Principals Message

Cantabrian Superstar

This week’s Cantabrian Superstars are two of our dedicated teachers, Ms Flannery and Mr Nolan, who were recently recognised at the Tri-Network ceremony held at Wilkins Public School. Their achievements reflect the outstanding commitment and excellence that our staff consistently demonstrate, and we are proud to celebrate their well-deserved recognition within our school community.

Principal’s Message

As we move into the second half of Term 4 and approach the end of the year, life at Canterbury Girls High School continues to be vibrant and full of valuable learning experiences.

Firstly, congratulations to our Year 12 cohort of 2025, who recently completed their HSC exams with the final exam—the Physics and Dance exam—held on Friday, 7th November. Our students have shown remarkable dedication and resilience throughout their HSC journey.  We are incredibly proud of their hard work and wish them all the best as they move forward.

These last few weeks have been busy and rewarding for our students, with a variety of academic, cultural, and wellbeing events enriching school life. Over the past three weeks, students across various year groups have engaged in many exciting activities. Year 10 students participated in work experience, gaining practical insights into future career pathways. Year 9 visited Ashfield Boys High School for a wellbeing day, enhancing their social connections and personal development. Our Duke of Edinburgh participants embarked on their qualifying adventurous journeys, progressing towards their Silver and Bronze awards. Additionally, Year 12 Society and Culture students participated in their Personal Interest Project (PIP) day, and Year 8 students completed their VALID tests.

Year 9 also took part in a range of community-focused activities for their year group experience, including volunteering at Vinnies and successfully raising over $700 for their school sleep out fundraiser. Meanwhile, our P&C organised a highly enjoyable trivia night to raise funds for the school, with great food, prizes, and community spirit reported by attendees.

We are proud of the way our community embraces these opportunities and look forward to celebrating our achievements together as the year concludes.

Inclusive Education

I am pleased to announce that an inclusive education support unit, consisting of two support classes, will be established at Canterbury Girls School in 2026. We are one of several schools that have been identified as an appropriate site to establish support classes, with a collaborative approach being adopted across the network to support students with additional learning and support needs.

The support classes being established at our school next year will cater for students who are diagnosed with autism and/or an intellectual disability. Students will be selected for the classes from across the network via a formal placement panel process. The support classes will have fewer students compared to a mainstream class to support the students’ additional needs. The school will also recruit additional specialist teachers; each class will have a teacher and a School Learning Support Officer (SLSO) employed full-time.

In planning for the successful establishment of the support classes, we will work closely with expert personnel from the Department of Education’s Delivery Support Team, who support schools to deliver inclusive education, and our Director, Educational Leadership. The remainder of this term will be spent ensuring we have the resources we need and time to establish strong connections with our new students and families for a successful start to school in 2026.

The establishment of support classes strengthens our school’s reputation as an inclusive learning environment and provides the school with a wonderful opportunity to support Canterbury families who have a child with additional learning and support needs. If you have any questions regarding the support unit, I ask that you send an email to canterburg-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

I am exceptionally proud of our community and our commitment to inclusivity, and I thank you in advance for your support, as we welcome an exciting addition to our school in 2026.

New Uniform Supplier and Ordering Process

Our new uniform supplier, Reji, has organised four appointment dates this year for students to try on and preorder items for 2026. Additional booking dates in January are being finalised and will be communicated to families soon. Parents and students can make their bookings online by selecting Canterbury Girls High School at the following link: https://www.rejiuniforms.com.au/book-online

Dates for 2025

• Wed 3/12 -7.30am – 10.30am – (Canteen Area – undercover) 
• Thurs 4/12 -7.30am – 10.30am – (Canteen Area – undercover) 
• Wed 10/12 – 3pm – 5pm (Cantabrian Hall)
• Thurs 11/12- 3pm – 5pm (Cantabrian Hall)

Parents and students can make their bookings online by selecting Canterbury Girls High School at the following link: https://www.rejiuniforms.com.au/book-online

Select our school and then your preferred date and time.

Website Update and Sentral Portal Information

Our school website has been refreshed with updated information and a new format, while retaining the same web address. Please note that some resources, including assessment booklets and course scope and sequence documents, have been moved to the Parent and Student Sentral portals. The Sentral portal offers families access to important information such as attendance records, academic reports, and curriculum details. We strongly encourage all parents to register for the portal. If you have not yet received an access code, please contact the front office for assistance.

Upcoming Events

Looking ahead, we are excited for our talented singers and dancers who will be performing in this year’s School Spectacular on November 28^th & 29th, showcasing the creativity and skill of our students on a prominent stage. Tickets are still available through Ticketek. Our annual Recognition Assembly will be held on Monday 16th December at 10:00 am, where we will acknowledge the outstanding academic, creative, and sporting achievements of our students throughout the year. Students receiving an award will be notified in the next two weeks and we warmly invite parents of award recipients to join us in this special celebration.

Student Shout Out

We are thrilled to congratulate Bo and Veronica of Year 12 Visual Arts on being nominated for HSC ArtExpress – an outstanding recognition of their artistic talent and dedication throughout the year! ArtExpress is a prestigious exhibition showcasing exceptional artworks created by top HSC students from across NSW. Your creativity and hard work have truly stood out – well done on this amazing achievement!

Canterbury Bulldogs Game Changer Leadership Program

The Bulldogs Leadership Program provided an inspiring opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of what leadership truly means. Throughout the program, students engaged in lessons designed to develop their skills and confidence as emerging leaders.

They also had the privilege of hearing from several guest speakers, including Canterbury Leagues Club CEO Greg Pickering, Channel 9 journalist Massilia Aili, Canterbury-Bankstown City Mayor Bilal El-Hayek, as well as local police officers and members of the military. Each shared their unique journeys and perspectives on leadership, offering valuable insights into resilience, responsibility, and personal growth.

Overall, the program was an enjoyable and rewarding experience that helped students identify the key qualities needed to become strong and confident leaders.

Sleepout for change

Science

STANSW Science Competition Success

Year 8 Students Excel in State-Wide Competition

We are delighted to announce outstanding achievements by two exceptional Year 8 Science students in the prestigious STANSW Science Competition. This rigorous competition required students to design an original experiment, conduct thorough research, and present a comprehensive analysis of their findings.

With over 500 students from across New South Wales participating, the competition showcased the state’s brightest young scientific minds. We are immensely proud that both of our students were recognised for their exceptional work.

Award Recipients

Independent Excellence

Both students independently designed, conducted, and completed their investigations from start to finish, demonstrating exceptional initiative, scientific rigour, and analytical skills. Their achievements reflect CGHS’s ongoing commitment to fostering excellence in STEM education.

Congratulations to Annabella and Gwen on these outstanding accomplishments!

Year 10 Textiles

Year 10 Textiles🧵
Our Year 10 Textile Technology class have been working diligently throughout the year, developing skills and expertise in a vast array of textile and sewing techniques. The result of their perseverance is this beautiful exhibition of Textile Art Self Portraits.

Interpreting the idea of a ‘selfie’ in unique ways, each student has used their imagination, problem solving skills and creativity to produce a piece of textile art that reflects not only their individuality, but the culmination of their knowledge and proficiency in elective textile technology classes.

Lily, Asmaa, Firli, Ishani and Michelle from the Year 10 Textiles Technology class had this to say:
“Textiles has been an incredible opportunity to express ourselves through our creative nature.
From the beginning of our journey in year 9, our skills and creativity has grown and developed
through our classwork and assessment tasks. This exhibition showcases our most recent task,
textile art self portraits. We were given the freedom to choose a selfie as the basis of our textile
artwork and (as you can see) everyone took it from a different approach.”

First Nations Leadership Group

During our last visit with Canterbury Boys High School and The Settlement, we were joined by some of the local primary school’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. On our last visit we were practicing our cooking skills, together we learnt how to make nachos. Each group had different roles they had to complete to ensure we had a complete meal at the end. 

Recently our year 7 and 8 students have started attending Koori Klub at Midjuburi Youth Resource Centre. During their last visit they participated in a Smoking Ceremony, and created artworks on their own boomerangs. The students have really enjoyed attending and connecting with local First Nations students from different schools. 

Over the last couple of lunchtimes some of our First Nations Students have been sharing our culture with the library staff through art. Tully, Shakirah, Cherokee, Kiyah, Bailey, Bella and Clytie have been creating an artwork to represent a book display which showcases First Nations books about ceremony, songlines, law, health, and country. The girls are extremely proud of the artwork they have created and being able to share their culture. 

MADD Night

Important Notice: Refund for MADD Night Adult Tickets

Dear MADD Night Attendees,

Due to recent event adjustments, we’ve made changes to our ticket pricing structure. As a result, all attendees who purchased an Adult Ticket at the $20 rate will be receiving a refund for the difference.

Attendees who purchased an Adult Ticket for MADD Night at the price of $20 will be receiving a refund of $5.

Please allow some time for the refund to be processed — we appreciate your patience as we complete this process.

Thank you for your understanding and for your continued support of MADD Night.

Tickets are still available through School Bytes via the link.

After accessing the online payment portal, choose “Add item,” then use the drop-down menu to select the Madd Night 2025 Category for purchasing your tickets.

Please complete the student tickets form if your student(s) will be attending MADD Night, This helps us know how many people will be there.

Support Our CAPA Program – Pre-Order Your Dinner or Volunteer for MADD!

We invite you to pre-order your dinner for the upcoming MADD event and help us make a difference. By pre-ordering, you enable us to plan more efficiently and reduce food waste, which means more funds raised to support our school’s CAPA program. Every meal ordered contributes directly to providing enhanced creative opportunities for our students.

We need helpers to make this a success and raise money for CAPA! Tasks range from bringing an esky to helping serve for an hour.

Thank you for your support and generosity. Click on the links below to pre-order your food or volunteer.

Year 12 Visual Arts

Congratulations to our Year 12 students on their dedication and creativity in completing their Bodies of Work. Each student explored themes that reflect their individual passions and perspectives, resulting in an inspiring showcase of talent and effort. Special commendations go to Bo Chang and Veronica Surawski, whose exceptional works have been nominated for Art Express. What a wonderful achievement!

Artist: Bo Chang

Title: Where I Am Not

Artist Statement:

Dissociation destabilises the foundations of identity, collapsing the coherence of thought, memory, and presence into something unfamiliar. From my personal experience, it offers a fragile escape from the irrevocability of life, a retreat from regrets and undesirable circumstances. My body of work captures this sense of slipping between recognition and self-estrangement, inhabiting one’s body while simultaneously becoming a distant witness to it. Charcoal’s fragile, powdery surface—easily smudged, erased, and unsettled—mirrors this precarious experience of dissociation and impermanence, where the self remains recognisable yet continually slips away. By visualising dissociation, my work invites reflection on what it means to momentarily lose oneself, and the struggle to regain coherence in a disorienting world.

Artist: Veronica Surawski 

Title: Veronica’s Dab Neeg (story) 

Artist Statement:

Veronica’s Dab Neeg is about celebrating and remembering my grandmother Yeng’s life. Through her many sufferings and sacrifices as a Hmong refugee, Yeng was able to build a home in Australia as a loving mother and grandmother. These paintings serve as a visual timeline of her life that ultimately led to my journey as an artist. By painting portraits of my family I have created truly personal and meaningful artworks that capture our growth, connection, and lasting memories. Hence, this collection of acrylic paintings is a tribute to Yeng and my family to thank them for their love.

Artist: Hitomi Nogawa-Lewy

Title: Subliminal

Artist Statement:

Advertising is shoved in our faces everywhere we go, making it easy for us to consume products and media without thinking. Through representing the Seven Deadly Sins (as seen in Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy) in a modern shopping mall setting, my body of work aims to expose the amorality of companies and individuals who promote unhealthy standards as well as our collective responsibility to moderate our “sinful” behaviour, encouraging the audience to think critically by considering whether they are falling for marketing schemes. Some of the societal issues I’ve attempted to depict in this work include the objectification of women in entertainment, overconsumption and the thirst for social media attention.

Artist: Rachel Ng 

Title: From Bloom to Ash

Artist Statement:

From Bloom to Ash explores the fragile balance between freedom and destruction through both sculpture and painting. The hands in the sculpture symbolize strength, connection, and the potential for good, while also reflecting humanity’s capacity for chaos and harm – a duality expressed through their yin-and-yang form. The painting mirrors this contrast, with trees representing growth, life, and hope on one side, and devastation through fire on the other, embodying the sudden shift from harmony to destruction. Together, the works highlight the paradox that freedom, while full of possibility and beauty, is equally vulnerable to collapse and ruin.

Artist: Yuma Rush

Title: Sharing Moments

Artist statement:

My artwork ‘Sharing Moments’ explores the emotional significance of everyday acts of sharing and their role in fostering human connection. Through a series of acrylic paintings, I depict gestures such as sharing a drink, dance, laugh, view, umbrella, meal and flowers – each highlighting the physical and relational aspects of togetherness. Drawing from personal memories, I aim to evoke recognition and warmth, encouraging viewers to reflect on the small exchanges that shape relationships. By highlighting these small yet meaningful exchanges, my work invites audiences to consider how acts of sharing contribute to emotional closeness and social cohesion.

Artist: Nicole Dias Prates

Title: Traces of a Smaller Self

Artist Statement: 

My work explores the intersection of childhood memory and nostalgia through the familiar associations embedded within everyday spaces. By focusing on the ordinary, I aim to uncover the warmth, intimacy, and emotional resonance of environments that have faded from conscious recollection yet remain deeply formative. These spaces, though seemingly unremarkable, carry both personal and collective significance, transforming the mundane into something enduring and meaningful. A recurring motif in my practice is the depiction of my younger self, repositioned across each composition. These figures are not intended as literal portraits but as symbolic echoes of childhood, evoking the curiosity, wonder, and sense of expansiveness that once shaped the way spaces were experienced. In doing so, I seek to honour the persistence of memory and the subtle yet powerful ways in which childhood environments continue to shape identity and perception. Ultimately, my work reflects on how the everyday becomes a vessel for memory, inviting viewers to reconsider their own connections to place, belonging, and the enduring influence of the past.

Artist: Bhavna Alagiri

Title: Echoes of my Tamil Kalacharam (culture)

Artists Statement:

This collection of works encapsulates my evolving relationship with my South Indian heritage, particularly the emotional disconnection I experienced after migrating to Australia. This deeply personal work mirrors the complexities of navigating identity when cultural roots are broken and the familiar sense of belonging fades. Growing up in Tamil Nadu, my culture is integral in shaping my identity and brought me a pure sense of colour and meaning to my childhood. However, the transition to a new country challenged this connection. I found myself questioning: Who am I, if the essence of where I come from no longer surrounds me? Through each of these pieces I attempt to give voice to the ‘untranslated’ parts of myself, seeking a way back to the cultural heartbeat I once lived by. 

Drama

A special mention to Gemma Murray and Eliza Dawson who performed in the State Drama Festival, a small group from the 7-8 performance stream came to watch and we are blown away by their hard work and dedication. Congratulations to you both!

Performance season is here! Year 7 is busy getting ready for Theatresports, Year 8 is finalising their group performance with some making an appearance at MADD Night. As our Year 10’s head off on their work experience adventures they performed their final group performance. We can not wait to share all of our hard work this year!

On the 24th of October, a combined group of students in years 7 and 8 accompanied Miss Cooper to supporting the incredible performances showcased in the NSW State Drama Festival 2025. Two of Canterbury Girls High School’s very own Year 10 students Gemma Murray and Eliza Dawson were among the group of talented young performers who dazzled and amazed their audience with a piece questioning modern day work culture with a fun spin. We could not be prouder of these students and always look forward to celebrating the achievements of all in CAPA! 

Dance

We are busy in the Dance Department preparing to showcase all of our hard work in the upcoming MADD event. Wednesday Sport is working on their Murder Mystery Clue, our performance group is readying Red Balloon by Banksy, and a special performance from our Year 11 Dance Elective students will also be featured. Any student interested in performing solos or small group pieces is encouraged to contact Ms Wong to get involved. Can’t wait to share all of the amazing dance at Canterbury!

School Spectacular – Remarkable – Dance Combined 2025

Congratulations to all the dance students involved in the School Spectacular Combined Dance 2025! The CGHS Group is featured in the segment “You Never Know” and has demonstrated incredible dedication through numerous rehearsals. These talented students are collaborating with peers from across NSW to showcase the creativity and commitment of our dancers.

Sarini Alwis	Jyothi de Martin	Sophia Kari Balzan
Daniela Barreto	Milla Eckersley	Mia Osterly
Emma Chosid	Allira Garrard	Edie Ruby Howe
Oriana Collier	Lara Gouveia	Sabine Salomon-Aird
Phoebe Crowley	Marley Jones	Chiara Triolo

Special congratulations to our State Dance students Phoebe Crowley and Isabella Levet Negrete, as well as Allira Garrard from the Associate Program for the Aboriginal Dance Company, who have been attending additional rehearsals to prepare for their performances at the event.

The preparation has been extensive, with long rehearsal days, props, costumes, and the effort required to travel to Sydney Olympic Park.  We can not wait until we can share all of the dazzling amazingness! Buy your tickets!

School Spectacular

We are excited to announce that Canterbury Girls High School will be participating in the highly anticipated School Spectacular 2025, showcasing the incredible talents of our students in a spectacular celebration of the arts.

This year’s show, themed “Remarkable,” promises an inspiring and unforgettable experience featuring performances in dance, choir, and state ensembles from schools across NSW. Our students have been working tirelessly to prepare for this grand event, demonstrating creativity, teamwork, and passion.

The School Spectacular will be held on Friday, 28th November and Saturday, 29th November. We warmly invite our school community, family, and friends to come along and support our performers as they bring the theme “Remarkable” to life on stage.

Tickets are available now. Secure your seats by visiting School Spectacular 2025 Tickets.

Congratulations to all our students and staff involved in this extraordinary event—we can’t wait to see you there!

Social Media Age Restrictions

Career News

‘Canterbury Cheehoos’ 

A few weeks ago, a group of 9 seniors attended the Pasifika Achievement To Higher Education (PATHE) program held at the Western Sydney University (Bankstown Campus).  This program looks to empower Pacific communities to aspire to further education and training with options to develop and gain new skills and knowledge. PATHE aims to give Pasifika people greater opportunities across life.

On that day, we were joined by two other schools including Patrician Brothers’ College, Fairfield and Sir Joseph Banks High School. By having other students from similar backgrounds attend the program, it helped boost our sense of identity by having a variety of different islands around the pacific nations. The navigators of the program issued a point system which motivated us to not only engage in our culture but enjoy the overall experience.

To start the day, we began with a collaborative task which included us attempting to survive on an island. This activity challenged our critical thinking and motor skills that ultimately led to a growth of unity within the group. It has taught us adequate and effective communication that would later benefit our skills needed in our everyday life. The first module of the day, we made our way downstairs towards the criminology lecture room. In this course we learnt about the different theories on why criminals do what they do. Throughout the lesson we did scenarios as groups to get a familiar idea of what a criminology student would study at Western Sydney University. We then had lunch which consisted of subway sandwiches and cookies followed by the beginning of our second module which was music. We enjoyed the music sector a lot due to the joyful tasks that we were handed. This included, freestyle, riff off, nursery rhymes and finally making our own Jingle to promote an item we were given. Lastly we then headed back to our original common room where we then planned an event to promote youth leadership in the pasifika community. This took a lot of team effort which built our overall morale. It was a difficult task that required a lot of hard work but working together made this activity run smoothly.

To conclude, as seniors dealing with a lot of stress this program took off a lot of weight off our shoulders with the fun activities that Western University has planned for us on that day. We just wanted to Thank all of the navigators of that program and Ms Evangelista for organising this day where we can explore our potential futures and express our true selves.

In Week 8, Year 10 students will participate in Careers Week, a dedicated time to explore future pathways and develop essential career skills. Throughout the week, students will engage in a variety of activities including workshops, guest speaker sessions, and interactive career planning exercises. These experiences are designed to help students understand different industries, identify their strengths and interests, and prepare for post-school options. Careers Week aims to inspire and support Year 10 students as they make important decisions about their education and future careers, providing valuable tools and information to guide their journey ahead.

Community News

Families experiencing financial hardship are invited to attend a Free Clothing and Goods Event on Thursday, 11 December in Campsie. The event offers free clothing, food, toiletries, toys, linen, and other essential items. Registration is required, and the link will close once capacity is reached. Please see the attached flyer for full details and the registration link. Alternatively, those wishing to support this initiative can do so via the Donate button on the website.