Year 7

Week 7 – NAPLANning for Success

This week Yr 7 moved through the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy. Did you know that was what NAPLAN stood for? Well, our Yr 7s discovered NAPLAN firsthand this week, coming face to face with the writing, reading and language conventions papers. On Friday, they will sit the numeracy paper.

With NAPLAN now all online, the cohort have braved general examination nerves to complete their tests with great poise and grace. I have been so impressed with their respectful engagement in the process, particular those students who finished early in some sessions and waited silently and patiently while the rest of the cohort completed their work.

NAPLAN offers us a useful indication of students’ basic skills, but it is certainly not the sole indicator of student academic potential or ability. Students should also be taking good account of any feedback they receive from their assessment program this term and next, so they can continue to develop their thinking, knowledge and other competencies across Semester 1.

This week, our focus in Tutor time has been based around respect. We started the week with a Year Assembly on Monday in which we discussed what respect means, how to convey respect and why fostering a respectful environment is important. Students were particularly spoken to about the importance of:

  • using manners and being polite, gracious and kind to others
  • respecting people for who they are, even if they are different from you
  • caring enough to consider how their words and actions might impact others
  • looking after shared resources and spaces
  • listening to others and giving them a chance to express their views, even if you disagree with them
  • admitting to their mistakes and learning from them
  • showing empathy and compassion in their interactions.

Many of these messages were then reiterated by Mrs Jansons (Dean of Students) during the Years 7-9 assembly on Tuesday. In Tutor time on Thursday, students then discussed respect further, unpacking how they can model respectful behaviour in their interactions with others and creating ‘Rules of Respect’ for their Tutor group sessions. The hope is that with explicit discussion of respect and appropriate modelling and guidance, we will be able to continue to foster a really welcoming, supportive and accepting climate in the cohort.

Tutors have also been reminding students about how to use their student planners effectively. These are an excellent resource for helping students to keep track of home learning and to plan ahead for completing future assessment tasks. Parents have a specific space to sign planners each week, so that they can be checked in Tutor on Thursdays. Please help us to keep students accountable by signing planners weekly.

It is also worth reminding everyone that that a schedule of all assessment tasks for each subject and assessment notifications can be found on the Yr 7 Core Page on iLearn by visiting here.

Key Dates and Upcoming Events:

  • Week 8: School Musical (Thursday 23/3 – Saturday 25/3)

The school will be performing the Addams Family musical. This will be a great night out for all the family!

  • Week 9: Cross Country Carnival (Monday 27/3)

This is an enjoyable event for Year 7 – so get excited and get involved!

  • Week 10: International Day (Tuesday 4/4)

A fun day of foods, games and events to celebrate our diverse cultural backgrounds at Redlands.

  • Week 10: Year 7 Vaccinations (Wednesday 5/4)

See details below for further information.

Important Notices

School Musical: Addams Family

We are delighted to advise that tickets are now available for this year’s Musical, The Addams Family, being held at The Concourse, Chatswood on: 

  • Thursday 23 March, 6.30pm
  • Friday 24 March, 6.30pm
  • Saturday 25 March, 2.00pm

The Addams Family showcases the skills and talents of our Years 7-12 students and there are over 100 students involved on stage as performers, in the orchestra and in hair and make-up and production. View Production Trailer here

The Redlands musical is always a wonderful night out with the family, so book your TICKETS HERE before they sell out!

NSW School Vaccination Program 2023

Each year NSW Health works in partnership with schools to offer the vaccines recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for adolescents as part of the school vaccination program.

The following vaccines are offered free to Yr 7 students at school on Wednesday 5 April.

  • Yr 7 – diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (dTpa) and human papillomavirus (HPV)

Students who miss this clinic date will be offered a catch-up opportunity on Thursday 25 May.

From February 2023, children in Yr 7 will now only need one dose of HPV vaccination. This change has been endorsed by ATAGI based on evidence showing that one dose provides the same level of protection against HPV as two doses.  

Vaccination will only be provided at school if consent has been received.  To provide consent for vaccination online go to this website, you will need:

Benefits of online consent for parents/carers:

  • SMS notifications when vaccinations are given
  • easy updating of your child’s details online
  • faster upload of your child’s vaccination records to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)

If you or your child do not have a Medicare card, consent can still be provided by requesting a paper-based consent form directly from the Year Advisor.

To help answer questions you may have regarding providing vaccination and online consent, please visit the NSW Health website.

Mr Jimmy Tod-Hill
Year 7 Advisor
jtodhill@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9908 6462