Kennedy Baptist College is ready to effectively deliver the curriculum with the help of our families, who we rely on to be familiar with policies, procedures and staff/student expectations. As well emailing letters citing important curriculum dates and a link to the College Assessment Policy, we have collated a list of frequently asked questions and answers on how to best support your child or children on their journey at Kennedy.
We hope that this information assists our Kennedy families and especially the new members of our College community.
How do I find out student results, assessment information, or guides on what is being taught?
SEQTA is a critical information base for all students and parents. In SEQTA, you can see your child’s timetable, when assessments are due, assessment results and highlights of what is or has been taught. Some teachers and learning areas are using SEQTA to provide students with assessment feedback visible to the parent.
OneNote is an additional platform that some teachers and Learning Areas, such as Mathematics, use to provide students with notes, lesson outlines and additional information. OneNote access is restricted to students. I would encourage parents to have your child show you OneNote, particularly if they are completing a Mathematics course.
Homework that the teacher can set in advance of a lesson is included in SEQTA. In some areas it is not possible to predetermine homework and the class will be informed of the expected homework in the lesson. In this circumstance a teacher may not be able to include the daily homework task in SEQTA. Therefore, students will still need to use their diary to keep track of homework.
SEQTA is also the main communication tool between parents and teachers. All teaching staff have been asked to use SEQTA Direqt message rather than email to communicate with parents. There is no expectation that teaching staff email parents and send a Direqt message. SEQTA Direqt messaging is preferred and sufficient. The College uses emails for broad communication to the Kennedy community. I would encourage all parents to become familiar with SEQTA as soon as possible.
I am planning a family holiday, when is a good time to go?
School holidays are the only time students should be on a family holiday.
What happens if my child misses a test or examination?
The outcome will depend on the reason for missing the assessment and the assessment itself. Generally, student absences are for legitimate reasons and beyond a student’s control. However, if the reason for an absence is not acceptable to the College, the assessment can be awarded a mark of zero. I would encourage families to provide reasonable details of an absence. Medical certificates are also encouraged and, in some cases, mandated.
If the absence is for a holiday or non-school related activity a result of zero will be allocated.
If your child is absent and the student completes the assessment as soon as is practicable, which may be the day they return to the College, then the mark is recorded but may not be used when grades are allocated.
A medical certificate is to be provided if your child is sick and cannot sit an examination. Examinations are not sat at any time other than the time scheduled. Your child will be graded on the work they have completed throughout the year.
My child has a lot of teachers, with whom do I communicate?
If you have any concern, it is important to discuss the matter as soon as possible. In terms of who to contact, start with the relevant teacher. Most issues can be resolved at the parent-teacher level. If there are still issues to discuss then the Head of Year and/or Learning Area should be involved, followed by the Directors and Deputies. Members of the College Executive (Directors/Deputies/Principal) are more than willing to discuss any matters but we will always speak directly with teachers or Heads of Learning Areas in order to understand all perspectives. Please do not delay in discussing matters with the appropriate College staff as this is the only method that can lead to resolution.
When can my child make changes to their courses?
At the start of each year there are opportunities for students to adjust their courses, subject to availability. The following dates are important for all students/families:
- Year 8, 9 and 10 – course changes opening Week 3 and close Friday 1 March 2024
- Year 11 – course changes close Friday 1 March 2024
- Year 12 – course changes close Friday 15 March 2024
Lastly, please keep an eye out for emails and letters from the Curriculum team as this is how we communicate all essential information. The team consists of myself as the Deputy Principal of Curriculum, as well as the Director of Studies and the Curriculum Administration Assistant.
Kind Regards,
Miss Jennifer Lamet
Deputy Principal: Curriculum
