Year 9

In the world of MLC School, there is never a dull moment, and this has certainly been true for Year 9. The students have hit the ground running, with some already completing assessments this week. The assessment calendar for Term 3 has been updated and shared with Year 9; however, please encourage your daughter to revisit the calendar regularly, ensuring she is aware of upcoming tasks and has a clear plan for completing them in a timely and organised manner.

Since reports were released last term, and following parent/teacher interviews, I have had conversations with students who have expressed disappointment or concern that some marks have decreased since Year 8. I spoke with Year 9 about this during our year meeting this week, outlining that Year 9 marks the beginning of the Stage 5 course, which represents an important shift in academic rigour from the Stage 4 syllabus studied in Year 7 and Year 8. While students bring valuable background knowledge and learning habits with them, they are, in many ways, starting at the beginning of a new course of study. Stage 5 asks students to engage with greater complexity and depth, moving beyond descriptive understanding towards critical analysis, reasoning and more complex problem-solving. As a result, some students may find that their results look different from those achieved in Year 8. This should not be a cause for discouragement, but rather an opportunity to recognise the more academically rigorous skills they are now developing. We would expect to see progress, confidence and growth continue to build as students move through Year 9 and into Year 10.

This week in Luminary time, Year 9 students have been having one-on-one conversations with their Luminaries to develop an academic and personal goal for the semester. While goal setting is often completed in Luminary, the focus at this stage is on the specific steps students will take to achieve their goals. The Luminaries are assisting students to create a realistic plan and identify the requirements needed to make progress. Often, students set goals such as ‘I want to achieve an A in Science’, but they do not always think through the process and reality of how to achieve that goal. Please feel free to ask your daughter about her goals and the plan she has developed. While many students in Year 9 may not actively seek parental help, you may still be able to offer guidance and encouragement.

Year 9 also held their Chapel Service in the Chapel this week. Sutton Luminary presented the service and spoke eloquently. They are to be congratulated for the calm and respectful manner in which they conducted themselves. The photo for this week features Sutton Luminary.

– Kate Schurch
Head of Year 9