The next couple of weeks welcome a busy time within Senior Secondary, as all of our students continue with Term 2 studies and extra-curricular events. We firstly look forward to welcoming all parents into the school for the upcoming Parent Teacher Interviews (running from Tuesday 11 - Thursday 13 May). These are the perfect opportunity to discuss your child's progress with the teachers that work with them closest. 

We also look forward to welcoming parents of our Year 12 cohort to the first Year 12 OPTIMA Awards Ceremony for 2021. This ceremony will acknowledge elite achievements within academia, sporting, community and cultural landscapes. For the first time we will also acknowledge those students who have completed a Diploma course in the past year, as well as those students who have achieved success within the Variable Progression Program. Invitations to students and parents of award recipients will have been sent this week. 

Senior Student Study Skills Sessions

8:00am Tuesday (11/5) or Thursday (13/5)

All Year 11 and 12 students are invited to attend a study skills and advice session held at 8:00am on Tuesday (11/5) or Thursday (13/5) of Week 4. This session follows on from the Parent seminar held in Week 3 by detailing how students can specifically integrate the strategies of retrieval practice, spaced learning and chunking and chewing into their study practice assisting them to consolidate their understanding to support their learning and preparation for external exams. Please encourage your student to attend this session and RSVP to dphil107@eq.edu.au.

Assessment Calendars

Senior Secondary assessment calendars have been published on the school website under the curriculum tab. This is a useful tool for parents and students in preparing their study timetables.

The Year 11 Unit 1 examination timetable has been published on this link as well as the school’s Assessment Policy and application forms for Extension/Change of Date and Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments (AARA). https://pbc-shs.eq.edu.au/curriculum/testing-and-assessment

Year 10 and 12 shutdown timetables for the end of term will be published soon.

Year 11 UPDATE

Unit 1 Assessment

Year 11 students should be busy revising work and completing assignments for their upcoming assessment. All assessment for Unit 1 should be completed by Friday 21 May.  There will be no shutdown for these exams and students will be expected to attend school every day. It is vitally important that Year 11s are actively revising and preparing for assessment now as they will have numerous exams and assignments due in the same week.

Year 11 Subject changes

Year 11 students will have the opportunity to change classes subject to timetable availability at the end of week 5. Students will be able to attend a session in Y block at first break on Friday 21 May to see subject availability. They will then need to seek the permission of the Heads of Department of their new subject and parents before a change will be processed.

Certificate II in Tourism

Any Year 12 or 11 student wishing to complete this certificate at school during Term 2 and 3 on Wednesdays should see Mr. McDougall or Ms McQueen as soon as possible. This course is free for students that have not used their VETis funding.

As well as improving students employment prospects this course is worth 4 QCE so is highly recommended for students that are currently not on track to achieve the QCE due to poor academic performance 

Student Engagement

All Year 11 and 12 students are again reminded that they have to continually demonstrate that they are actively engaged in the learning process to remain enrolled in post compulsory schooling. Students demonstrate this by completing, submitting and passing their assessment in subjects, remaining eligible for the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) and complying with school policies and procedures. Students whose academic performance indicates that they are no longer eligible for the QCE will have their enrolment monitored and reviewed by the senior schooling team.

Year 10 UPDATE

Year 10 into 11 student pathways

Year 10 students and their parents need to be aware of the following requirements for students to study in the ATAR pathway in 11 and 12.

To study 4 General subjects and be eligible for an ATAR students must achieve;

• An A or B in English and Maths in Semester 1 Year 10
• Students wishing to study a Science in Year 11/12 (Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Biology or Marine) must also achieve a B in Science in Semester 1 Year 10
• Students wishing to study Mathematical Methods in Year 11 must achieve at least a B10 in Maths in Semester 1 Year 10

Students who achieve a C5 in Maths and English in Semester 1 Year 10 may still be able to study General Maths and General English in Year 11 however will not be able to study 4 ATAR Subjects. More information regarding subject selection for Year 11 will be published in Term 3.