2022 Highlights
Intensive Learning Support Program
Three teachers conducted highly successful small group interventions to support students with improving their literacy and/or numeracy. Groups consisted of 3-5 students meeting for a 40 minute session three times a week. Overall about 120 students participated in this program with NAPLAN and Check-In Assessment results showing most participants advancing relative to their peers with an average improvement of about 20 ranking positions between the start of the year and Term 4 testing.
Transition into Year 7
Orientation Day for the Year 7 2023 students ran successfully with students interacting with teachers and their peer support leaders and enjoying a BBQ lunch. Students from non-partner primary schools were invited to an afternoon in Term 4 so they could meet a few teachers and become familiar of the school grounds rather than risk being overwhelmed when starting without knowing any peers. Ms Wilk and Mr Lloyd put their own personal touches on the day by running a round robin series of activities outside to help the students get to know each other better.
Brain Food Program
The Brain Food program empowered Year 7 students, by developing skills which helped them to learn more effectively. Sessions included:
benefitting from having a Growth Mindset
developing study skills
effective organisation and time management
making the most of the “Learning Pit” challenge
managing stress and anxiety
metacognition and different ways of learning
Visible Learning Expo
Year 8 were able to engage fully with the Visible Learning Expo in 2022. Small groups of students presented their work to a panel in the library and explained how they’d engaged with the goals they set at the start of the year, solved problems and produced high quality assessment tasks.
Life Ready
Senior students participated in a series of activities throughout the year in order to complete the 25 hour mandatory Life Ready course. Sessions addressed a range of issues from careers to relationships, financial literacy and even safe travel. RoadWhyz provided a high-impact session on road safety that encouraged students to be responsible road users.
National Minimum Standards
All Year 10 students participated in testing for NMS with small groups receiving support throughout the year to improve their literacy and numeracy. The few Year 11 students yet to achieve the standards had small group support sessions. Year 12 students who had not yet satisfied the Reading, Writing or Numeracy requirements were supported by Learning and Support Teachers so that all reached the minimum standard prior to completing the HSC.
Check-In Assessments
With NAPLAN cancelled in 2020, Check-In Assessments were introduced to provide additional diagnostic information. All Year 8 engaged with the reading and numeracy assessment in Term 2, and all 7-9 students completed these assessments in Term 4. This provided excellent diagnostic information to help teachers target learning activities to address any gaps students might have.
