As trial exams approach, often students are uncertain about how to study and become quite anxious before their exams, however, preparation that starts early can prevent this stress.

Often students will wait until the holidays actually start before they begin any study, however, it’s important to properly plan out one’s study schedule for trials before the term breaks up, which includes exactly what needs to be covered in each subject, particular topics which may need more revision, and map these tasks out into a calendar to get a visual representation of how much time they have to study. By planning out each week as they go, students can remove the stress of deciding what to study each day and have more of a structure.

It may seem like a lot, but completing a decent amount of study each day beats cramming at the end of the holidays. Even a few hours of productive work each day will add up to a large amount of study by the end of the holidays, instead of trying to do massive 10 hour study days just once or twice a week.

It’s also important for students to maintain a study life balance, and actually incorporate some downtime into their schedules. Students who actually give themselves break can retain information better and perform more consistently by maintaining motivation and preventing burnout before exams even start.

Daisy Brenac

1. Cody Ramsey 8/10- Decent but can’t make any post contact metres about of own half
2. Rex bassingwaithe- 7/10- Try on debut. Decent
3. Billy smith- 7/5/10- Good pcm but bad in defence and didn’t offer much in attack
4. Reece foley 6/10 Unlucky debut with an early HIA
5. Tommy Talau 5/10- Send him back to manly. Not good
6. Savala- 6/10- Got an early HIA as well.
7. DCE- 6/10- Played the whole game but was still awful and should have just retired
8. Nafahu Whyte- 9.5/10- Played all 80 and genuinely made 1 million runs. HIM
9. Connor watson- 8/10- Ended up having to play in the halves. Decent for the circumstances
10. Spencer Leniu- 6/10- Whole lot of nothing
11. Angus Crichton- 7/10- Meh better than normal
12. Siua Wong- 7.5/10- Yeah alright
13. Salesi foketi- 6.5/10- Didn’t get up to much
14. Beniah Ioelu- 6.5/10- Was alright coming back to cover HIAs
15. Taylor Losalu- ./10- Pretty sure he didn’t get any minutes because Whyte played all of them.
16. Nat Butcher- 5.5.10- Changed nothing but got played at least
17. Egan butcher- 4/10- Yeah got subbed on for like 15 and did nothing as normal

Charlie Currell

Homework plays an important role in supporting student learning snd academic success. While learning begins in the classroom, homework provides students with the opportunity to continue developing their knowledge and skills independently at home.

One of the key benefits of homework is that it reinforces concepts taught during lessons. When students practice skills such as reading, spelling, mathematics or writing outside of school hours, they strengthen their understanding and improve their ability to recall information. Regular practice helps students build confidence and become more successful learners.

Homework also encourages the development of valuable life skills. By completing tasks independently, students learn responsibility, organisation and time management. These skills are essential not only for success at school but also for future education and employment. Learning too plan, prioritise and meet deadlines helps students become more self-directed and accountable for their learning.

Another importance advantage of homework is that it creates opportunities for families to engage in their child’s education. Parents and caregivers can gain insight into what their children are learning and provide encouragement and support. Research has shown that when families take active interest in learning, students are often more motivated and achieve better education.

Additionally, homework allows teachers to assess students’ understanding of concepts taught in class. It can highlight areas where students may need additional support or extension, enabling teachers to tailor future learning experiences to meet individual needs.

It is important that homework is purposeful, manageable and appropriate for student’ age and ability levels. Quality homework should reinforce learning without causing unnecessary stress or taking away from important family, recreational and wellbeing activities.

When used effectively, homework is a valuable tool that strengthens learning, builds essential skills and fosters positive connections between home and school. By encouraging consistent homework habits, we can help students develop the confidence and independence needed to succeed both inside and outside the classroom.

Maria Christou

It may seem overwhelming at first to begin studying for your first senior English exams – too many words to remember and too many words to write in too little time! However, there is a very simple and very effective way to study for these exams!

Begin by writing an “alpha” essay. Usually before exams, your teacher will give you an essay question with which to practice. Make sure that you write a practice essay to this question and submit it for marking. Once you have fixed up and polished your essay, use flashcards to separate your essay into manageable pieces:
One flash card per quote + techniques + analysis
One flash card for the introduction
One flash card for the conclusion

Once you have gone through and memorised the key parts of your essay, start going through other practice questions online. Instead of diving right in and writing complete essay drafts in 40 minutes, I would recommend setting a five minute timer per practice question and writing out a plan. For example, on a piece of paper I would write out a sample thesis statement which answers the question, and then practice adapting my quotes and analysis to back up my new thesis statement.

Once I have become comfortable with adapting my skeleton essay to foreign questions, I start writing out full length practice essays under timed conditions. It is really important to write these out in exam conditions to emulate the stress of the exam. It may also be beneficial to form a study group and all practice writing the same essay under the same conditions together.

The most crucial part of this process is to only read over your essay a day later, not right after the exam. This way, your brain will have cooled off from the stress of the practice exam and you will be able to read your essay like a marker and find the key strengths and flaws of your arguments.

Using this very simple method, each English exam will be a breeze! Good luck on your exams 🙂

Shahaf Liraz

When we think of maths as a subject in school, we associate it with repetitive homework questions, thick textbooks, seemingly useless topics and often the most boring class of the day. However, this attitude is elementary. Maths is actually one of the most dignified and important subjects in school, and without a doubt the most universal and timeless subject.

Maths is one of the only subjects which is truly objective and abstract. What does this mean? It means that if a human found themselves in the middle of the wilderness, they could still (in theory) work out every mathematical principle that we have found. Even further, if the entire universe was destroyed, mathematics would remain just as true and relevant. There isn’t a possible reality where maths doesn’t exist. Try and imagine a scenario where 2+2 does not equal 4. It must be true, no matter the context. We call this a transcendent truth, hence maths is transcendent; it does not rely on people, places or subjectivity.

Did you know that maths is directly linked to philosophy because of this? The ancient Greek polymaths like Pythagoras, Euclid and Archimedes were all classified as philosophers. They were great pioneers of mathematics but they also explored questions of human society, politics, morality and truth. The ‘father of modern philosophy’ Rene Descartes was also a prolific mathematician. Any mathematical principle known as ‘Cartesian’, such as the Cartesian Plane was discovered by him. These people were philosophers because they were already maths geniuses. They could reason objectively about reality – about what we can actually, certainly know.

No other subject can compete with maths on this level. It is by far the most enduring area of knowledge. The advantages of maths in this respect become extremely important. It builds abstract thinking and advanced problem solving. It allows people to tie things together and find hidden answers. It reveals the underpinning principles of reality; the axioms that make up everything that exists. Students who excel in maths usually have heightened analytical skills and problem solving across a broad range of areas.

Raphael Dokos

Daisy arrived to the session settled and ready, taking out her English book without prompting. The task set was a personal diary entry recounting the events of her day, with a focus on using descriptive language and the first person. She read the prompt twice and asked one clarifying question whether the entry needed to be “true or made up” which suggested she was thinking carefully about purpose and audience before beginning.

Once Sam confirmed she could choose, Daisy opted to write about her real day. She spent the first few minutes planning quietly, jotting a short list of moments she wanted to include: a maths test, lunch with friends, and a netball trial after school. This planning stage showed developing organisational skills, though she initially listed events without considering which were most interesting to a reader. As she wrote, Daisy showed good control of the diary form. She opened with “Dear Diary,” dated the entry, and maintained a consistent first person voice throughout. Her writing was strongest when describing feelings rather than facts; her line about being “so nervous my hands went cold” before the netball trial demonstrated an emerging ability to use sensory detail and show rather than tell. When Sam praised this, Daisy returned to an earlier sentence and added similar detail independently, indicating she could apply feedback within the task.

Areas for development became clear in her use of punctuation. Several sentences ran together with commas where full stops were needed, and she occasionally lost tense consistency, slipping from past to present. When Sam pointed to one example, Daisy corrected it confidently, suggesting the issue is one of proofreading habit rather than understanding. Throughout the session Daisy stayed focused, responded positively to questioning, and showed willingness to revise her work. Her engagement was high, and she expressed genuine pride when rereading her finished entry aloud.

Charlie Walker

During this lesson, Pamela worked with her Year 6 Mathematics student on algebraic techniques. The lesson focused on introducing and reinforcing foundational algebra skills, helping the student build confidence in working with variables, number patterns and simple algebraic expressions.

Throughout the session, Pamela guided the student through a range of algebra questions, ensuring they understood the reasoning behind each step rather than simply finding the answer. She encouraged the student to identify patterns, recognise relationships between numbers and apply logical thinking when solving problems. Pamela broke down concepts into manageable steps and used clear explanations to support the student’s understanding. She regularly checked for understanding and encouraged the student to explain their thinking, helping to reinforce key concepts and build confidence.

The student remained engaged throughout the lesson and showed a positive attitude towards tackling new challenges. With encouragement and support, they became more confident when approaching algebra questions and applying the strategies discussed during the lesson. Overall, the lesson provided a valuable opportunity for the student to further develop their algebra skills in a supportive environment. Pamela’s clear explanations, patience and positive reinforcement helped the student make progress and feel more confident when working with algebraic concepts.

Isabella Naumovski

Observing Alex’s tutoring session for the Year 12 Maths Standard Program. During the second hour of his session, they went through trial exam questions. After allowing the students time to solve questions, he would ask whether they are finding any questions challenging. After a small discussion, and a breakdown of the topic in question, he would help the students find the answer out for themselves. This allows the students enough time to think about the question, and gives them the opportunity to answer it themselves. I also noticed how he used targeted questioning to check the student’s knowledge and encouraged them to explain their reasoning rather than simply providing answers.

After checking the students working out, Alex also identified common mistakes and addressed them through worked examples, helping the student build confidence. Through the exam, he highlighted exam strategies and techniques to improve on time management and to show clear working out. This observation showed me the value of combining topic revision with regular exam practice to strengthen both subject knowledge and exam performance; something I am going to incorporate within my own program sessions.

James Bletsas

Balancing HSC prep with a holiday might seem like a total nightmare, but it is possible to balance studies and still have a fun break. With a little planning, you can keep your mind sharp and enjoy your time off.

1. Lock in an hour of pure study
Forget about trying to study for six hours straight while your family is soaking up the sun at the beach. Instead, carve out one or two focused hours in the morning. Wake up, tackle some past paper questions or go over your flashcards, and then set the books aside for the rest of the day.

2. Be Realistic and Prioritise
Let’s be real—you’re not going to master an entire module while lounging in a hotel room. Focus on keeping your knowledge fresh instead of diving deep. Use your holiday to:

– Go over high-yield summary notes and reviewing past notes.
– Memorise key English quotes or essay structures.
– Take quick, timed multiple-choice quizzes.


3. Study on the Move
Make the most of your travel time. If you’re on a long flight, road trip, or train ride, that’s your chance! Download podcasts that align with your syllabus, listen to recordings of your own notes, or use active recall apps on your phone.

4. Separate Work and Play
When it’s study time, find a quiet café or a distraction-free zone. Once you’re done, switch off mentally. Enjoying guilt-free relaxation is key to avoiding burnout, and you deserve to enjoy your holiday.

The Golden Rule: Consistency trumps intensity. Spending 45 minutes on quality study each day during your trip is way better than doing no studying at all and stressing about it the whole time.

So, enjoy your break, keep that momentum going, and you’ll come back ready to tackle the HSC like a champ!

Ella Fisher

Navigating your Year 11 finals can feel like a massive step up. It is the first time you are facing high stakes exams that truly mimic the final year pressures to come. But doing well on these finals isn’t about locked in, late night cram sessions, it is about upgrading your study skills and prepping your brain weeks before you even flip over the exam paper. By shifting your approach from passive reading to strategic preparation, you can head into the exam room feeling confident instead of chaotic.

The first step to targeted preparation is to stop guessing what will be on the test and look directly at the syllabus your teachers use. Your course syllabus details every single concept you can be tested on, making it the ultimate study checklist. By printing out the syllabus for each subject and reviewing the specific dot points, you can systematically audit your own knowledge. If you come across a point and realise you cannot confidently explain it or write a paragraph about it right then and there, you have found the exact spot where your next study session needs to begin.

Once you know what content to focus on, you need to transition to practicing the exact format of the test. There is a massive difference between knowing a fact and knowing how to structure an answer under a countdown timer, which is why moving to past papers early is so crucial. You should start this process open-book, keeping your notes nearby to help bridge the gaps in your memory and build your confidence. As the exams get closer, simulate the actual room by sitting in a quiet space, removing your notes, and completing a practice paper under strict time limits. This trains your brain to manage time effectively so you don’t leave the final questions blank.

Ultimately, Year 11 finals serve as the perfect dress rehearsal for your final school year. By mastering the syllabus and completing past papers now, you aren’t just saving grades this term but building the exact academic habits needed to crush your senior studies.

Ben Pelikan