General Achievement Test: Tuesday 16 June

The GAT is a test of general knowledge and skills completed by any student enrolled in any VCE Unit 3-4 sequence or VM Unit 3-4 sequence. It will be completed onsite at Sacred Heart College on Tuesday 16 June. No other program will run for Year 11 and Year 12 students on this date. While that GAT is not a task that students study for in a traditional sense, it is highly recommended that students look at and complete past GAT papers, in order to familiarise themselves with the format and style. You can read more about the GAT via this link.

Semester 1 Exams

Year 10 and 11 students will begin their Semester 1 exams from next Friday. All families of students in these Year Levels will have recently received key information about the exams and the arrangements for attendance during this time, and are asked to be attentive to these details. The exam period is a time to refine study habits, to experience exam-style assessment, and to celebrate academic success. Families are encouraged to use this as a time to discuss study schedules and to build or renew routines within the weekly calendar that prioritise homework and study.

Senior School Learning Culture

You will have read in past newsletters (6 March and 1 May) that we have begun a new approach to Year 12 classes during times of unexpected teacher absence. Commencing last term, Year 12 classes have been asked to independently undertake the set classwork for the lesson in their ordinary classroom space (when a teacher is unexpectedly absent for a lesson). This allows the opportunity for groupwork and collaboration to continue amongst the class, rather than the silent and individual work that is expected in the Study Hall. This change also speaks to the learning culture of independence, self-directness and initiative that we expect of our Year 12 students. Year 12 VCE VM classes that have an absent teacher will continue to be staffed, due to the practical nature of these classes.

As was signalled earlier in the year, we have also begun exploring arrangements for Year 12 study periods that fall in a Period 1 or a Period 4, with a view to offering the option for Year 12 students to conduct their study periods off site if they choose to. Further details about this item will be shared with Year 12 students and families before any arrangements are finalised.

Virus Season

As the autumn colours fade and make way for winter frosts, we are heading into virus season. It is important that students have an opportunity to rest and recover when they are unwell, and that they check in with their teachers regarding any missed information or materials when they return. Staying home when sick also helps us to prevent the wider spread of illness and infections amongst other students and staff. As has been the case in previous years, we will monitor the levels of absence throughout the school during the winter months. If widespread illness leads to large numbers of teachers being absent, we may elect to ask a Year Level to complete their classwork from home for a day. In this scenario, lesson material would be provided via online platforms allowing for students to work independently in their own homes. Advance notice would be provided in this scenario, and arrangements would be in place for students who could not remain at home.