As Term 2 draws to a close, I extend my heartfelt thanks to our students, staff, and families for their ongoing partnership and support. This term has been filled with rich learning experiences, spiritual growth, and family spirit that reflect our Red Bend way to Inspire Minds, Hearts and Spirits. From academic achievements to co-curricular successes, our students have shown a commitment to learning and continuous improvement. As we enter the holidays, I encourage everyone to take time to rest, reflect, and recharge. I look forward to welcoming our students back in Term 3, ready to embrace new opportunities and challenges together.

Late Arrivals and Early Departures - Important Reminder

It is important for families to notify the College if their child will be arriving late or leaving early. Please do this by either:

• Emailing or calling the Student Services Office (SSO) with the reason for your child’s late arrival or early departure, or

• Coming into Reception to sign your child in or out with the front office staff.

Additionally, all students arriving late or leaving early must be signed out using the iPads at the front office by their parents/carer.

SSO contact details 02 6851 1558 or absent@redbendcc.nsw.edu.au

Student Details - Important Reminder for Parents/Carers 

The College is required to maintain accurate and up-to-date contact information for all students. This includes general contact details as well as any relevant medical information, plans or changes in circumstances. 

It is essential that Parents/Carers notify the College promptly of any changes to their child/ren’s personal, medical, or contact information. Keeping this information current is vital to ensuring the wellbeing and safety of all students.

If your child/ren details have changed please contact the College on 02 6852 2000 or rbcc@redbendcc.nsw.edu.au 

Attendance

I would like to thank our families for an improved response to student attendance. As we conclude Term 2, our attendance has improved significantly across the life of the College. I wish to take this opportunity as we conclude Term 2, to remind you of the change to our attendance monitoring and encourage you to consider how you support your child/ren in attending school every day. Remember to reach out to your child's House Coordinator if you wish to discuss your child/ren’s attendance further.

Student Attendance and Eligibility for College Representation & Leadership

Students representing the College are required to maintain a minimum attendance rate of 90% from the time of selection through to the event date and expected to attend compulsory College days and events. Failure to meet the 90% attendance requirement and/or failure to attend the College events may limit a student’s opportunity to represent the College. 

Supporting Student Attendance and Wellbeing

How You Can Help
Parents and carers play a vital role in supporting regular school attendance. Here are some ways you can help your child:

• Plan holidays and family events during non-school days.

• Schedule appointments outside of school hours whenever possible.

• Ensure your child attends school every day unless they are genuinely unwell.

• Establish a consistent morning routine, including healthy sleep habits, to prepare for the school day.

How We Support Your Child
At the College, we are committed to supporting your child’s attendance, wellbeing, and academic success:

• Teachers take a genuine interest in your child’s wellbeing and are dedicated to supporting their learning through appropriate challenge and care.

• Teachers also help your child build positive relationships with peers to support social and emotional growth.

• House Coordinators monitor student attendance and wellbeing, offering ongoing support where needed.

• College Counsellors are available to provide triage and referrals for students experiencing mental health challenges.
  
  

We appreciate your support in maintaining high expectations for student participation and College representation.

Cashless Canteen

Please be advised that since the commencement of 2025 the College has been cash free. This includes the Canteen. To support the transition, the Canteen staff have been allowing some cash purchases. Please note as of Term 3, cash will no longer be accepted. 

As outlined in the welcome letter sent to parents and carers on 3 February 2025 (see attached), all canteen purchases will need to be made using electronic payment methods.

If you haven’t already, you can register for Flexischools—instructions are available on our College website. Students may also use EFTPOS cards to make purchases directly at the canteen.

Please ensure your child/ren are set up and ready to access the canteen from the start of Term 3.

Letter sent to parents in T1 

Year 7 to 10 Semester One Reports

Parents and Carers of Year 7 to 10 students will receive via email their child/ren semester one report. This report provides explicit feedback to parents on their child’s commitment to learning, academic progress and involvement in pastoral care. The report also includes recommendations on areas that students can work on to improve their knowledge and skills. 

If you have any questions about your child’s report please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Trish Martin E: dc@redbendcc.nsw.edu.au.

Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences 

Years 7-12 Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences will be held on Wednesday 30 July in the Multi-Purpose Hall from 3.45pm - 7.00pm. Each interview will be limited to 5 minutes.

To make an appointment, please access our booking portal via the college website www.redbendcc.nsw.edu.au under the Parent Resources tab or via the School Stream app. The Parent/Teacher link will be available from Wednesday 3 July until Tuesday 29 July.

If you are unable to access the internet to make bookings, please contact the ICT department at the College on  68522000 or email it-support@redbendcc.nsw.edu.au who will facilitate the procedure for you. 

It is advised that you prioritise the teachers that you would like to speak with. This is especially recommended to parents whose availability is limited and or they have more than one child enrolled. If you are unable to book an interview in the timeframe you require, please use the option at the bottom of the booking site to  ‘Request another time’.

Where possible, it is recommended that your child accompanies you to the conferences. 

We look forward to meeting with you on the night and value your support of Red Bend Catholic College.  

Year 12  Major Works and Trial Exams 

Many Year 12 students will be devoting a lot of time and energy between now and September completing their HSC Major Work. 

Upcoming due dates for Major Works 

Due date for Major Work 

HSC Course 

14 August 

Industrial Technology

28 August 

Design and Technology 

1 September 

Visual Arts

8 September - ongoing 

Music 1

Students are also preparing for their HSC Language Oral exams which are scheduled in August.

We wish our Year 12 students all the best in the completion of their Major Works and preparation for the Language HSC Oral examinations. 

In Term 3, week 3, Monday 4 August until Week 5, Monday 18  August, students will be sitting for their Trial exams. On Monday 18th August, students who are not sitting for an exam are expected to return to school and be in class. 

The Trial exams assess the students' knowledge and skills in each of their Year 12 Board Developed Courses. The majority of the courses are weighted at 30% of the total school based assessment mark. It is a very important time for Year 12. These exams, by virtue of their title, provide a trial run for the HSC.  If the students have studied well they will reap the award of rewarding results.

Please find a link to the exam timetable

The College has great confidence in our Year 12 students and their capacity to work hard in preparing for the Trial exams. The students are strongly encouraged to make good use of their term 2 school holidays, to have an organised study schedule and to dedicate consistent and worthwhile study time to revising course content and completing past HSC style exam papers.

Below is the schedule of additional study sessions that teachers are offering throughout the holidays and into the first 2 weeks of term 3. All students are encouraged to attend as many of these as possible in preparation for the Trial exams.

July Holiday Study Timetable

Some ideas to help students study effectively:

• Creating summary notes using the syllabus

• Answering questions from past papers

• Making audio notes

• Using colour/visuals

• Creating acronyms to help you remember concepts

• Using Edrolo/Atomi - video, practice questions, study notes

• Redo past questions

Frequently Asked Questions about the Trial exams. ( This information was shared with the Year 12 students during  a year level meeting) 

What time do I have to be at school before exams?

• At least 10 mins before each exam

• Line up outside the MPH, in alphabetical order in courses on the artificial turf

• Listen carefully to instructions

• Normal school rules apply; students are to be in full Winter uniform

What equipment do I need to bring?

• You will need at least 2 black pens

• Remember your calculator for Maths, Science and TAS-based courses

• All equipment to be in a plastic sleeve

• No mobile phones or smart watches

What do I do once I am in the exam room?

• Listen carefully to the instructions

• Make note of the time and the location of the clocks

• When directed, check that you have all of the necessary exam papers

• Write your Student Number on the exam papers (students to have their Red Bend Student ID card) 

What do I do if I am unwell?

• Contact Mrs Martin and obtain a Medical Certificate
  
  

If I miss an exam, what will happen?

• If you do not have a reasonable reason (eg medical), you will receive a mark of zero
  
  

Your missed exam will be at a later date. Or, alternatively if you continue to be unwell and or there are exceptional circumstances You will receive an estimate based on your current rank order

Can I leave the exam room?

• You can leave the exam room once you are directed by the supervisor.  A toilet break can be taken after the first half hour and not in the last half hour.

Where do I go to study?

• Study is located in the library. Study intentions have been emailed to the students and are to be completed by the start of next term. 

• Trial exams take priority over Work Studies placement. 

If Year 12 students fall ill or experience a misadventure during the Trial exam period, it is important that parents or carers contact Mrs Martin. Students who are ill will be required to obtain a medical certificate. 

Support for Year 12 students during the Trial exam is most important. At Red Bend teachers provide regular feedback to students on their study notes and comments on any practice exams that are completed. 

At home support from parents is all important. Provide encouragement and remind your child to stay calm and to do their best. Encourage your child to eat well, to exercise and talk to them about the importance of a good sleep. Take an interest in their exam timetable and ask them how they did after each exam. If for some reason, an exam does not go as planned, encourage your child to put it behind them and to focus on what is coming up.

If you have any questions about the Trial exams please don’t hesitate to contact Mrs Martin.  dc@redbendcc.nsw.edu.au

We wish all Year 12 students the best for their Trial exams.