As the busyness of the term gets underway with assessment tasks being handed out, we do want all of our community to be present here at school every day so that students are engaging in the curriculum as best they can. However, if a student is ill, staying at home is an effective way of reducing the spread of all respiratory viruses that may impact on theirs and others being able to complete the necessary work.

We do need ALL absences logged on the portal with a reason for absence. We have a duty of care to know that our students are safe and that parents and caregivers have given permission for an absence. I know that mornings can be fraught with a myriad of things to achieve but letting us know if a student is away does need to be a priority.

As for assessment, in order to motivate teenagers to engage with assessment, we need to build their confidence. While some of us might say that they appear confident and almost blasé about approaching exams and assignments, often it is the opposite.  I came across this excellent article by Andrew Fuller, a highly regarded psychologist who advises that,

 “Our first attempts may be feeble but if we persist, we often gain a sense of mastery. If, however, someone rescues us when we are bewildered, we learn that someone else can do what we cannot. This is why rescuing children when they are struggling with a new activity is toxic to confidence.” Fuller, A. (n.d.). How to build confidence. [online] Available at: https://andrewfuller.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/how-to-build-confidence.pdf [Accessed 15 May 2025].

The rest of the article is really worth reading as it has some practical advice and you can access it at this link:

https://andrewfuller.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/how-to-build-confidence.pdf

All the best,

Ms Jacqueline Weidman

Assistant Principal - Student Wellbeing