Head of Secondary School

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Giving Day

Wednesday’s Giving Day was a testament to community at Redlands. We sincerely appreciate all of the parents, carers, alumni and friends who supported the School and the High Country Campus development through their generous donations. I would like to make special mention of our exceptional Student Representative Council who supported by selling donuts in the Fahl Garden at lunch time. There was far too much sugar and I am pretty sure some fairly hyped up individual (students and staff – myself included!) in period 5. Below is a quick snapshot of the SRC who paused their sales briefly for a photo with the Redlands Rhino.

Celebrating Book Week and Australian School Library Day

This week, our School has been abuzz with excitement as we celebrated Book Week, a cherished time for students and staff to immerse themselves in the joy of reading. Roseby Library has been the heart of our festivities, with activities ranging from Blind Date With A Book, student book club and creative writing workshops, all designed to inspire a love for books. On Australian School Library Day, we highlighted the vital role our library plays in fostering curiosity and learning, ensuring that every student has access to the resources they need to thrive. Thank you to all staff and students who joined in the celebration—here’s to many more chapters of discovery and adventure!

Dynamic Feedback and Reporting Project

Over the past year we have been reviewing our feedback systems because we know that timely feedback is one of the most significant influences on student growth. You will know that we have a range of feedback mechanisms in the Secondary School such as semesterly reporting, Student-led Conferences, Records of Academic Discussions and iLearn assessment feedback. After broad consultation with a range of stakeholders, we will trial the following changes this semester to enhance effective feedback at Redlands for current students in Year 7 to 11.

Formative Assessment Feedback

In response to requests for personalised, actionable, timely and transferable feedback, all Semester 2 assessments will provide online teacher comments within three weeks via iLearn. Teachers will use plain language and focus on next steps for each student.

Dynamic Feedback (Personalised Alerts)

We will expand our use of RADs (Records of Academic Discussion) to offer on time personalised guidance, recognition of growth and opportunities for extension. Parent feedback and our internal iGrow Learning Analytics Platform have confirmed that RADs are a valuable and effective feedback mechanism for our students, hence our aim to further expand their use.

Semesterly Reports

Semester 2 reports will retain the Semester 1 format, covering academic results, grade distributions, outcomes, approaches to learning, self-assessment, pastoral comments, attendance and cocurricular involvement. Summative academic comments will be replaced by formative comments in iLearn for each assessment, in response to the survey and focus groups confirming that multiple formative comments throughout the year are more valuable than a single, curated summative comment at the end of the year.

Learning Conversations and Collaborative Goal Setting

We will pilot iGrow Coaching Conversations with focus group parents, using our unique Learning Analytics Platform. This trial aims to strengthen teacher-parent connections through collaborative goal setting and visibility of your child’s holistic growth. We aim to ascertain whether these conversations and holistic goals are deemed more valuable than curated summative Tutor comments.

Overall, our goal is to maximise valuable feedback for our students in order to enhance their academic learning and holistic growth. We appreciate your trust in this exciting next iteration of feedback at Redlands and the honest and reflective feedback parents and students will provide throughout this pilot period.

To read the full communication about the Dynamic Feedback and Reporting Project from Director of Learning and Growth, please click here.

ISA Sport Finals this Weekend

Congratulation to all our teams that have made the ISA Finals this weekend.  We wish our students all the best for their final matches this weekend!  Go Redlands!

Congratulations to the following Tennis Teams that won their ISA Finals last weekend:

• ISA 3
• ISA 7
• ISA 8
• ISA 10

Transition Connection Sessions: Year 6 and Year 10

This past Wednesday, our Year 10 students participated in an exciting new initiative designed to support Year 6 students as they prepare to transition into Secondary School in 2025. These Connection Sessions, held in the Arnold Library, are part of a broader effort to ensure a smooth and confident transition for our younger students as they embark on this new chapter of their educational journey.

After gathering feedback from families and students, we developed a series of initiatives to help Year 6 students connect with current Secondary students, familiarise themselves with the Senior Campus, and build confidence in navigating their new environment. The Connection Sessions are a key part of this initiative, offering a “soft start” for the Year 6 students.

During these sessions, Year 6 students were grouped with Year 10 mentors in small, relaxed settings. The activities included fun connection games designed to help the younger students begin building relationships with their older peers. This informal environment not only allowed the Year 6 students to gain valuable insights and advice but also helped them feel supported and welcomed as they prepare for the transition.

Our Year 10 students were thrilled to take on this leadership role as peer mentors, and their enthusiasm was evident as they guided and supported the Year 6 students. This initiative not only benefits the Year 6 students but also provides our Year 10s with a valuable opportunity to develop leadership skills and contribute positively to our school community.

We are confident that these Connection Sessions will play a significant role in helping our Year 6 students feel more comfortable and prepared as they move toward Secondary School. We look forward to continuing these initiatives throughout the semester.  

Ms Gemma Van de Peer
Head of Secondary School
gvandepeer@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9811