For students finishing Year 11. We start the first Stage 2 topics in Mathematical Methods and Physics, so your child begins Year 12 having already worked through them once.
Start times: Weekdays 4:30 pm, Weekends 9:00 am. Each class builds on the one before, so the plan below runs in order.
The 10 classes
| Class | Date | Time | What we cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thu 26 Nov | 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm | Rates of change and the derivative from first principles: a review of Stage 1 |
| 2 | Sat 28 Nov | 9:00 am to 11:00 am | The product rule |
| 3 | Sun 29 Nov | 9:00 am to 11:00 am | The quotient rule and the chain rule |
| 4 | Mon 30 Nov | 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm | The exponential function eˣ and its derivative |
| 5 | Wed 2 Dec | 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm | Derivatives of sine, cosine and tangent, working in radians |
| 6 | Sat 5 Dec | 9:00 am to 11:00 am | Stationary points and sketching curves from the first derivative |
| 7 | Sun 6 Dec | 9:00 am to 11:00 am | The second derivative: concavity and points of inflection |
| 8 | Mon 7 Dec | 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm | Optimisation problems. The summer homework is set. |
| Summer break: homework pack, and two online question sessions by video call (late December and early January) | |||
| 9 | Tue 19 Jan 2027 | 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm | Going through the summer homework, then harder mixed problems |
| 10 | Thu 21 Jan 2027 | 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm | Practice test, marked with written feedback |
If a class clashes with an exam or another commitment, tell us when you register and we will sort out a catch-up.
How each class runs
Every Headstart class is 2 hours and follows the same four steps.
- Check last class's work. Each class starts with a few short questions on the previous class, so gaps are found the same week.
- Explain the new idea. The tutor builds the idea up from what students already know, with worked examples set out the way SACE markers expect.
- Practise, with the tutor checking. Students work through graded questions, from routine to exam style. With 6 students at most, the tutor looks at each student's working and corrects mistakes on the spot.
- Summarise and set homework. The class ends with the key points and a short set of practice questions for the next class.
Students get printed notes, worked examples and practice questions for every class.
Over the summer
Class 8, the last class before the break, sets a summer homework pack on everything covered so far. During the break there are two online question sessions by video call, one in late December and one in early January, where students bring anything they are stuck on. Classes restart in person from 19 to 22 January: class 9 goes through the homework and class 10 is a practice test, marked and returned with written feedback, a few days before Term 1. The homework and question sessions are included in the fee.
What to bring
An exercise book, a pen and pencil, and a graphics calculator if your child already has one. We provide the notes and practice questions.
Fee
$820 for the 10 classes ($82 a class), or $800 by bank transfer. As with our term classes, fees are not refunded once a place is paid for.
How to register
- Choose the classes and enter your details on the registration page. You can see how many places are left in each class.
- Pay online by card or PayTo, or by bank transfer for the lower fee. Your places are held for 48 hours while you pay.
- You get a confirmation email. Come to the first class at 400 Anzac Highway, Camden Park.
Headstart has no trial class: the 10 classes build on each other, so places are for the whole course. Online registration closes on Tuesday 24 November.