Jesse’s weekly message, 12 may 2023

May 15, 2023

With the Trial Exams only 81 days away (for 90% of our students) it’s very important that Year 12 students are making progress with their Trials preparation now to ensure they don’t get overwhelmed with the volume of content that will be examined in the Trials. 
It’s easy for students to be lulled into a false sense of security by only focusing on the current topics and assessment tasks, thinking that Trials and the HSC exams are ‘later in the year’ but I don’t classify 81 days as ‘later in the year’. 

Of course it’s important to make progress on the current topics and deal with the next assessment task, however if we ignore the fact that ALL topics completed in Year 12 will be examined in just 81 days, it’s highly likely that panic and feelings of being overwhelmed will ensue. 

The good news is that it doesn’t take much to keep the brain fired and wired on completed topics. In just 15 minutes a day students can build certainty and maintain brain connections and pathways allowing them to stay in control of the process. We highly recommend topic mind maps from memory (5 minutes per topic), English quote write outs from memory (around 3 minutes per text) and for Maths, just one or two questions.
 
This week I have spoken to some students who indicated they haven’t looked at a number of topics since finishing the topic in Term 4. How much do they want to do some revision on these older topics? Not much at all, but a series of 5 minute mind maps from memory can easily be squeezed into even the busiest schedule and will have significant pay off in 60 days time (the middle of the June/July break from school).
 
In every session between now and Trial Exams our students will be completing at least one mind map from memory and writing out English quotes from memory to help students build the momentum we need. We have been doing these kind of tasks since the start of the April break and we are seeing some students on fire with their quote write outs and syllabus mind maps and when asked how it feels they always respond with ‘it feels GOOD!’
 
For our Year 11 students, we are doing the same revision exercises as the Yearly exams will begin as early as late August and now is the time to be building the strong habits to set up for the start of HSC 2024 in October.
 
I’ve started a new Instagram account focused purely on motivation and getting students to finish their HSC with no regrets and it’s great to see some parents following as well. The instagram account is @hsc_jesseg if you wanted to follow. 

Jesse GardinerHead Performance Coach

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Whether you’re preparing for exams, managing stress, or looking for ways to stay motivated, this podcast is your go-to guide for all things HSC. Join us as we chat with educators, students, and professionals to help you thrive during this important academic milestone!

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🔥 FINAL HSC STUDY BOOTCAMP
Finish your HSC campaign with zero regrets, knowing you gave it everything you had.
Our final Study Bootcamp of the year is all about making those last few weeks count.
🔥 Boost your productivity with focused, structured exam training.
💡 Stay motivated alongside other students pushing towards their goals.
✅ Get exam ready with unseen questions, practice under pressure and accountability to tackle those ‘frog’ subjects and tasks you’d rather avoid!
⏰ Four focused hours each day, supported by HSC CoWorks coaches who know what it takes to navigate the final stages of the HSC.
📅 Monday 28 September - Friday 2 October (ALMOST FULL) and Tuesday 6 October - Friday 9 October
⏰ 10am–2pm
📍Balgowlah, Bondi Jct, Chatswood, Mosman
For most Year 12 students, Trial Exams are officially behind you! 🎉 Take a few days to switch off, reset and enjoy the feeling of having made it through!
Then it’s time to turn your attention to the final stretch. Trials aren’t meant to be perfect. They’re exactly what the name suggests, a trial run for the real thing.
So embrace the mistakes. Look closely at where marks were lost. Get feedback. Work out what needs to change and adjust your approach.
The next few weeks aren’t about starting again. They’re about refining, improving and building confidence from everything you’ve already done.
You’ve come this far. You’ve got this. 💪
#HSC2026 #HSCTrials #HSCStudy #Year12 #HSCTips
Celebrating 30 years of HSC CoWorks! 💫 
In 1996, @fergusgardiner started working with a small group of HSC students in Bondi Junction. His ability to inspire a genuine passion for learning particularly in English quickly saw that small group grow through word of mouth. 
Fergus’ wife @carollgardiner alongside their son @jesseperformancecoach and his wife @sarahgards7 joined the business as it grew, helping to establish campuses in Mosman, Chatswood, Lindfield, Dee Why and Balgowlah. Jesse and Sarah now lead the organisation alongside an incredible team of more than 100 coaches, markers, teachers, an amazing Head Office and Web Development team, and also Emily and Nick who joined our team this year. There have been plenty of ups and downs, milestones, obstacles and lessons along the way, and HSC CoWorks wouldn’t be where it is today without the incredible people who have been part of it over the years.
And to every student who has walked through our doors and every parent who has trusted us to play a part in their child’s education, THANK YOU. Your support and trust over the past 30 years means more to us than we can say. We are so grateful to have worked with your child during the most important stage of their schooling career and thank you for championing our program as we strive to support young people develop the skills, habits and mindset that will support them long after their HSC.
And of course to our own family, especially our three children who put up with having both parents in the business and many weekends and evenings spent around the dinner table building new ideas, solving problems, packing study toolkits and everything in between!
We’re incredibly proud of what has been built over the past three decades, but even more excited about what comes next.
Thank you,
Jesse, Sarah, Fergus & Carol Gardiner
The HSC matters. But what students build along the way matters even more.
The HSC year is your training ground for life.. where you can develop skills like how to plan ahead, take ownership, tackle challenges, respond to feedback and perform under pressure.
These aren’t just skills for getting through Year 12. They’re the skills, mindset and habits that you will take with you into university, work and whatever comes next.
At HSC CoWorks, our role is to provide the structure, support, coaching and accountability that helps students develop these capabilities, while working towards their HSC goals.
#hsccoworks #hsc2026 #hsc2027 #hscstudyskills #hscmotivation