More than 120 Year 12 students from Toowoomba Catholic Schools have chosen to spend their school holidays preparing for final exams, gathering at the Micah Centre in the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office for the highly regarded External Examination Preparation Program (EEPP).
Students from Toowoomba, Stanthorpe, Warwick, Dalby and Roma participated in an intensive five-day program, designed to sharpen their skills and boost confidence ahead of the external assessments beginning in October.
Covering eight key subjects – English, General Mathematics, Mathematical Methods, Specialist Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Study of Religion – the EEPP offers targeted support led by expert teachers from across the Toowoomba diocese.
Paul Herbert, EEPP Coordinator, said, “We’ve brought together experienced educators to guide students through focused sessions that build exam readiness and subject mastery.”
“At Toowoomba Catholic Schools, we are deeply committed to academic excellence, and this program reflects that commitment.”
Throughout the week, students engage in mock exams, receive personalised feedback, and learn strategies to interpret exam questions and structure high-quality responses.
Teachers act as mentors, helping students understand what examiners are looking for and how to meet those expectations.
The program has been a game-changer for Year 12 students and has definitely given them more confidence to undertake their upcoming external exams.
Catherine Cooper, a teacher from St John’s School in Roma, expressed her pride in being part of the initiative.
“As teachers, we’re passionate about helping students reach their full potential. EEPP provides a fantastic opportunity for students to build confidence, collaborate, and strive for excellence,” Ms Cooper said.
Dr Pat Coughlan, Executive Director: Catholic Schools, praised the program and the students’ dedication.
“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 talented teachers available for this week of intensive preparation with students.
The fact that so many students are giving up their holidays to participate speaks volumes about the value of the program.”
Below is some feedback from the students about whether they think 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.”
