Welcome to Term 4. Higher School Certificate examinations have begun well, and the term has started in a settled way.  This term is a dangerous one because many students (and some parents) think it is the tailing off term. Work is done and as we approach Christmas, we do nothing and so student absences rise dramatically.

This of course is a false view of schooling and learning. We never stop learning and there is always something new to learn. Year 11 students are now in Year 12, so they have to really get on with learning. Year 10 are finishing up the pre-HSC program and need to think about how well prepared they are for the challenges of the HSC program. You don’t come into that program under-prepared because you make life very hard for yourself as learning expectations really move upwards.

This last week Mr Lobsey, our Head of Secondary ran a study skills day for Year 12 helped by Mrs van Wyk our Senior Librarian. While we had some students away on a curriculum excursion, we also had a significant number of absences for no apparent reason. This sends a strong message about the value these students place on learning, and I can only assume they had the permission of their parents to be absent. Those away legitimately will be catered for with follow up work but starting out on the senior year of school with a failure to take advantage of this opportunity does not send a good message about your approach to life or learning and does not sit well with the culture of GPCC.

All other years still have significant areas of curriculum to cover. Just because assessment tasks may end halfway through the term does not mean learning has ended. Assessment is not the goal of learning – personal growth and equipping for the future is the goal. So, make sure you do not listen to your child when they say things like, "But we have finished the program,” or “But we just watch videos,” because that is incorrect and the wrong attitude. Partnership with us means you are sending them to school right up until the final day.

In fact, all year levels have exciting programs of learning planned for the latter part of the term that are free of traditional assessment and help students to focus on learning for its own sake. No-one should miss out on that opportunity.

In the process to find a replacement for me for 2024 onwards, we have begun a second round of interviews with two candidates. We hosted the first last Monday and host the second this Monday. Both candidates are experienced and intelligent people who are well read and know what school is meant to be about. We are confident one of them will be the right person.

Remember that if you are planning on moving your child to another school next year, we need early notice of that. We have waitlists of people wanting a place and it is not fair to keep them waiting unnecessarily. Please notify me or our registrar of you are planning on moving your child on.

Phillip Nash