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Andy Li, 3/12/2025 Choosing the right type of tutoring can make a huge difference to your learning progress, confidence, and results. The two most common options, private tutoring  and class tutoring , both have strong benefits, but they suit different kinds of learners and goals. Here’s how to decide which one is right for you. Excerpt from our website academicpeaktutoring.com.au What Is Private Tutoring? Private tutoring means one-on-one lessons  tailored specifically to yo

Helping your child become an independent learner boosts confidence, motivation and long-term academic success. Here are simple strategies you can use at home—plus links to tools that support independent study. 1. Build a Consistent Study Routine A predictable routine makes learning feel natural rather than forced. Set up a quiet study space. Keep supplies organised and accessible. Use simple tools like Google Calendar  or Notion  to plan tasks. Helpful link: Google Calendar:.

Andy Li, 19/11/2025 Seeing your child struggle at school can be worrying. The good news: There are many actions you can take, depending on the root cause. Here are some strategies (some common, some you might not have considered) grouped by the possible reasons for their difficulties. 1. Learning or Neurodiversity Challenges Some children struggle because of undiagnosed learning needs (e.g., dyslexia, ADHD, processing difficulties). Communicate with school staff : Ask their t

Finishing Year 12 can feel like everything hinges on one number—but your ATAR is not the end of the story . Thousands of students each year get into their preferred course or a great alternative  without hitting their original ATAR goal. Here’s what actually happens if you miss the ATAR you wanted, and the practical steps you can take next. ⭐ 1. Many Offers Don’t Depend Strictly on ATAR A common myth is that universities only look at your ATAR. In reality, most offer rounds t

Finishing Year 12 is a huge milestone — you’ve survived exams, submitted your final assignments, and made it through the chaos of VCE. But once the celebrations die down, many students find themselves asking: what now? Here are some smart (and enjoyable) ways to make the most of your post-Year 12 break. 1. First: Take Time to Rest — You’ve Earned It Before jumping into anything new, give yourself permission to pause . The last year of school is intense, both mentally and emo

As a parent, it can be hard to know when your child needs extra academic support. Struggles at school often build gradually — until you notice frustration, lost motivation, or slipping grades. Recognising the signs early can help your child feel confident and capable again. Here are five key signs your child might benefit from tutoring , and what you can do to help: 1. Falling Grades or Test Scores If your child’s marks have dropped, they may have missed some foundational ski

Academic pressure is something almost every high school student feels — whether it’s striving for a top ATAR, managing multiple subjects, or trying to meet family expectations. As a parent, the way you talk to your teenager about school can make a huge difference in how they handle academic pressure, stress and motivation. 1. Start with Empathy, Not Expectations Many teens feel pressure not only from school but from their perception of what parents expect. Instead of beginnin

Feeling nervous before exams is completely normal — but too much anxiety can hold you back. With the right preparation and mindset, you can turn that stress into focus and confidence. 1. Understand Exam Anxiety before Attempting to Manage it Exam anxiety is a type of performance anxiety that appears when students feel pressure to succeed (Putwain, 2020). While mild nerves can boost motivation, high anxiety can reduce concentration and memory recall (Owens et al., 2012). Recog

Andy Li, 29/11/2025 Every year, Victorian Year 12 students hear about “scaling”  — often with confusion or even anxiety. You might’ve heard that “specialist maths scales up” or that “health scales down,” but what does that really mean? Understanding how VCE scaling works  helps you make smarter subject choices, interpret your results correctly, and plan strategically for your ATAR. Here’s a clear guide to how scaling works and why it matters. 🎯 What Is Scaling? In the Victor

The final day before a high school exam can be stressful, but with the right approach, those 24 hours can make a real difference in your VCE performance. Instead of cramming, the goal should be to consolidate what you know, stay calm, and prepare your mind and body for success. 1. Morning the day before: Review, Don’t Cram Start your day by revising summaries, key formulas, or flashcards — not entire chapters. Focus on retrieval practice (testing yourself), which research sho

There are many factors that go into calculating your study scores and your ATAR. These include the performance of your peers within the same school as well as every other student in the state of Victoria. So, your internal assessments (SACS) and exam marks end up being scaled depending of the performance of your cohort.

If you’re a high school student (or parent) trying to make sense of the ATAR, it can seem complicated at first. But underneath all the fancy wordings, it’s basically a ranking. We recommend reading the rest of the article for the specifics, but here's a really quick summary: Every student receives a "Study Score" out of 50 for each VCE subject they complete. All of these scores are added together to a big number called the student's "aggregate". Every student's aggregate is r

Year 12 can feel like a pressure cooker — ATARs, final exams, uni applications and (understandably) a lot of stress. The good news: decades of learning science tell us which study strategies reliably improve retention and exam performance. this article features practical, evidence-based tips for year 12 exams, plus a sample study week and some Australia-specific stats so you know you’re not alone.

Choosing what to study after high school feels overwhelming. Recent data suggests a few emerging sectors will account for 50% of job growth in the next ten years.

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