5 Signs You Should Join a High School Holiday Program

School holidays are a well-earned break. But if you’re in Year 7 to 10, they can also be a smart time to catch up or even get ahead. And no, we’re not saying give up your whole break. Even a few hours a day in a high school holiday program can make a huge difference next term.

And let’s be honest — there’s a pretty great feeling in looking back and knowing you used your break to invest in yourself.

If you’re wondering whether you need tutoring over the holidays? Here are 5 signs that say YES.

Table of contents:

• 5 signs you need to join a holiday program
  • You want to get ahead of your class
  • You’re stressed and never have time to catch up
  • You struggle to understand certain topics
  • You panic before exams
  • You want to feel more confident next term
• Should you join a holiday program?

Check the 2025 VIC school holiday dates to plan your holiday program effectively.

5 signs you need to join a holiday program

1. You want to get ahead of your class

Whether you’re aiming for better marks or just want to feel more in control, getting a head start makes a big difference. It takes the pressure off when school gets busy and gives you the confidence to participate more.

“Being exposed to the content before school gave me time to absorb.” — Hannah, 99.50 ATAR Matrix graduate

Holiday programs are designed to help you learn content before it’s taught at school. You’ll preview key topics, work through them with guidance, and walk into the term knowing what to expect, not scrambling to keep up. This is especially useful in subjects like Maths.

“The back-to-back lessons allowed for a quicker and more efficient understanding of the content, providing a major head-start.” — Angela, 99.40 ATAR Matrix graduate

When you’ve already learned the topic in a holiday program, Term 1 feels a lot easier. You can focus on refining your skills, not catching up.

Explore a Matrix holiday program:

• Year 7 holiday program
• Year 8 holiday program
• Year 9 holiday program
• Year 10 holiday program

2. You’re stressed and never have time to catch up

Let’s be real. Term time can get hectic. You’ve got assignments, tests, sports, music… maybe even part-time work. It’s hard to find time to stay on top of everything. You don’t fall behind because you’re lazy — you’re just stretched too thin.

“Holiday courses help me get ahead or catch up because I’m often busy with extracurricular activities during the term.” — Michael, Matrix graduate

A holiday program gives you dedicated time to stay on top of your subjects, like Science, that often get rushed during term. No distractions. No pressure. Just space to reset and prepare.

“It saves me a lot of time and stress while allowing me to put all my effort into past papers instead of self-learning.” — Megan, 98.55 ATAR Matrix graduate

Studying a little now = less cramming later. It’s a smart trade-off.

3. You struggle to understand certain topics

If you’ve ever zoned out during a lesson and thought, “I have no idea what’s going on”, that’s okay. It’s a sign you might need more time with the content.

Struggling with algebra? Finding writing essays in English hard? The holidays give you the time to learn properly, with expert help, clear explanations, and no judgment. That makes a big difference next time the topic comes up at school.

“Holiday classes helped me ace my Year 10 exams. They explained concepts in more depth than we’d covered at school.” — Vaneeza, 97.75 ATAR Matrix graduate

With experienced teachers, practice questions, and 1-to-1 feedback, tricky topics become clearer. And that’s a great feeling.

“The teachers make the classes interesting and help explain topics super clearly. I’m never bored in my holiday classes.” — Patricia, Matrix graduate

4. You panic before exams

If your study plan before tests looks like: cram, stress, repeat — a bit of forward planning could change everything.

“Matrix teaches their lessons a term ahead… this saves me a lot of time and stress while allowing me to put all my effort into past papers.” — Megan, Matrix graduate

Holiday programs mean you’ve already done the hard work before the term starts. When test time comes, you’re revising, not catching up.

5. You want to feel more confident next term

It’s hard to enjoy school when you’re always doubting yourself. If you want to get better at speaking up in class, tackling new topics, or walking into an exam, believing in yourself is key.

A holiday program helps your confidence, as you can:

• See and learn the content before other people in your class
• Practise asking and answering questions in a supportive, small group
• Get clear feedback that shows exactly where you’re improving and what to focus on next

“The fun environment and collaborative learning boosted my confidence in answering questions and during exams.” — Ngan, 99.75 ATAR Matrix graduate

So, should you join a holiday program?

Only you can answer that. But if you:

• Prefer knowing what’s coming (instead of scrambling to catch up)
• Want to feel more confident at school
• Enjoy learning when it’s clear, supportive, and well-structured
• Have goals you’re serious about

Then yes — a holiday program could be one of the smartest ways to spend a few hours of your break.

“While you might be hesitant to give up holiday time, Holiday Courses are definitely worth it. It’s a helpful boost to the term with a fun teacher and learning environment.” — Anhaar, Matrix graduate

It’s about using a small part of your holidays to set yourself up for success.