Year 7

Week 6 – Burning Bright as Assessments Begin

Students have really enjoyed testing out a sport in this term’s summer sport season. Some students have been involved in competition teams, including Basketball, Tennis and Touch Football, while others have engaged in the Thursday afternoon Non-Rep Sports program, including Rock Climbing, Futsal, Surfing and more. For some, they have attempted brand new sports, while others have honed their skills in a favourite pastime.

I was fortunate enough to visit our Yr 7 Girls Basketball team as they played against Blue Mountains Grammar and Barker in a double match last weekend. The girls played with excellent spirit, teamwork and skill, winning both matches and ending the season undefeated. Well done!

I look forward to getting out to see more students playing on future weekends in the upcoming winter season. Training for winter sports will commence for all students in Week 7.

Meanwhile, our Peer Support program is progressing along successfully with Yr 7 really enjoying the activities run by our Peer Support leaders. Last Friday, students were taken through a range of fun games designed to build their confidence and connections within their Tutor groups. There were lots of smiles and laughter during the games, and some thoughtful advice from Yr 11 who shared their insights on how to make the most out of their first term at Redlands.

On Monday, Burn Bright also came in to speak to students, to share with them strategies for making new friends and getting involved in the social life and activities of high school. Students were treated to a morning of fun games and strong life learning, coming away with important messages to:

  • Be friendly 
  • Have courage
  • Know what is their ultimate friend
  • Include others and look out for others

Week 6 also had some academic flavour for Yr 7. Mrs Rolon, Dean of Academic Studies (Yrs 7-10), visited the cohort during Tuesday’s Tutor time to give them advice on how to develop effective study habits for assessment tasks. She demonstrated how students could create well-balanced study timetables and she offered students some really thoughtful advice, including to:

  • use a term planner or weekly planner to plot their assessments and key life events
  • display their planner at home
  • schedule strict time limits for devices and gaming
  • get into the habit of putting their phone on do not disturb when they are working

The strategies discussed and advice offered will be revisited in Tutor time sessions later this week.

Many students also sat their first assessment task this week, completing their Christian Studies assignment. Students also have an English assessment due on Thursday of next week, and have been working hard towards planning this in their lessons.

A reminder 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 this link. 


Key Dates and Upcoming Events:

  • Week 7: NAPLAN testing commences (Wednesday 15/3 – Friday 17/3)

On Wednesday 15 March, Thursday 16 March and Friday 17 March, students in Yr 7 will sit the annual National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). Parents should have received a detailed notification of this through the school portal.

  • 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 a compulsory event for Yr 7 – so get excited and get involved!

Important Notices

NAPLAN Tests 15-17 March

NAPLAN Tests will be held on 15, 16 and 17 March.

Students in Yrs 7 are reminded to bring the following to all NAPLAN Tests (and if required to complete a catch-up test).

• A fully charged laptop
• Headphones
• Pen or pencil

Before each test, students must meet their Year Advisors at the Liggins Quad to assemble in alphabetical order.

15 March – Period 1. Yr 7 Writing
15 March – Period 2. Yr 7 Reading
16 March – Period 1. Yr 7 Conventions of Language
16 March – Period 5. Catch up Writing Test if absent 15 March
17 March – Period 3. Yr 7 Numeracy
17 March – Period 5. Catch up Writing / Reading / Conventions Of Language Test if absent 15 or 16 March
20 March – Periods 1, 3 and 5. Catch up Test sessions

School Musical: The 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 Yrs 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, 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 here. 

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