At this time of year in the more senior year levels, girls are either already undertaking examinations or are preparing for them. It is the time when all of the learning that has happened through the year needs to be able to be retrieved in order for students to demonstrate that knowledge and skills have been successfully processed, connected to prior neural networks and moved into long term memory. This is, of course, the aim of all learning, not just learning that is tested through examinations! The idea is that if something is important enough for us to be teaching to the girls, we have a view that we want them to be able to draw on that learning later in their schooling and ultimately in the adult world. During 2024, we have begun work to develop a shared model and a common language for staff and students about the learning process. Drawing on the work of cognitive science, teachers and students have identified elements of learning such as securing attention, processing in working memory, embedding in long term memory and retrieval and have undertaken specific actions at each stage to improve their capacity for learning to “stick” and not be forgotten. As part of this work, each member of the teaching staff completed a project focussed on an aspect of their practice relating specifically to a stage in the cognitive process. They then worked to refine their skills in this area in order to improve the learning outcomes for their students. As the senior girls prepare for their examinations, they should be well equipped with specific study techniques and a variety of opportunities to practise retrieval of knowledge and skills so that they can feel calm and confident going into their final assessments.

Ms Elisabeth Rhodes
Principal