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Want to make your holidays count? Here's how to get ahead, ace tricky topics, and start next term with confidence.
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Join 8000+ students each term who already have a head start on their school academic journey.
Read on to explore these reasons in more depth. Then, read how Caitlyn achieved an ATAR of 99.65 by making the most of her holidays.
Holidays give you time and space away from the usual pressure of homework and assignments. That makes them the perfect time to learn new content in advance and set yourself up for a smoother term ahead.
When you’ve already learnt key topics in advance, your classroom lessons at school become a chance to revise and refine, instead of learning something new or catching up. You’ll find it easier to connect ideas, stay engaged, and feel more confident participating in class discussions.
How to use the holidays to get ahead:
For example, Matrix Holiday Courses cover a full term of content in just 5 days (for Year 11) or 9 days (for Year 12), so students stay one term ahead of school. The program includes structured lessons, comprehensive resources and practice, and support from expert teachers. The holiday programs are designed to build your foundation before school starts again.
I spent the summer holidays learning the content in Matrix Holiday Courses so that when I got back to school I was ready to start revising… My knowledge was being consolidated in class, giving me an advantage over my peers. – Josh Bewley (ATAR: 99.60)
If you’re in Victoria, check your School Holidays and Term Dates to plan your time well.
Matrix Education scholarship student Afrina speaks about Holiday Tutoring Programs
Knowing the material doesn’t always guarantee strong marks. How you sit an exam matters just as much.
Many students lose marks in exams simply because the pressure gets to them and they make silly, avoidable mistakes. They struggle with time management, misread questions, or find it hard to structure their answers clearly.
Holiday tutoring programs give you the space to work on these exam skills without the distractions of regular school life. You have more guided practice under exam conditions, so you can work on improving your speed, structure, and accuracy. You also have the chance to build habits that help you stay calm and focused during exams.
Here’s how to build exam skills in the holidays:
The holidays were when I did the bulk of my Matrix Chemistry course … all you have to do is refresh those concepts and then start on past papers. – Emma Bu (ATAR 99.95)
Want to learn how to balance study and life to achieve a 99.95 ATAR? Read Emma’s story here.
The school term can get hectic. Assignments, quizzes, and assessments often pile up all at once. The more you try to juggle during the term, the less time you have for proper revision and rest.
Holiday courses help take that pressure off. You can stay in control by covering content in advance, so you don’t have to cram when assessments roll around. Instead, you’ll have more time to enhance what you already know and start preparing for exams ahead of everyone else.
Another benefit? You can take your time with tricky topics. In school, lessons move quickly, and if you don’t get something right away, it’s easy to fall behind. Holiday programs give you the chance to slow down, ask questions, and actually understand what you’re learning.
Every minute you spend working during the holidays is a minute you can spend resting and revising during the school term, when you’ll REALLY need it. – Caitlyn Tan (ATAR 99.65)
Do you ever come back from the holidays feeling like you’ve forgotten everything? Getting back into a study routine is hard, especially if you’re jumping straight into new content! If you don’t revise during the break, you’ll need to work twice as hard when school starts again, especially in Year 11 and 12.
The tricky thing is, studying over the break can lack accountability and structure, and this is precisely the reason why I enrolled in my first Matrix holiday course. – Jack Murray (ATAR 99.95)
Holiday courses keep you engaged and prevent the “holiday slump,” where you lose progress. Instead of struggling to catch up when the term begins, you’ll return to school already warmed up and ready to learn.
Here’s how to stay sharp over the break:
Here’s how Jake (ATAR 99.95) balanced a holiday tutoring program with summer activities (and still made time for fun!).
Even a few hours of structured learning during the holidays can help you return to school more confident and better prepared.
Juggling multiple subjects at once can be one of the biggest challenges in high school, especially when some require more time and effort than others. Holiday tutoring programs help you cover content in advance so you can focus on other academic priorities during the term.
Many high-achieving students use the holiday + term course strategy to balance their workload.
Here’s an example of how you can make holiday courses work for you:
For example, a student might complete Physics and Chemistry in Matrix Holiday Courses, so they can spend more time on Maths and English during the school term.
When I finally assigned my most content heavy subjects (Phys and Chem) to Matrix’s Holiday program, school just became revision. While my peers struggled to get their heads around tough concepts, I already knew them back to front.
– Ved Khanolkar (ATAR: 99.50)
Another example is if you have major works that are due in subjects like Visual Arts, Design and Technology, or Drama, completing other subjects ahead of time gives you more room to focus on these projects.
…Holiday courses are really useful for content-heavy subjects which require understanding. The main benefit is that you can rush ahead with the course, and work out any explanations beforehand. – Alan Wong (ATAR 99.95)
By planning ahead like this, you’ll stay on top of all your subjects without feeling overwhelmed.
A step-by-step planner to maximise you time for study and play!
Balancing academics with sports, music, leadership roles, or volunteering can be challenging. Holiday tutoring programs help you stay ahead in school, giving you the freedom to enjoy extracurriculars without falling behind.
Here’s how holiday tutoring helps:
If you’re involved in competitive sports, debating, drama, or music, it can be hard to juggle practice and schoolwork. By covering key content in the holidays, you’ll have more time for rehearsals, competitions, and performances without sacrificing your grades.
Some universities look for students who do more than just study. If you’re applying for early entry programs, scholarships, or specialised courses, a strong extracurricular portfolio can boost your chances. Holiday courses help you stay on top of academics while keeping time for leadership, teamwork, and volunteering.
Overloading schoolwork with extracurriculars can lead to stress and burnout. Without a plan, you end up cramming at the last minute. Enrolling in holiday courses helps spread out your workload, making the school term more manageable and reducing stress.
Holiday courses are one way to make sure your schoolwork doesn’t take a backseat while you build a well-rounded profile.
When the holidays started, most students took a break from study. But Caitlyn Tan did something different. She knew that using her time well could make the school term less stressful and help her get better results. Here’s how she did it.
Caitlyn started each break by listing down what she wanted to focus on. She tackled her hardest subjects first so she could stay organised and not fall behind when school started again.
“Holidays are a great time to prioritise external admissions tests, like the UCAT, SAT, or LAT. So if you’re looking to pursue an alternative education pathway, sometimes putting these first is appropriate.”
Instead of cramming last-minute, Caitlyn set a structured daily study plan. She studied one or two subjects per day, usually in 1-hour focused blocks. This helped her stay consistent without burning out.
“On days I wasn’t attending a Matrix holiday course, I usually aimed for three subjects per day. It was satisfying to finish them all, and it only took about three hours.”
For Caitlyn, holiday courses were the ultimate game-changer. She completed Matrix Chemistry and Physics holiday courses, learning an entire module in just a few days. This made school much easier.
“Since I had already learnt the core content over the holidays, during the school term, I could solely focus on revision,” says Caitlyn. “Study became less about having to learn new concepts and more about refining my exam technique.”
Caitlyn also made sure to relax and spend time with friends. By finishing content-heavy subjects early, she had more time during the term for other activities and avoided last-minute panic.
“The holidays are not a time to get lazy, but a time to maintain your mental fitness in preparation for the HSC.”
Read the full article on Caitlyn’s HSC Top Tips for Maximising your Holidays.
Set yourself up for a stress-free and successful Year 11 and 12. Spaces fill up quickly, so reach out now to secure your spot!
Written by Jill Tengco
Jill is the Content Marketing Specialist at Matrix Education. She holds a Bachelor of Media (Communication and Journalism) from the University of New South Wales and is passionate about creating educational content that helps students succeed.
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