Recently in the school, a poster was put up in one of the common room display areas which said “Classic mistake - finishing an exam early and then sitting and doing nothing”.

Our junior boys are just five school days away from sitting their mid year exams. Over three days the boys will sit two hour exams in each of their core academic subjects - Mathematics, English, Social Studies and Science. Next week at school will include plenty of advice, revision help and preparation for week 9.

For our Year 10 boys the experience and feedback will prove very useful in preparing for NCEA in 2017, helping to inform on subject choices for Year 11 and provide guidance on any action that is needed for Terms 3 and 4. Our Year 9 boys will enjoy their first major academic assessment experience, the formality and expectations that come associated with it. Of course the results will provide excellent information on how they have settled at Otago Boys’ and most importantly where to next.

A reminder of the exam timetable is below. This was also emailed out to all parents three weeks ago with a guide on best study tips also included. Talk with your son about study strategies. Discuss what kind of environment is best for preparations. Explain that when they think they have finished, a key skill in succeeding in formal tests is going over answers, question by question. These early habits, will pay big dividends in the senior school and beyond.

Date - Week 9

Monday 27 June - Periods 1 and 2
Year 9 English
Year 10 Science

Tuesday 28 June - Periods 1 and 2
Year 9 Maths
Year 10 Social Studies

Tuesday 28 June - Periods 4 and 5
Year 9 Social Studies
Year 10 English

Wednesday 29 June - Periods 1 and 2
Year 9 Science
Year 10 Maths

Please contact your son’s teacher, dean, form teacher or any member of the Senior Leadership Team with comments and queries over junior exam week, or any other academic issues.

Senior boys too are busy with internal assessments. It may be surprising to hear but we are just over halfway through the academic year in terms of school weeks for senior students. The senior practice exam timetable for the last week of Term 3 will be released in the very near future. For the first time we are asking our boys who are doing NCEA Scholarship to sit one or two practice scholarship exams. For boys who are studying a practical subject there will also be a compulsory three hour session during the week.

Good luck to our Junior boys in week 9. But we must remember, the best luck of all only follows the hardest work and best preparation.

Have a restful and enjoyable weekend.