Empowering the Future with Self-Paced Learning – Year 7 UpGrade
Building Confident Learners from Day One
Starting high school is a big moment. New subjects, new routines, and a growing sense of independence can feel exciting, and a little daunting. At Santa Maria College, we’re focused on making that transition a positive one, giving our Year 7 students the tools they need to feel capable, organised, and ready to thrive.
This term, our Year 7s have been diving into study skills sessions led by our Library team. These practical, hands-on lessons are designed to set strong foundations early, covering everything from staying organised and managing time, to effective note-taking, memory techniques, and even mastering the basics of referencing.
Learning That Goes Beyond the Classroom
What makes this learning experience even more powerful is UpGrade, our innovative digital platform that brings these skills to life. Accessible through SEQTA, UpGrade offers a range of self-paced courses that support both academic success and personal growth.
Students can explore topics such as:
- Study Skills
- Technology How To’s
- Artificial Intelligence
- Click Smart: Digital Tips and Tricks
- Wellness
- Money Smarts
- Head Start short courses
- Shorts (bite-sized digital and media skills)
- Agent Academy – Gadget Girls
Each course is designed to be practical, engaging, and relevant to the world our students are growing up in.
And there’s a fun twist, UpGrade is gamified. As students complete courses, they earn SMC coins to redeem for prizes. It’s a simple but effective way to keep motivation high while reinforcing positive learning habits.
Celebrating Student Achievement
While our Year 7 students are just beginning their UpGrade journey, some of our Year 8 students have already made an impressive start.
Congratulations to Year 8 students Lilly, Liana and Maddie, who have completed all UpGrade courses. Their commitment to building their skills beyond the classroom is a fantastic achievement and a great example for younger students.
Liana shared that her favourite module focused on AI, helping her better understand the risks and how to use it responsibly.
Skills for Now—and the Future
UpGrade is part of a broader approach to helping our students become confident, independent learners. Through these experiences, our girls are developing:
- Strong organisation and time management skills
- Confidence in their ability to learn and adapt
- Digital literacy and awareness
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- A sense of ownership over their learning
It’s about giving them the tools not just to succeed in Year 7, but to carry with them throughout their time at Santa Maria, and beyond.
- digital literacy, high school transition, independent learning, Santa Maria College, student organisation skills, Student wellbeing and learning, time management for student, UpGrade platform, Year 7 learning support, Year 7 study skills
Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
