Year 8 to 11 Semester 2 examinations will take place between 16-19 November. Students are encouraged to begin revising now and continue preparing alongside their regular homework. Revision materials will be provided closer to the examination period. During the examination period, Years 8 and 9 attend school as normal and follow their regular timetable when not sitting an exam.
All current Year 7 to Year 9 students will receive their subject and elective allocations in early November. Year 9 students will also be notified of their ExCEL subjects. Due to the complex nature of timetable construction, subject changes are not possible. Students are encouraged to speak with me (Office MQ13) if they have any questions or concerns.
It was encouraging to receive many applications for acceleration into a Unit 1-2 VCE subject for Year 10 2027. The process allowed many productive conversations to occur. The outcome of these applications has been communicated to families.
All Year 10 Bundoora students will complete an accelerated Religious Education study in 2027. This is an excellent opportunity to delve into VCE studies and high achieving students may apply to continue this accelerated study in 2028.
This month we share with you the Elevate chapter of Habits of a Parade Learner. This chapter is particularly timely. It provides examples of how students may elevate their expectations so that they can achieve their personal best. Page 16 contrasts Homework and Study and provides some tips for studying as we approach examination season. We encourage all families to read the Handbook with their child. A copy can be found at Student Links on SIMON / PAM.
Developing a positive study routine allows all students to achieve their personal best. Below is a summary of which study practices are most effective, and which do not enhance learning.
Effective study techniques:
1. Retrieval practice
Using flashcards, completing a past exam paper and creating mind-maps from memory, are all examples of retrieval practice. Testing yourself and retrieving information from memory are effective ways to strengthen your recall in the future.
2. Spaced practice
Completing regular review for shorter periods of time is more effective than completing six hours of practice the day before a test. Create a study timetable where you review each subject frequently throughout the week.
3. Interleaving
Rather than doing large blocks of study for one unit or topic of work, it is better to switch between units/topics/skills at regular intervals. This does not mean multi-tasking! Interleaving allows your brain to make better neural pathways and connections and strengthens your understanding of each topic. Often, skills are interrelated, and this approach allows you to think laterally.
4. Food, sleep and exercise
Going outside and getting some fresh air can make you feel refreshed and help you to focus when you return to your studies. Having a regular sleep and rest schedule also helps your brain. Your brain recovers and lays down new neural pathways when you sleep. Rest offers you a chance to refresh and can include wider reading. Finally, eating nutritious and healthy foods (and breakfast!) can help improve your academic results.
Ineffective study techniques:
Distractions such as a mobile phone nearby or music can detract from your learning. Whilst some students may claim that music helps them study, scientific studies have shown the opposite. A study by Perham and Currie (2014) showed that students listening to music while studying answered fewer questions correctly compared to their peers who studied in silence. Similarly, a study by Ward et al. (2017) illustrated that the further your mobile phone is from you while you study, the better you will perform on your test.
We encourage all families to discuss this with their children and help them to make positive study choices.
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