The end of Term 3 heralds a pivotal moment in the life of a school, particularly as it signifies a crucial juncture for our Year 12 students, as we close the formal chapter of curriculum delivery and assessment and move into SAC revision, practice examinations and swotvac. The closing chapters in the life of a Year 12 student are filled with rituals – and research tells us that rituals are important because the practice itself can be grounding in times of unpredictability and uncertainty, relieving any potential stress and anxiety about what is to come. St Catherine’s is a school rich in history, and thus, our students practise many of the same rituals as those who have gone before them, and our farewells are tied to the school values, and as such connect the students back to what is important.  

Of course, the honouring of the past while celebrating the joy of an unknown future lies at the heart of what it is to farewell our Year 12s. Rumi, the 13th century Persian poet, said that “Life is a balance between holding on and letting go” and thus these rituals are symbolic markers of our St Catherine’s girls’ passage from current student to newly minted Old Girl.  

In between the rituals of farewell, and the joyous anticipation of a bright but unknown future, our Year 12 girls must complete their VCE examinations. Our teachers have spent years preparing the students for this moment, not just in teaching them the subject matter, but teaching them how to study effectively, how to utilise their time, and how to best demonstrate their knowledge to the examiners. At St Catherine’s our students are versed in matters of metacognition and have been trained to assess which study strategies to adopt, and how to manage their own abilities and emotions as a learner. Dr Adam Fraser, a high-performance researcher from Deakin University speaks of the importance of a ‘third space’; a space for quiet reflection before the big event, the sports game, the exam, the job interview. This is a practise readily adopted by professional athletes, you only need to watch Darcy Moore practice his kicking before a game, noise cancelling headphones on, focused, calm, blocking out the noise of the assembled Magpie army. Here, we can assist our students and encourage them to take time before their exam to breathe, focus, centre and more importantly, trust themselves to deliver their utmost. This is their time.