Year 11 Holiday Study Tip – The Power of Daily Recall
As we head into the break, one of the most effective and surprisingly simple ways to stay prepared for the HSC and IB courses is through retrieval practice: actively trying to remember what you’ve learned without looking at your notes. In this week’s Year meeting, I shared with the 2026 cohort one simple strategy and tracker sheet to help them develop their retrieval practice over the summer break.
Why is this important?
Research across education and cognitive science shows why this works so well:
John Hattie’s Visible Learning research highlights spaced practice and metacognition (thinking about what you know and don’t know) as high-impact strategies that significantly boost achievement.
Cognitive psychologists like Roediger and Butler show that testing yourself strengthens long-term memory far more than re-reading.
Studies by Karpicke and Blunt found that students who regularly recalled information even with simple free recall tasks performed better after a week than those who used more time consuming strategies like concept mapping.
A simple idea for the holidays: create a Daily Recall List
Step 1: Choose Your Focus
✔ Select 4–6 key syllabus points or dot points from one subject.
✔ Write them in the table below.
Step 2: Recall Without Looking
✔ Set a timer for 10 minutes.
✔ For each dot point, write down or verbally explain everything you remember. No notes or study resources.
Step 3: Check and Correct
✔ Open your notes and fill in the gaps.
✔ Highlight anything you forgot, this becomes tomorrow’s focus for recall.
Step 4: Track Your Progress
✔ Repeat daily using new or previously challenging dot points.
✔ Aim to cover each syllabus area twice over the break.
Unsure where to start or how to hold yourself accountable? See the canva link below to a daily recall tracker for your daughter to use:
It’s short, manageable, and backed by strong research. Most importantly, it helps you return in the new year with confidence and momentum.
Wishing everyone a restful break and a strong finish to the year!
– Danielle Rodrigues
Acting Deputy Head of Senior School – Academic Year 10 to Year 12
