Daisy Turnbull, Director of Coeducation and Academy

2025 is going to be a very exciting and important year for Cranbrook in our transition to coeducation in the Senior School. But as Mrs Marquet mentioned on our Staff Development Day – our Pre-Schools have been coeducational for over 70 years!  

The orientation program for our first Year 7 cohort continues with an event each term including our current Cranbrook Junior School students, incoming girls, and incoming boys. For our second Year 7 cohort in 2027, the long orientation will commence this term as well with events throughout the year. These email invitations will be sent out next week for the Term 1 events. A reminder that the numbers are limited but the plan is that every student can attend at least one or two a year. These events help students get to know each other, the senior campus, as well as work together in coeducational groups.  

For our first Year 11 coeducational cohort, the incoming girls will be attending academic and social events and taking part in our Tomorrow Man and Tomorrow Woman workshops at the end of the year.  

On Tuesday 28 January, we hosted a coeducational scholarship evening for students looking at scholarships in 2026. We had over 200 people in attendance despite the sky opening up as it began. 

The enrolments are well underway for Year 7 2027 and the enrolment process will commence at the end of this term for Year 11 2027.  

I look forward to keeping you updated with our final year of transition before coeducation this year – have a fantastic start to term!   

Daisy Turnbull
Director of Coeducation and Academy

Message from Michele Marquet, Acting Head of School

Dear Parents and Carers

We hope all our families have enjoyed a relaxing and refreshing summer break.

Over the holiday period, there has been much to celebrate for many of our students with the exceptional HSC and IBDP results received by the Class of 2024. Please click here to read the results in full.

As a school, we also fully appreciate and understand that some in our community are hurting as a result of cowardly acts and hostilities in the wider community over this period and our priority has always been, and will always be, the wellbeing of our students while at school. Should your child wish to speak to someone regarding these recent acts, we encourage them to talk to their Head of House in the Senior School and Class Teacher in the Junior School, for guidance and support.

It is always a joy to welcome our students back to campus for a new academic year. After a summer break, there is much excitement and happiness evident amongst our students, joyous to be seeing one another again and catching up with their teachers. For our new students to the School, no matter what year level they are joining, there can be some anticipatory nerves – a completely understandable feeling, but one that we hope will be replaced quickly with a strong sense of belonging to our community.

In the Senior School, we held our Meet the Mentor Day today. Our Year 1 – Year 6 students return for their first full day of learning tomorrow, whilst Pre-School hold their Orientation Day. Kindergarten will be in for short visits over the next few days before joining us for their first almost full day on Tuesday next week.

The staff have been busy over the past week preparing for the return of their students. Apparent at every turn, was the genuine commitment of everyone to making an excellent start to 2025, whether involved in operational and administrative areas or in the educational realm.

As we start a fresh year, tomorrow at the start of the year Assembly for Senior School, I will be reminding the students of some words on one of the windows at Junior School:

The capacity to learn is a gift;
The ability to learn is a skill;
The willingness to learn is a choice.

Brian Herbert

I hope we see a year where our students’ willingness to learn flourishes under the care of their dedicated teachers and educators, and our community strengthens its relationships through grace and kindness, as we prepare to welcome our new Head, Anne Johnstone mid-year.

May 2025 be a wonderful year for our whole school community.

Kind wishes

Michele Marquet
Acting Head of School

Message from Grant Andrews, Acting Head of Junior School

Dear Junior and Pre-school families,

It is with great pleasure that I extend a warm welcome back to campus to all of our families and staff. I trust that you have cherished valuable family time over the break and I look forward to hearing from the students about their holiday adventures. A very special welcome to new families joining us this year across the School; we are delighted to have each and every one of you with us as we open the gates to begin the 2025 school year. 

For anyone who may have missed the start of term communication sent out recently, it can be found here. It outlines important information for all families as their children return to School:

There has been much work going on at the Junior School over the holiday break, including:

• Dangar Oval has had a full renovation including top dressing
• 14 Kent Rd (where our after-school care is held) has had some paving and concreting works completed to improve the access and safety for grounds and staff/students
• Major drainage works on Dangar alongside neighbouring properties on Manion Ave has been completed
• Tennis storage structure works remain in progress adjacent to the tennis courts and Year 2 classrooms
• Upgrades/changes to students bathrooms/changerooms near the gym
• Steel washdown program carried out across the whole campus
• All data projectors in the K-2 building and meeting rooms have been upgraded

No doubt there has also been much preparation at home in readiness for the start of the school year. We thank you for your support and understand that sometimes the excitement of returning to school can be accompanied by some uncertainty and first day jitters that generally dissipate as new routines, faces and environments become more familiar. I encourage you to reach out to your child’s Class Teacher in the first instance if you have initial questions or concerns. An opportunity for all parents or caregivers to book a time to speak to their child’s Class Teacher will be made available in the coming weeks, once everyone has settled in and the school year is underway.

FEELING WELL, FUNCTIONING WELL AND FEELING CONNECTED
Throughout 2025, there will be a focus on fostering an environment where each individual thrives. With consideration to our context, we have further distilled this into four key elements that will guide our actions and interactions. Each term, we will be delving deeper into one of these areas:

– To Be Courageous
– To be Balanced
– To be Connected
– To Be YOU

I look forward to a productive and enjoyable start to the year.

Warm regards

Grant Andrews
Acting Head of Junior School

From the Deputies

Dear Junior School families,

Please kindly note the following important reminders:

Students in Y1-Y6 should arrive in full summer uniform for the first day of Term 1 on Friday, 31 January.

Before and after school co-curricular activities for Y1-Y6 will commence on Monday, 10 February (Week 3).

All individual instrumentalist lessons, music ensemble rehearsals, commence in Week 3.

From Friday, 7 February, PE and summer sport training commences and students should dress appropriately for training. Please refer to the sport section of this newsletter for more information.

Dates for your diary in the first few weeks of Term 1.

31 January – Y1-Y6 First day of school, 7:45 – 8am arrival and Kindergarten ‘Meet the Teachers’ Sessions

3 February – Kindergarten ‘Meet the Teachers’ Sessions

4 February – Term 1 starts for Kindergarten, 9:00am – 1:15pm

5 February – K-Y6 Parent Information Evening 5pm – 6:30pm JS Gym

12 February – Year 6 Student Leaders’ Assembly 12 – 1pm JS Gym

13 February – Dr Judith Locke ‘Confident and Capable’ Presentation for Kindergarten and New Parents 12:30 – 2pm

We ask for students to arrive each day from 7:45am – 8am as the JS Wellbeing Program commences at 8:10am every morning.

In an effort to build capacity in our older students, we encourage Y5 and Y6 to walk into school each day via the pedestrian gate adjacent to the Kindergarten classrooms.

Pre-Schools’ News – Week 1

Dear Pre-school Families,

We are thrilled to welcome you and your children to Pre-school Orientation Day on Friday, 31 January. Please check your emails for the specific session time allocated to your child. This day is designed to acquaint both parents and children with our School environment, ensuring a smooth and exciting start to their educational journey. Should you have any questions, or require further information, the orientation day is a perfect time to reach out.

We eagerly anticipate the official start of the term on Monday, 3 February. Our team is dedicated to providing a nurturing and enriching experience for every child, fostering growth and learning in a supportive environment.

We look forward to welcoming both new and current families to Pre-school and a fantastic school year ahead!

Kind regards

Abigail McFarlane
Pre-Schools’ Coordinator

Cranbrook Bus

Cranbrook School offers the following subsidised private bus services to students from Monday to Friday during the School term.

For a Semester 1 bus pass, the price is $1,110 per student or you may purchase an annual bus pass at a discounted price of $2,105 per student.

Please use the Humanitix links below to purchase a bus pass:

• Eastern Suburbs – click here.
• Inner West – click here.
• North Shore – click here.

For public transport information please refer to the Transport Information website.

The bus schedules can be found on Cranbrook Connect here.

If you have any questions, please contact bus@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au

Term 1 Events Overview

The Term 1 Events Overview can be found on Cranbrook Connect and here.

CETOP/NEPAL FAMILY FUN DAY

The Cranbrook CETOP Family Fun Day is back on Sunday, 16 March 2025! This exciting day promises a blend of delicious food, exhilarating fun, pet judging AND a chance to DUNK your TEACHERS. Bring your family and friends for a day filled with joy, laughter, and community spirit as we come together to raise funds for CETOP’s initiatives in Nepal and Ladakh. Mark your calendars for this unforgettable Cranbrook event!

Click here to view the flyer. Click here to buy tickets.

Sport Update

All JS students should come to school in their PE uniform on their designated PE day.

It is important that all students are prepared for their first PE lesson in Week 2, as Years 3-6 will be completing their 1200m run in preparation for the upcoming Cross Country Carnival.

Parents with students in Y3-Y6 are reminded that Friday sport training commences in Week 2 on Friday, 7 February with Monday/Tuesday trainings starting in Week 3 on 10 and 11 February. The first round of Summer Sport Saturday fixtures is at the end of Week 3 on Saturday, 15 February.

Please remember that your son’s Sports team and fixture information (including times and venues) is sent out via the Cranbrook Parent App. Please ensure that you have downloaded the App onto your mobile phone.

NBA Basketball School Term 1

The NBA Basketball Term 1 program starts on Tuesday 4 February.

To register, click here.

JS Music News – Week 1

A very warm welcome to you all, particularly new parents to the Junior School. Music in the Junior School plays a very important role in developing the whole-child and our dynamic Music Program provides a vast array of curriculum and performance opportunities to stimulate creativity, ways of thinking, enhance a sense of community and improve well-being in every child. We look forward to fostering your son’s participation and engagement over the course of the year.

Co-curricular Music and Instrumental Lessons 2025
If your son was in a music group for 2024, such as Chamber Choir, JSSO or Concert Band, we assume that he will continue in this group in 2025 unless we are otherwise advised. Please note: Co-Curricular Music ensemble rehearsals and private instrumental lessons commence in Week 3.

How do I enrol my son for private instrumental lessons?
To enrol, please go to the Operoo App and complete the “Learning an Instrument” form found in the “Form Library.” Further questions can be directed to our Music Administrator, Sandra Trew, who rosters and coordinates these lessons: strew@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au

Auditions for Chamber Choir and Cranbrook Voices
All of Year 3 and all new students to the School (in Years 4 to 6) will be auditioned for a potential place in the Chamber Choir. A letter of offer will be given to those whose audition was successful.

Students in Year 5, whom are currently in the Chamber Choir, qualify to audition for a potential place in Cranbrook Voices. Auditions for Voices will take place in the first two weeks of Term, during class or after our first Chamber Choir rehearsal. An email will be sent to parents if their son’s audition is successful.

K-6 Music Morning Concerts
This year, in place of Lunchtime Concerts, we will hold Music Morning Concerts on certain Fridays from 8:00am to 8:30am in Music Room 1. These concerts are open to students in K to 6 who have a piece at performance standard, regardless of level, to perform. It’s always wonderful to hear their great work and witness our students’ progress in an encouraging environment. Instrumental teachers sign up their students, as appropriate, and you will receive an email from me with an invitation to attend should you like to hear your son perform. Please click here for more information.

JS Music events – Term 1
Please see the comprehensive list of JS Music events for Term 1 here. More information will be provided regarding these specific events as the term progresses.

We look forward to wonderful music-making in 2025!

Warmest wishes,

Peter Fox
Head of Music, Junior School