Growing Good Humans

Our Year 12 cohort recently participated in the first ever Growing Good Humans Day, a day focused on equipping our students with a range of skills and strategies to assist them in gaining self-awareness, safe relationships and becoming the best version of themselves. The day was a great success and it was pleasing to see this cohort commit wholly to a program of which they have had such a hand in building and developing. A huge thanks goes to our school community for their support and providing these students with such an opportunity. Particular thanks go to our teacher presenters; Paul Bullpitt, Anna Wyatt, Shane Roberts and Aaron Zimmerle as well as our external experts; Shiike Vanderwerff, Tommy Herschell, Ashlee Thomas and the team of Youth-based Health Nurses from Queensland Health.

Our Year 11 cohorts will commence exposure to the Growing Good Men and Growing Good Women programs in Week 9 and 10 of this term.

Year 12 Update

Year 12 students and parents will receive information later this week regarding the 2021 Graduation Ceremony and Formal Dinner, to be held at the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre on Wednesday 17 November, 2021. This information will be handed to students at Assembly and emailed home. We look forward to celebrating the achievements of this talented cohort at the completion of their studies.

Most Year 12 students have now received their 2021 Senior Jersey. If your student hasn't please send them to Y Block to pick it up. This additional uniform item is a privilege for our senior students as their leadership within the school transgresses into the community. All students and parents are reminded that the jersey is traditionally a winter item, and should be worn on top of the school shirt. We look forward to seeing our Year 12's in their Senior Jerseys this winter.

Assessment

Year 11 students are currently completing or have recently completed the first assessment for Unit 1 in the QCE. Reports will be issued for Year 11s in the last week of term.

Year 11 students will then finalise their Unit 1 assessment in Week 4/5 of Term 2 in mid-May this year. As per QCAA guidelines students cannot change subjects mid Unit so no subject changes are available to Year 11s until late May.

Year 10 and 12 students should be busy completing assignments and studying for upcoming exams.

Year 10 and 12 students commence shutdown in Week 10 of term (29 March to 1 April). The timetable for senior assessment and the school assessment policy has been published on the school website: https://pbc-shs.eq.edu.au/curriculum/testing-and-assessment

Students can also download a copy on the school’s K drive under curriculum.

All students need to be aware of the date, room and time of their scheduled exam. During shutdown students only have to attend school for scheduled exams or study sessions.

All assessment tasks are due at 9:00am on the due date not during class time. Students who are absent for an exam will need to provide a medical certificate and apply for a change of date with their HOD on the next day they are at school. Similarly students who are applying for an extension or special consideration will need to download an extension/change of date form from the school website and submit to their relevant Head of Department at least 48 hours before the due date.

Year 10 and 12 reports will be issued early in Term 2.

VETis courses

All students in Senior Secondary are eligible to receive VET in School (VETis) funding to complete a VET certificate that the government deem are in demand. Many students utilise this funding in timetabled classes for example Construction, Health Services, and Hospitality and Fitness classes. Other VETis course are advertised in the student notices and school newsletter. These may include going to an outside college or provider 1 day per week (e.g. TAFE). Students who are not aiming for a tertiary pathway are particularly encouraged to complete a VETis funded course as this will increase their chance of gaining employment once they leave school. Please contact Ms McQueen in F block if you require more information.

Other senior schooling news:

Year 10s and 11s are again encouraged to register for School based traineeships and apprenticeships (SAT) in Y block. A SAT will give students paid employment, work experience and a Certificate 3 qualification which gains extra QCE credits, but also opens up a tertiary pathway. Please contact Ms Shreeve in Y block for more information.

Students in Year 10 are again reminded that their academic performance in Year 10 semester 1 will determine which pathway they can choose in Year 11. Students wishing to complete an ATAR pathway need to achieve Bs in English and Maths. Students wishing to study a senior science course in Year 11 and 12 also need to achieve a B in Year 10 Science.

Study Skills Strategies

The Spacing effect

Information that is studied or repeated over time leads to long-term retention. When students are exposed to and engage with information numerous times, spaced across multiple intervals it solidifies long-term memory, which enhances their ability for retention and recall.

As shown in figure 1, by reviewing information at intervals, not just at the end of a study cycle, students can recall a greater percentage of the information with a higher level of accuracy. (QCAA Strategies for retaining and recalling information for assessment, 2020)