Year 8

With assessments ramping up, Luminary sessions this week focused on study skills combined with some independent preparation time. Students engaged with the Prue Salter Study Skills resources, reflecting on strategies that will best support their study at school and home. It is a timely reminder to all students and families that study skills aren’t just things students can do. They take time and experiences to develop and refine throughout the years of high school. I encourage families to head to the Study Skills website as there are so many resources to help the students, including things like how to summaries, working on active recall, and positive study habits. The details for this can be found on the Year 8 canvas home page.  

Year 8 also had their Year 8 Chapel Service where an interesting and stirring reflection was shared by Pastor Luisa about how to feel your way and manage when terrible things happen to good people. It was a chance for all Year 8 to think about this in the context of their own lives. The year group also sun beautifully, lead by Claudia Pruscino. Thank you also to our Year 8 volunteer speakers; Isobel Dean, Georgia Sutton, Fedra Nikolakopoulos, Isla Young, Vy Truong and Charlotte Hui. 

Week 8 Luminary time concluded with opportunities for thinking about connection with Year 8 students completing Trust Mapping activities. The Trust Mapping Project is important as it provides objective data on the connectedness of a cohort of students. The data obtained can then be confirmed by subjective observations and information known about each student. The project also works to help our pastoral team identify well-being issues before they become problematic, and to ensure that every student has someone they can go to in times of need.  

Have a lovely weekend, and please reach out to the Luminary or myself if you have any concerns. 

– Claire White
Head of Year 8