As Term 2 draws to a close, thankyou to all PBC families and students for their engagement and dedication in what can be a very busy place. We look forward to seeing many of our alumni and existing families at our 50th Year Gala Day Celebration this Saturday, servicing many memories and paying tribute to our school which has (and continues to) grow and excel. Senior students are entering a very busy phase of academic rigour and opportunities in both the sporting and cultural landscapes - in may fields it is the first occasion since pre-COVID - we wish all of our students the best of success during this busy time.

Year 12

Year 12 Exam Shutdown will commence from Wednesday 22 June up to and including Friday 24 June (Week 10). Shutdown calendars are now published on the PBC website under Testing and Assessment.

Year 12 ATAR students had the opportunity to a mentoring session this week to discuss their progress in General subjects and their ATAR range. A range of study support sessions are available for Year 12 students to help them maximise their results. These are also published here:

Year 11

Please note there is no exam shutdown for Year 11 students, with normal timetabled classes running until the rest of Term. As students are in the middle of an assessment unit, these lessons will be vital. Due to the compressed nature of the Year 11 curriculum all Year 11 students will have assignment tasks and exams to study for over the holidays.

Year 11 End of Unit 1 subject reports have recently been emailed to parents. The Senior schooling team will begin monitoring the academic performance of students in this cohort to ensure that they are on track to attain the QCE. Students can still change classes up to Friday June 10, though there is limited timetable availability. Any Year 11 student that wishes to change classes should come to Y Block as soon as possible.

Year 10

Year 10 students will have shutdown for exams in Week 10. Exams will be scheduled from Monday 20 June up to and including Friday 24 June (Week 10). 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 B's 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 Opportunities

PBC, in partnership with Griffith University are offering a number of upcoming opportunities in Term 3 for students to engage with:

Year 10: 2-part life skills, strengths and career opportunities session

• Term 3, 18 and 25 July (Weeks 2 and 3)

Monday afternoon (1:55pm-3:05pm) - Please encourage your student to remain at school for these sessions

In the current workforce, entrepreneurial skills such as innovation, agility, and problem-solving are crucial for success. This two-part workshop series helps students develop a mindset that can adapt to change, be resilient, and thrive in the future workforce. Students will explore a social impact issue that aligns with their passions to support the development of the skills highlighted in this workshop.

Part 2 of the workshop builds on the work done in Part 1. Students will collaborate in small groups to apply and practise the skills they have developed in innovation, agility and problem solving to solve a social impact issue.

The aim of these workshops is for students to discover their strengths to build a fulfilling career and assist with SET planning choices.

Year 11/12: Griffith University On-Campus experience

• Term 3, 10 August (week 5 – GC5 sport day)

Wednesday 8:30am – 3:00pm (buses provided leaving and returning to PBC)

Students are required to collect and return a signed permission form to Y block as soon as possible as numbers are limited.

This free experience provides students a practical opportunity to explore the campus and experience specific industries based on interest areas. School students will engage with tertiary students from similar backgrounds who have overcome barriers into higher education, and be provided support in creating plans to meet requirements in their chosen field of study. This day includes: 

• a leadership and careers workshop
• networking with academics and current students
• tailored discipline-specific workshops. 

This experience has been organised for PBC students and highly recommended for those who are university-bound or considering university as an option in the future.  

The link below is an academic paper on improving study techniques amongst students, which may be useful when parents are discussing the best way to prepare for external exams. Note late night cramming whilst listening to music has been proven not to be effective: CLICK HERE