate appropriate amounts of time at home to each subject.
Reading Focus
To continue our literacy focus in the College we will be working on embedding reading pedagogies into teaching practice this year. As a result the teachers will be having a training day specifically on reading in practice in the classroom on Friday 28 February (as previously communicated this is a pupil free day ). We implore you to encourage the students to read for leisure at home. We all know the incredible benefits of reading for the brain. If students are reading printed, published and edited material it benefits all aspects of their learning.
New Maths Syllabus
Stage 5 has a new Maths syllabus which has slightly changed the delivery in our schools. The recommendations from the experts at DLCS ask us to keep students in mixed ability classes in Year 9 and create more defined pathways in Year 10. This creates new and exciting experiences for our students in Maths and allows them all to pursue the study of Maths in the HSC if they wish.
Subject Books Year 7-10
Please ensure that your children have an exercise book for EVERY subject. Teachers will not accept one book with dividers in it for all subjects. Teachers need to be able to collect exercise books to mark students work to give valuable feedback. Thank you for your support.
Attendance
Please remember that a strong start to the year with attendance sets your child up to succeed! At this crucial period in the Term the students are getting to know their new teachers and the expectations for each subject. Any unnecessary absence makes things more difficult on return.
Please reach out if you have any questions about the learning for your students.
Ms Kate Fullbrook - Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching