Media releases
Students invest holiday time in final exam preparation
Tarni McCosker, Miranda Thomas, Megan Ellis, Dr Pat Coughlan and Jo Tooley.
More than 100 Year 12 students from Catholic schools across Toowoomba and the Darling Downs have spent part of their September school holidays preparing for their upcoming external assessments through the annual External Examination Preparation Program (EEPP).
Students from Toowoomba, Stanthorpe, Warwick, Dalby, Roma and surrounding communities gathered at the Micah Centre at the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office to take part in the intensive program, designed to strengthen exam readiness and build confidence ahead of Queensland's external assessment period.
The program provides specialised support across nine subjects: English, General Mathematics, Mathematical Methods, Specialist Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Study of Religion
EEPP Coordinator Jo Tooley said the program brings together experienced teachers from many schools to share their expertise and help students maximise their performance. "Our goal is to equip students with practical strategies, expert feedback and a deeper understanding of what examiners are looking for in high-quality responses," Ms Tooley said.
Throughout the week, students work through practice questions, mock exams and targeted revision sessions. Teachers guide them through effective exam techniques, response planning and subject-specific strategies, while also providing personalised written and verbal feedback. The program is a longstanding example of Toowoomba Catholic Schools' commitment to supporting student achievement and ensuring young people have every opportunity to succeed.
Executive Director: Catholic Schools, Dr Pat Coughlan, said the dedication and sacrifice shown by students and staff was inspiring. “The External Examination Preparation Program is a wonderful opportunity available to students to help achieve their best results.”
“It allows Year 12 students to refine their considerable skills and talents in preparation for external assessments,” Dr Coughlan said. “We are fortunate to have some of our most talented teachers available for this week of intensive preparation with students. The fact that so many senior students are giving up their holidays to participate speaks volumes about the value of the program.”
Students have offered positive feedback on the program and said that by attending EEPP, they are better prepared for their external exams:
"I feel much more confident around my language, structure and thesis development."
"EEPP has provided me with the opportunities to network with other schools to see how they understand/approach problems."
"It was a great experience that allowed me to expand my networks, whilst covering exam-style questions. The running of EEPP was smooth, and I greatly appreciate all the services that were provided to the students throughout the week. The mentors were very helpful, and all taught their subject differently, which made the week more engaging."
