Year 8

Welcome Back

A warm welcome back to Term 4. I trust that there was a lot of rest over the break and that students have come back ready to face the challenges of Term 4. 

Exam Preparation

This week, during our academic care time sessions, students have been diligently crafting their study planners as they set sail on their journey to prepare for their Yearly Exams. It’s crucial for students to personalise these planners to their unique needs, ensuring that they allocate their time equitably among their various subjects while also accommodating other commitments such as sports training and co-curricular activities. The aim of these exams for students in Years 7-10 is not just about performance, but also about cultivating effective study habits and routines that will serve them well as they progress towards their senior studies. We warmly encourage parents to engage with their children, asking them to share their study planners and engage in meaningful discussions about their study strategies.

There is a digital copy of this planner for individual amendment available to download here.

Effective Study and Long Term Memory

If you are interested I have recently come across a good article from the Conversation that provides insight into the importance of understanding how our memory works and its link to effective study. Please see this link for further reading.

Subject Focus – Science

There was a fabulous engagement with both the Science Olympiads and the ICAS competitions this year and there are a large number of Distinctions and High Distinction across all Year Groups.

The 2023 International Competition and Assessment for Schools (ICAS) in Science is undertaken by over 400,000 students across Australia and the region and is a rigorous test of scientific thinking. Participation in the competition provides our students with excellent examination practice and an opportunity to see how they fare in competition with students of their own age from across the country. Scientific skills such as experimentation, empirical observation, logical reasoning, scientific analysis and critical thinking not only help you do well in STEM subjects – they are critical components of humankind’s most successful system for pursuing knowledge: the scientific method. A High Distinction in this competition represents the top 1% of the participants while a Distinction is the next top 10%. The following Year 8 students were able to achieve at this level:

  • Thomas Beatty – Distinction
  • Alex Heller – High Distinction
  • William Thomson – Distinction

Key Dates for the Term

We have a number of significant events in the first part of the term which include:

  • Week 2 – Monday – Friday:  Coaching Conversations
  • Week 2 – Thursday:  AIS Perspectives Survey
  • Week 4 – Monday – Friday:  Year 8 Exam Block
  • Week 6 – Tuesday:   ACER SEW Survey
  • Week 6 – Wednesday:  Project Rockit
  • Week 8 – TBC:  STEAM Project
  • Week 8 – Friday:  Secondary School Carols
  • Week 9 – Wednesday:  Speech Day

Mr Tobias Horan
Yr 8 Advisor
9968 9872
thoran@redlands.nsw.edu.au