Mrs Rebekah Bidois 

Dear Parents and Carers,

I am excited to introduce myself as the acting Head of School Secondary while Stuart Edwards is on well-deserved leave. I want to thank you for your warm welcome I’ve already received from staff, students, and members of the community.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting classrooms, speaking with students, and getting to know the dedicated staff who make this school such a special place. It’s clear that Bentley Park College is a vibrant, caring environment where students are supported and encouraged to succeed. I look forward to working with you into the future.

Parent/Carer communication

Thank you to our parents and carers who have attended events at the College recently - our Parent Teacher Interviews in Week 2; and our Year 7 2026 and Year 11 2026 Enrolment Information Sessions in Week 3. We hope you found the sessions helpful - please contact us if you require any further information or support. 

I also encourage you to consider signing up for QParents if you have not already. It a very convenient way for parents and carers to interact with the school through secure, online access to their child's student information. For example, with the many excursions in Secondary, QParents is an easy way to receive and respond electronically to Excursion Consent Forms. There is more information on our website, via the link below. 

Enrolment Information Sessions

Senior Secondary

Year 11 2026 Enrolment Interviews

During Terms 2 and 3 we have been focusing on preparing Year 10 students to transition into Year 11. This has included careers sessions, the Year 11 subject orientation day and our Year 11 2026 Enrolment Information Session.

The next stage in this process is for each student to attend a Year 11 Enrolment Interview with a parent/carer to go through their individual Senior Education and Training (SET) Plan and finalise their subject selections for Year 11 and 12. It is a requirement that parents/carers engage in this interview process with their student.

The Year 11 Enrolment Interviews will occur from Monday 18 August through to Friday 5 September between 8.00 am and 5.00 pm in the G Block Senior Hub.

To book an interview, please visit www.schoolinterviews.com.au/ and use the event code 5gnsw. If you do not have internet access, please contact 4040 8214 or 4040 8207 and our office staff will assist you with your booking over the phone.

More information is available in the Year 11 Enrolment Interviews is available at the link below. We look forward to meeting with you in the coming weeks and value your input into determining your student’s senior pathway.

Year 12 External Assessments

The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) have released the external assessment timetable for General (ATAR) subjects for the Year 12 cohort. More information and external assessment dates and times for 2025 were distributed to students and families and are also available at the link below. The external assessment block will run from Monday 27 October to Friday 14 November.

Year 12 Formal

The Year 12 Golden Hour Formal is all set for Friday 5 September at the Hilton Cairns Hotel. We encourage REP-eligible students wishing to attend to purchase their tickets as soon as possible, with the cut-off being Monday 18 August at 3.45 pm.

Formal arrivals will be from 4.00 pm, with the Formal beginning at 6.00 pm and ending at 10.00 pm. Parents, carers, family and friends are welcome to stake out a vantage point outside the Hilton to view arrivals, which are usually very memorable. 

Junior Secondary

Tash Toohey
Deputy Principal Junior Secondary Student Services
ttooh7@eq.edu.au

Phones Away for the Day

It has been a fantastic term so far, with our Junior Secondary students actively engaging in their learning in the lead-up to assessment. This is a great time to ask them what they have learnt at school each day — not only does this help to reinforce new information, but it also shows them that you value and support their learning journey.

Bentley Park College follows the Queensland Department of Education’s Phones Away for the Day policy. This means that all mobile phones, smartwatches and other personal electronic devices must be switched off and out of sight from the moment students enter the school grounds until the end of the school day.

We understand that many families provide a phone for their child for safety and communication before and after school. However, during school hours, students should not be using their mobile phones for any reason unless they have an approved exemption.

If you need to contact your child during the day, please phone the College office on 4040 8111 and we will ensure the message is passed on. Similarly, if your child needs to contact you, they must do so via Student Services. Direct communication between parents/carers and students on personal devices during school hours is not permitted.

While most students follow these rules well, we are still spending time in conversations with students about phones being out in class or at break times. This takes away from valuable learning time and is something we want to address together. Your support at home in reinforcing this expectation will make a significant difference.

By keeping devices away for the day, we are helping to:

• maintain a strong focus on learning
• encourage face-to-face social interaction
• reduce distractions and potential for unsafe online activity
• promote student wellbeing and engagement.

We thank you for your understanding and cooperation in supporting a learning environment where students can focus on their education without the distractions that personal devices can bring.

Sara Janke
Deputy Principal Junior Secondary Teaching and Learning
sjank11@eq.edu.au

We hope the shift to warmer weather brings a fresh energy into the second half of term. Stay safe and enjoy the sunshine!

H2O Program

As our classrooms continue transitioning to digital platforms, it’s important students have access to a reliable device. Visit the College website BYOD page for details on our Hire-to-own (H2O) program, which offers an affordable way to ensure every student is equipped for success. We continue to partner with regional and state initiatives to enhance our digital infrastructure and expand technology access across the College.

Uniforms

A reminder for families to adhere to the College's Uniform and Dress Code Policy. Students must wear closed-in shoes at all times, and only navy jumpers are permitted during cooler weather. Consistent uniform helps build a sense of belonging and pride.

 
Reading

A key focus for the year is reading, with all classrooms embedding practices aligned with the Science of Reading. This approach supports students to expand their existing literacy skills and develop them further. A central component of this work is word study, which deepens understanding of how language works through:

• semantic knowledge – vocabulary and word meanings
• morphology – meaningful word parts like prefixes and suffixes
• syntax – word order and parts of speech
• phonology – pronunciation and sound structure
• orthography – spelling patterns and rules.

These elements are being embedded across subject areas to strengthen reading and writing outcomes. You can support your child by encouraging regular reading at home and discussing new words and ideas together.

 
2026 Enrolments

Enrolments for 2026 are underway. We thank all families who recently attended our Year 6 2026 Enrolment Information Session, which was a great opportunity to connect and share information. If you haven’t already, please return your enrolment forms as soon as possible to assist with planning.

Transition activities are currently underway, with current BPC Year 6 students visiting the Secondary Sector on Wednesday afternoons for sessions to help support a smooth start next year.

Secondary Upcoming Events:

• Year 12 Formal: Friday 5 September
• Presentation Night: Wednesday 19 November
• Year 12 Graduation and Guard of Honour: Friday 21 November