We have had a big two weeks with lots of adults on our site interacting with students in positive ways. Our year 9’s experienced a “Speed Careers” morning with members of our community visiting and sharing key information about the world of work. A huge thank you to all the business people involved. The sessions were extremely positive with high levels of interest demonstrated by our students from across the grade.

Last Friday saw the whole school involved in our
House Challenge Day. This initiative allows students to learn outside the classroom and experience success in many different ways across the day. We incorporate our cross country events into the day and I was pleased with the number of students participating in these events. We are keen to hear from students what worked well on the day and suggestions about how we can improve on this event next year.

Our Lifting Literacy initiative has been implemented across all grades with a dedicated focus on improving the reading skills of all students across the school. Our teachers are participating in regular professional learning sessions aimed at embedding great reading practices in all classes, all the time. This work is happening in all schools across the state and I am pleased to advise that, as a state, our improvement in student reading skills are ramping up. I look forward to our ongoing improvement as a school, building on the impressive student growth data that we have already been seeing over the last three years.

This term, our Grade 7 students have been diving into the interesting unit of chemistry. Students have been learning about the states of matter—solid, liquid, and gas and how substances can change state through heating and cooling.

They’ve also explored mixtures and how they can be separated using clever techniques like filtration, evaporation, and chromatography.

With hands-on experiments, our students are discovering how chemistry helps us understand the world around us. To conclude the unit, students have conducted an experiment to separate a mixture of sand, salt and iron.

In our following unit, we will be moving into Earth and Space, exploring the moons phases, the tides, and the four seasons.

Our Grade 8 students are currently exploring the fascinating topics of megacities and urbanisation in their HaSS classes. They are learning about the dynamics of modern cities, the reasons behind urban migration, and the challenges that come with rapid urban growth.

Through this study, they are gaining insights into how urban planners work to create sustainable and livable cities for the future.

In Grade 8 Health we are focusing on bullying and its effects on the mental health of the individuals. We are looking at the different types of bullying, and how it impacts on the lives of those involved.

In Physical Education we are participating in a
Teaching Games For Understanding Unit (TFGU) focussing on Volleyball and Badminton. Students will play the sport initially and then discuss at the end of the lesson what they need to learn to play the game successfully. These pointers will then be the focus of future lessons.

In Grade 8 Street Art, we have been using paint pen to create different visual effects with drawing. We've been having some fun!

From Lines to Links!
In Grade 10 Maths, students have been learning about linear equations and simultaneous equations — solving problems with straight lines and working out where two lines meet. These skills are useful for comparing different options and solving everyday problems.

Next, we’re moving into networks, where students explore how things are connected — like transport routes, maps, or puzzles. It’s a fun and visual topic that helps with logic and problem-solving.

How You Can Help at Home?
Ask your child to explain how they solved a maths problem in class. Even just having them talk through their thinking builds confidence and helps them remember what they’ve learned.

Thanks for your continued support!

In Grade 9 English, students are currently studying John Boyne’s novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. We began by looking at the historical context of the
aftermath of World War 1, the Holocaust and the NAZI’s rise to power between 1918 and 1945.

Set during World War II, the novel follows Bruno, the young son of a Nazi commandant, who moves near a concentration camp. There, he befriends Shmuel, a Jewish boy imprisoned behind the camp’s fence. Their innocent friendship unfolds amidst the horrors of the Holocaust, ultimately leading to a tragic and haunting conclusion that highlights the devastating consequences of prejudice, obedience, and war through the eyes of a child.

Students are interpreting information based on the text written, what it infers and how to best structure these inferences in paragraph form, answering varying questions about the book chapters.