At the International Maarif Schools of Australia, we recognise the significant role that mental health and wellbeing play in a student’s success, particularly as they navigate the increasing demands of senior schooling. To provide Year 11 students with the necessary support and strategies to manage these challenges, we are introducing a five-week Mental Health & Wellbeing Program.

Throughout the program, students will engage in targeted sessions, each focusing on a key aspect of mental health and personal development:

• Week 1 Stress Management
• Week 2 Mental Health & Wellbeing
• Week 3 Time Management & Balancing School and Life
• Week 4 Developing Resilience
• Week 5 Developing Positive Leadership Skills

An experienced psychologist who is committed to equipping students with the skills and mindset needed to overcome obstacles will facilitate the program.

Both teams are in 4th place on the ladder, positioning themselves as strong contenders for the highly anticipated semi-finals. Their dedication to training, strategic gameplay, and unwavering team spirit have been key to their success. 

Our players continue to grow in confidence and refine their skills with each game. As they prepare for the upcoming matches, we have no doubt they will put their best efforts into the court. 

With assessment tasks due over the coming weeks, students are working diligently through the teaching and learning sequences under the guidance of their teachers. We look forward to reading the work that students produce.  

Over the last two weeks, group work has been the order of the day. Students engage in explicit instruction, exploring themes, characters, and different text types before being provided with opportunities to discuss and consolidate their learning. Students have displayed a commendable level of engagement as they broaden their thinking and continue to build their skills in analysing their texts and, by extension, the world around them.  

Year 7 

Students are continuing their study of A Monster Calls and have been exploring the interesting characterisation that Ness has created. Students have engaged in a range of activities, including group work. They are starting to understand how individuals deal with life-changing situations. 

Year 8 

Year 8 enjoys studying friends' adventures living in the Philippines' dumpsters. The Philippines've explored government corruption and how characters gain power by standing up for what is right.  

Year 9 

Students continue their study of the intergenerational trauma that resulted from the Stolen Generation through their close study of Archie Roach's Tell Me Why. Students are developing Roach's empathy by connecting with Roach's experience as an Aboriginal man who was forcibly removed from his family. 

Year 10 

Year 10 students are learning that dystopia is not as far-fetched as they may have thought. Through their study of Fahrenheit 451, they are becoming more aware of technology's negative impacts on our lives.  

Year 11 

Students have been introduced to various texts in their Reading to Write module. They are currently focusing on discursive writing and have enjoyed deconstructing this type of text. 

Students have engaged positively in short silent reading blocks, and it is great to see every single student bring an age-appropriate book to class. More and more students are using this time to be active readers by generating discussion points to enable others to enter the worlds of their books. What began as a strategy to improve Literacy outcomes has also become an opportunity for students to escape into the worlds and lives of imaginary characters and forget about their problems for a short time. We want to create more opportunities for students to read for pleasure at school soon. 

Year 7 

Year 7 Students work in groups, investigating various evidence-based information to discover theories relevant to historical cases for their upcoming assessment task. Students have developed the ​​​essential historical skills​ to form structural historical responses to evaluate their findings.    

Year 8

Year 9

Year 9 students are exploring the unit of work - Making A Nation,  investigating the extension of settlement, which refers to the geographical and social expansion of early Australian colonies, living conditions and the development of laws and democracy in Australia. In class, students analyse primary and secondary sources to explore events impacting First Nation settlers.   

Year 10

Our Year 10 History students have been learning about the Day of Mourning, a key event in Australia's history during which Aboriginal leaders protested for rights and recognition on 26 January 1938. Students analysed historical sources and discussed the movement's ongoing impact to deepen their understanding. They then created posters to visually represent the key messages of the protest, helping them engage with the topic creatively and meaningfully. 

Year 11

In Year 11, Society & Culture, students explored research methods essential for investigating social issues. Through a jigsaw activity, they worked in groups to learn about different research techniques, such as surveys, interviews, and case studies. By sharing their findings with peers, they strengthened their understanding and developed critical analytical skills for future research. 

Year 11 Legal Studies students examined the role of the High Court of Australia and its impact on Australian law. To consolidate their learning, they created posters summarising key cases and their significance, helping them better understand how the High Court influences legal decisions. Through these activities, students develop essential skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and effective communication. 

Mrs Canan Korkut, Mrs Ayse Tokyurek, and Ms Melike Turgul

Turkish Teachers   

It's been an exciting and active week in PDHPE, with students across all year levels engaging in thought-provoking discussions, skill-building activities, and hands-on learning experiences promoting physical and mental well-being. 

Year 7 – Personal Identity & Mental Health 

Our Year 7 students have been exploring personal identity, the factors that shape who they are, and how they can navigate the challenges of adolescence. Through group discussions and self-reflection activities, they've developed strategies to cope with change and build resilience. On the physical side, they've been honing their fundamental movement skills to boost confidence and coordination. 

Year 8 – Be Healthy 

Year 8 students have been investigating what it truly means to be healthy, considering the many factors influencing their and others' well-being. They've explored lifestyle choices, nutrition, and the importance of physical activity while putting their teamwork skills to the test in practical movement-based games. 

Year 9 – The Mind Matters 

Year 9 students have focused on health, well-being, and relationships, emphasising mental health awareness. They've discussed stress management strategies, the importance of maintaining positive relationships, and ways to support themselves and their peers. Practical lessons have reinforced these discussions, helping students apply what they've learned in real-life scenarios. 

Year 10 – Bullying & Harassment 

Year 10 students have been exploring identity, relationships, and decision-making complexities. They've discussed how empathy and ethical decision-making foster respectful relationships and explored strategies for managing bullying and harassment. The focus has been on critical thinking, self-reflection, and developing practical skills for handling challenging situations. 

PASS – Physical Activity & Performance 

Year 9 students have been exploring the science behind movement, learning how body systems work together to produce energy and enhance performance. Practical activities have helped them connect theory to movement, giving them a greater understanding of how the body responds to exercise. 

Year 10 students have been investigating participation in physical activity and fitness. They've explored barriers and motivators, analysed trends, and developed strategies to encourage increased engagement in movement, personally and within their communities. 

Year 11 – Health and Movement Sciences  

The Year 11 students are well on completing the first term unit of work, Health for Individuals and Communities. The students' first assessment is due next week, and they should be well aware of what it takes to research and create an analysis of the data collected by now. The students were allowed to reflect on their health and what they could do to advocate for it.

PE Focus – Basketball 

Basketball has been the sport of the moment in PE lessons, with students across all year levels working on their dribbling, passing, shooting, and defensive techniques. Over the past three weeks, a professional coach has led a specialised training program, helping students refine their skills and build their confidence. Now, it's game time! Students are gearing up to put their hard work to the test in an exciting match at PCYC, where they'll showcase their teamwork, strategy, and competitive spirit. 

It's been a fantastic week in PDHPE, and we look forward to seeing our students continue to challenge themselves, grow, and have fun through learning and movement.  

Year 7 

We are excited to share updates on our Year 7 Science lessons. Students practised distinguishing independent, dependent, and controlled variables through a worksheet activity. They also completed recap booklets and took a quiz to review key concepts. At the start of the new chapter, students explored examples of physical and chemical properties in daily life. Using a Venn diagram, they compared solids, liquids, and gases, followed by a class discussion.

We look forward to further hands-on activities in this unit. 

Year 8

Year 9

Our Year 9 students have been learning about the human body's essential functions. They have studied how the alveoli in the lungs facilitate oxygen exchange, how the heart pumps blood and responds to nerves and hormones, and how the liver plays a key role in waste removal. 

Year 10

Our Year 10 students have been exploring genetics through hands-on experiments in our brand-new laboratory. They have successfully extracted DNA from bananas, gaining a firsthand look at the building blocks of life. 

We've explored genes and chromosomes, understanding how genes control protein production and inherited traits. Engaging activities have helped students grasp mitosis and meiosis, making learning about cell division fun and interactive. 

Year 11 Investigating Science 

In Year 11 Investigating Science, students have been diving into the essential skills needed for conducting scientific experiments and writing structured reports. They've focused on identifying key independent, dependent, and controlled variables crucial for designing and analysing experiments. Additionally, students are learning to assess and manage potential hazards in science experiments, ensuring safety is a priority in every investigation. They also explore using Venn diagrams to visually represent and organise vital information to aid their understanding, enhancing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. 

Year 11 Biology 

Year 11 HSC Chemistry

Time is flying, and the topics are becoming more complex. We emphasise the importance of consistent study habits, including reviewing lessons before and after class. In chemistry, regular practice is key to success.

As we progress through Module 1, students have been applying rules for naming and deriving formulae of inorganic substances, classifying elements in the Periodic Table, and investigating the structure of stable and unstable radioisotopes. They also review atomic structure, isotopes, and factors affecting stability through interactive activities and hands-on investigations. 

Year 11 HSC Physics

In our recent physics lessons, students have been exploring the concept of relative velocity and understanding how motion is perceived differently from various frames of reference. 

Additionally, students conducted a practical investigation using a toy car on an inclined plane. Through this experiment, they measured key physical quantities such as final velocity, acceleration, and stopping distance. They also examined the relationship between the angle of inclination and stopping distance, understanding how incline affects motion. 

Students thoroughly enjoyed this hands-on activity, as it allowed them to actively engage with the principles of motion and experiment with accurate data. The investigation also helped them see the real-world applications of Physics, such as how road inclines impact vehicle stopping distances, the importance of friction in transport safety, and how engineers design roads and ramps to optimise motion control. 

This practical experience not only reinforced their understanding of key concepts but also helped them develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are essential beyond the classroom. 

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, "If anyone recites a letter from Allah's Book he will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a tenfold reward. I do not say that 'Alif-Lam-Mim' are one letter, but 'Alif' is a letter, 'Lam' is a letter, and 'Mim' is a letter." 

Our Secondary students on the Mushaf recited their assigned pages in groups, while Elif Ba book students recited their assigned activity pages. Some rules were explained and displayed on the board.  

This term, students throughout secondary school are learning the fundamentals of Islam, belief, and worship. Year 9 students were learning the conditions of a valid prayer and taking notes in their exercise books.