Don’t know where to start to prepare yourself for your IA1 assessments? Or maybe you completed them at the end of Year 11 and you’re wondering what on earth Term 1 is meant to be about?
Since Year 12 is a big step up and actually counts towards your ATAR, we decided to put together a resource guide for you!
We’ve got all of the best resources you need to ace the term week by week — saving you time from navigating our site and investing that back into your studies.
Now what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!
January School Holidays
Early Term 1 (Weeks 1-3)
Mid Term 1 (Weeks 4-6)
Late Term 1 (Weeks 7-10)
January School Holidays
Your preparation for back-to-school sets the tone for the rest of the year! Use this time to plan and organise your study materials, set realistic study goals, and create a study timetable, so that you know how you’re going to stay on top of all the content!
Check out our guide on how to ace the step up to Year 12 and achieve your ATAR Goal!
Tips for Study
The Holidays are an important time to pre-read the content you will be studying in Unit 3. It’s also an important time to play catch up on what you learned at the end of Year 11, so you don’t forget any of that important content!
- 2 Minute Study Hack: How to Transform Your Study & Kill Procrastination!
- How Can I Stay Focused While Studying?
- How to Stay Motivated Throughout the Year During the QCE and Avoid Burnout
- 4 Steps for Studying During Your School Holidays
- Should you drop a QCE Subject for Year 12?
Want to know whether co-ed or single-sex schools are getting better ATARs? Check out the top Girls, Boys, and Co-ed Schools in Brisbane!
Study Resources
Here are some of our free study resource guides to help you get a grasp on what’s in store for Unit 3 before you begin:
- QCE Together to Catch Up & Revise Content
- The Comprehensive List of QCE Past Papers, Guides, Tips and Info
Unit 3 Guides
Unit 3 is an important unit, often packed with high level concepts and harder to grasp content — it’s the stuff that’s super easy to forget come External exam time! Here are some excellent guides to give you an overview of what is in store, and to help you keep track of your learning:
Sciences
- Biology Unit 3: Biodiversity and the Interconnectedness of Life
- Chemistry Unit 3: Equilibrium, Acids, and Redox Reactions
- Physics Unit 3: Gravity and Electromagnetism
English
Mathematics
- General Maths Unit 3: Bivariate Data, Sequences and Change, and Earth Geometry
- Maths Methods Unit 3: Further Calculus
Early Term 1 (Weeks 1-3)
Although you may feel like you have a tonne of time to ease yourself into things, it’s often not the case!
Pretty soon you’ll find ISMGs coming out left, right, and centre, and you’ll be thrown into the thick of it with IA1 assessments!
On average, students who tutor with Art of Smart improve their marks by 20%! Book your tutor today and gain access to a huge library of lessons and thousands of practice questions!
Want to know what the workload and stress will be like in Year 12? Find out here!
IA1 Guides
IA1s are your first chance to kick start your year well, and bag as many marks as you can, without the stress of the looming externals. Do well in these, and you’ll set the tone for the rest of your Year 12 studies!
Finished your IA1s and want to see how you compare to everyone else in Queensland? Check out the QCE Cohort Comparison Tool!
Science Data Test Guides
The Data Test is your very first chance to prove you know your stuff when it comes to science! The average mark for the assessment is around 8 or 9, so preparation is key to making sure you stay up there with your peers!
- Biology IA1 – Practice Questions to Help You Ace Your Data Test
- Chemistry IA1 – The Top Data Sets to Help You Prep for the Data Test
- Physics IA1 – The Best Questions to Try Before Sitting Your Data Test
English Literary Article
The English Literary Article is one of the more tedious and hard tasks to actually do well in. Don’t stress – Use these tips, and ace the assessment!
Maths PSMT Guides
Out of any QCAA assessment, we’ve heard the worst things about this one! Because of that, we’ve put together detailed guides about how to structure your assignment (formulate, solve, evaluate & verify), and get top grades on the ISMG!
- General Mathematics IA1 – The Ultimate Guide to Writing Your PSMT
- Maths Methods IA1 – How to Ace Your PSMT Assignment
Find out what mark you need in each IA1 to be on track for an ATAR over 90!
Mid Term 1 (Weeks 4-6)
It’s super busy at this time of term, getting in all of your IA1 assessments! And on top of that, you’re still expected to go to classes and soak up all of the extra content for Unit 3. Make sure you put in your all, so that you aren’t disappointed come time to get your results back! But also take time to rest, and pace yourself for the rest of Year 12 that is still to come!
Note-Taking Tips for Unit 3
Since Unit 3 is in the first half of the year, it makes it easy to forget things that you’ve learned by external time. So it’s critical to know how to take good notes so you can come back later and study more effectively!
- Note Taking Tips for QCE Science Subjects
- QCE Humanities and Social Sciences Subjects – How to Write the Perfect Study Notes
- How to Write Notes Using the QCE Syllabus for English
Study Articles
Take a check-up with these guides to remind you on how you are really tracking with your QCE points, scaling predictions, and QTAC preferences!
- Everything You Need to Know About the QCE and ATAR
- How many QCE points do you need?
- Which Subjects Scale the Best in the QCE?
- How to Stay Motivated Throughout the Year During the QCE and Avoid Burnout
- The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right University!
Curious about the top schools in Brisbane? See which schools made the list from our Ultimate Brisbane ATAR School Ranking List!
Late Term 1 (Weeks 7-10)
It may feel like you’re ready for holidays already, but now is actually game time! All the content you learn over the next few weeks now that your IA1s are submitted, is going to appear in questions on your end of year exam.
Make sure to keep up the consistency, and note-taking, but also take time to enjoy extra-curricular activities, leadership opportunities, sports days, etc.!
Should you have extra-curricular activities in Year 12? We’ve weighed up the pros and cons!
Receiving Back Your Grades
Once you get back your grades it’s time to reflect. Don’t stress if you got a bad mark, just watch this video! It’s only the start of the journey.
Read more on why it’s actually term 2 which is the most important Term for the QCE!
But also don’t relax too much if you got a good mark! We’d recommend comparing your marks on the QCE Cohort Comparison Tool, to understand what it actually means for your ATAR result.
Don’t forget we have a tonne of free video summaries with QCE Together!
Are you looking for some extra help with conquering Term 1 in Year 12?
We have an incredible team of QCE tutors and mentors!
We can help you master your QCE subject and ace your upcoming QCE IA1 assessments with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or online!
We’ve supported over 8,000 students over the last 11 years, and on average our students score mark improvements of over 20%!
To find out more and get started with an inspirational QCE tutor and mentor, get in touch today or give us a ring on 1300 267 888!
