Senior School Link – Week 2, Term 3 2025 - 31 July 2025
Bob Meakin, Head of Senior School / Deputy Headmaster
Dear Parents and Carers,
Today, our Year 8 students sat their Allwell testing, which gives us another academic data point when reviewing progress. The invigilators from Allwell commented on how studious and respectful our students were. Well done, Year 8!
Next week, our Year 12 HSC students commence their Trial examinations and our IBDP students will begin their Mock examinations. Both sets of examinations run for two weeks, and we wish all of our Year 12s every success with these significant exams.
On Tuesday, the annual Inter-House Pitt Dash around the grounds of the School was an incredible race with Harry Keats of Year 9 Street winning in fine style and our Senior winner was our Head Prefect, Huon Groves who almost flew around the course. Congratulations to the overall winners, which were Cutler House.
Our Year 12s organised two-lunchtime performances of Brook’s Got Talent. Both today and yesterday; providing music, on stage skills and stand-up comedy. It was great to see a packed Packer Theatre and an enthusiastic crowd supporting the performers which provided some light relief during the day. Well done to all Students who participated and a special congratulations to Tane Firth who was crowned the winner!
This week we have had many students representing NSW at the School Sport Australia Swimming Championships. Tate Sirianni, Captain of NSW won 3 golds and 1 silver. Thomas Penny in Year 7 won 9 golds and two silvers. Aodhan Taylor also in Year 7 won a gold. Aidan Park Year 9 won 2 bronze medals and Noah Kemp also in Year 9, won 2 bronze medals. These results on a National stage are phenomenal. A special thanks to Daniel Arnamnart and Rebecca Wheatley, Tom Sunter and all of our Swimming staff for these amazing achievements.
Best wishes for our Mooting team; Plai Garnjana-Goonchorn, Mickey Chen, Rupert Tait and Hudson Woolford who will compete in Brisbane this weekend; a special thanks to Nerida Patton who will be coaching and supervising these students.
A final reminder that our Student Directed Productions start tonight and continues tomorrow night in the Drama Performance Room and the John Gaden Studio, commencing at 6:30pm.
Finally, it has been a busy but extremely fulfilling week. Enjoy the week ahead.
Best wishes,
Bob Meakin Head of Senior School / Deputy Headmaster
As Year 11 commence their leadership journeys with the prefect selection process, I spoke with them about the importance they have as the leaders at Cranbrook in our inaugural coeducational year. I used the analogy of how gender changes in romance languages in groups. For example, in Italian, ragazza is one girl, ragazzemore than one girl. But if one boy, or ragazzo, shows up in a group, then it defaults to ragazzi. While I found this strange as a student, for coeducation it serves to remind us that while not everyone will be in a coeducational cohort, the whole school needs to be, think, and act coeducationally. We discussed how conversations, and ‘teachable moments’ with peers can have a real impact on behaviour and culture.
I have every confidence that our current Year 11s will lead us through the first year of coeducation with great integrity and spirit. This spirit was on show on Wednesday night when some of our Year 11 Student Coeducation Committee hosted over 100 Year 10s including the incoming girls for some trivia and dinner. We were very lucky that Dr Johnstone was able to join us to speak to all the students and have an opportunity to meet some of our Year 10s and incoming Year 11 girls. We also heard from Mr Nolan our Director of Service, who spoke to students about the service program at Cranbrook, as well as contributing some curly trivia questions.
Congratulations to Cutler (first place), Hewan (second place) and Wakehurst (third place). A special thank you to Slade Keating, Charlie Harris, Max Scales, and Ed Chubb as well as the other members of the Student Coeducation committee who ran the Trivia night. And to Mrs Stone, Mrs Nilon, and Mrs Fisher, who were instrumental in ensuring phones were not touched during trivia!
We look forward to hosting more coeducational events in the coming weeks and months.
Daisy Turnbull Director of Coeducation
Hannah Thomas, Director of Professional Learning
The Power of Plenaries
At this week’s Staff Fortnightly session, we explored The Power of Plenaries – short, purposeful end-of-lesson activities that help students consolidate understanding, reflect on their thinking, and transition meaningfully through the learning phases.
A heartfelt thank you to Rod Farraway, Phil Beverley, Rukevwe Bateren and Joel Budd for modelling thoughtful and practical plenary strategies. Their examples illustrated how plenaries can serve a wide range of learning goals: from retrieval and retention, reflection and metacognition, and checking for misconceptions, to fostering motivation, peer recognition and deeper learning connections.
During the session, teachers also designed a wide range of creative and transferable plenary activities. These have been compiled into a shared bank of strategies now available for use across all departments.
A key focus of this work is our whole-school approach to student organisation. Teachers are now embedding a brief plenary at the end of every lesson, with students recording a one-sentence reflection in their diary. This consistent routine supports far more than knowledge consolidation; it helps students build sustainable habits of planning, organisation and self-regulation. The diary becomes not only a space for reflection, but a daily tool for managing learning and tracking growth.
Plenaries may only take a few minutes, but when used intentionally and consistently, they become powerful drivers of learning, clarity, and student ownership.
Hannah Thomas Director of Professional Learning
The Class Dashboard
This week, Adam Catchpole delivered an insightful presentation to Cranbrook School teachers on The Class Dashboard, a powerful tool that’s transforming the way we understand and support our students.
Built using Power BI, the Class Dashboard organises key data sets by class, giving teachers a clear, accessible overview of the students they teach. It tracks individual student data on absences, merits, detentions, and each student’s attitude and effort score each term. With just one click, teachers can explore these insights in greater depth, enabling timely, specific conversations that support both learning and wellbeing.
Crucially, the dashboard also provides teachers with an overview of students’ learning needs and the adjustments required to support them, helping to inform differentiated instruction. It also features targeted literacy and numeracy strategies that have been recommended for specific students, allowing teachers to plan more responsively and effectively.
Adam’s presentation guided teachers through the dashboard’s key features and functionality, highlighting how it can be used day to day to support learning. He also shared valuable examples of how he has used the tool himself to inform personalised, evidence-based conversations with students, bringing data to life in meaningful, relational ways.
The Class Dashboard complements the Student Dashboard, also developed by Adam in Power BI, which draws together academic, wellbeing, and co-curricular data to help staff monitor trends and respond proactively.
Together, these tools represent more than just efficient data management — they signal a broader cultural shift. Cranbrook teachers have always been deeply committed to understanding each student as a whole person; now, we have tools that help us do so with even greater precision, insight, and empathy.
Hannah Thomas Director of Professional Learning
Adrian Harrison, Director of Academics – Senior School – Acting
This week, we have been celebrating Languages week. It has been a vibrant celebration of language, culture, and community!
Staff and students have been treated to a week of engaging activities that highlight the richness of French, Chinese, Spanish, Japanese, and Latin cultures. It included Trivia & games, prizes, food tasting and all-around cultural fun. Whether you were a language learner or simply curious, this has been a wonderful opportunity to explore and enjoy the diversity of our global community.
Huge thanks to Mr Navarro and all of the Languages department for putting this event together.
Year 12 examinations
Best of luck to our Year 12 students who will be starting their IB mock and HSC Trial examinations respectively from Monday 4 August – Friday 15 August. Students are reminded to check their schedules and arrive with plenty of time prior to each examination. Should there be any concerns around illness or misadventure during the period they should contact Mr Henriques and Mr Metcalf (and Mr Hanrahan if a Diploma student) as soon as possible.
Adrian Harrison Director of Academics – Senior School – Acting
Angelique Sanders, Director of Student Wellbeing/Acting Deputy Head of Senior School
Week 2 marked the beginning of our Student Wellbeing Program (SWP) for the term, with each year group engaging in meaningful activities designed to support their personal growth and development.
Years 7 and 9 focused on goal setting and reflecting on their Semester 1 reports. This process helps students understand the value of working towards clear, achievable goals and taking ownership of their learning.
Year 8 participated in a workshop with Elephant Ed on safe partying and managing peer pressure—important topics as they navigate social situations with increasing independence.
Year 10 viewed the ABC Compass episode Hijacking Adolescence, which sparked thoughtful conversations about the challenges young people face today. These sessions provide a safe space for students to explore complex issues around what they are exposed to though social media with the guidance of their mentors.
Year 11 heard from Ms Turnbull on leadership in a Co-Educational context and Ms Fletcher on the Prefect application process. They also had the privilege of hearing from former Head Prefect, Casper Broekhuizen, who recently completed a degree in Computer Science at Stanford University. Casper shared insights into the impact of AI on critical thinking, encouraging students to be mindful of how they use technology and to continue developing their problem-solving skills across diverse contexts.
Year 12 gathered for a cohort meeting in preparation for their upcoming Mock and Trial examinations. Our new Head of Counselling, Frances Kospetas, along with Chloe Harrington, spoke to the students about managing stress and using it as a positive force during this busy period.
On Monday, Years 10 and 11 attended sessions with Paul Dillon, a leading expert in drug and alcohol education. Paul provided students with up-to-date, factual information about the effects of various substances so they can make informed decisions. He also emphasised the importance of looking out for one another and how and when to seek help. Parents interested in learning more about Paul’s work can visit his website, DARTA.
Finally, our staff focused on developing students’ organisational and reflection skills during this week’s fortnightly staff meeting, The Power of Plenaries. A key part of this is the effective use of the school diary. Recording homework and reflecting on lessons not only reinforces learning but also builds essential planning habits. We encourage parents of students in Years 7–10 to review their son’s diary weekly and support them in establishing routines for managing tasks and assessments. Mentors are dedicating time each week to help students with this and will be checking that diaries are signed by a parent or carer.
As we move through the colder months, a reminder from the Health Centre that viruses can spread quickly in school environments. It’s especially important to take steps to minimise the risk for vulnerable members of our community. Students must be kept off school and other activities if unwell with cold and flu-like symptoms (runny nose, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, fevers, chills, and/or sweats). If they have a fever, they must be kept home for at least 24 hours after the fever has resolved. They should be kept off school until no longer symptomatic.
To stop the spread of viruses:
avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth
stay at home when sick with cold and flu like symptoms
cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue and sneeze into your elbow instead of your hands.
wash hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing
Angelique Sanders Director of Student Wellbeing/Acting Deputy Head of Senior School
Matt Grice, Director of Sport
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Take your victories, whatever they may be, cherish them, use them, but don’t settle for them. Mia Hamm
Despite waking to steady rain and the early disappointment of cancelling our 1sts and 2nds Tennis fixtures, Saturday turned into a spectacular day of Cranbrook Sport – with the sun eventually breaking through and a wave of outstanding results across the board.
At Hordern Oval, the atmosphere was once again superb. Students, staff, parents, and Old Cranbrookians gathered in force for their reunions, creating a vibrant and memorable home-ground atmosphere. The 1sts and 2nds Rugby and Football teams rose to the occasion, all delivering commanding wins. In a dramatic finish, the 1sts Footballers—who had been plagued by near misses in Term 2—finally turned their luck around, scoring a match-winning goal on the final play to thunderous applause from the Cranbrook faithful.
Meanwhile, congratulations are also in order for our 1sts and 2nds AFL, and 1sts Volleyball teams, who both came away with strong victories. The AFL boys held firm in a tough contest against Barker, reversing their Term 2 result with an impressive 79–33 win, while the Volleyballers delivered a composed and polished performance to get the job done.
A special thank you to St Stanislaus’ College, who made the long trip from Bathurst to play our rugby fixtures and contributed to a high-quality day of schoolboy rugby. Likewise, we acknowledge the competitive and respectful approach shown by St Aloysius’ across Football, Volleyball, and Tennis
Other highlights from the round included a gritty win for the 16Bs Rugby team, a thrilling 5–5 draw for the ever-determined 7Ds Footballers, and a big win for our Intermediate AFL B team, who edged out Newington 74–65 in a cracking game. The Year 10 Tennis boys also had a great morning, winning all their matches, with the tennis department winning 88% of all matches played.
Let’s keep the momentum rolling into next week. A huge thank you once again to our entire community for showing up in such strong numbers—your support really does make all the difference.
2025 Pitt Dash
On Tuesday, our annual 2km Pitt Dash around the school campus saw Huon Groves (Senior) and Harry Keats (Junior) claim individual victories, with Cutler House crowned overall champions. Congratulations to all students who took part in this fantastic event!
We are proud to share that Remy McKay has been selected for the 2025 Australian Age Group Triathlon Team, competing at the World Championships in Wollongong this October. This achievement reflects Remy’s hard work, dedication, and outstanding performances throughout the national qualifying events. We wish Remy every success as they prepare to represent Australia on the world stage!
Cranbrook is excited to host the combined Winter Sports Award Presentation, a special event bringing together the entire Cranbrook community to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the Winter Season. This evening will shine a spotlight on the exceptional performances and dedication of our Winter Sports Teams and individual athletes.
Event Detail: Friday 15th August, 5:30pm – 8pm at Vicars Centenary Hall
The Winter Season fixtures conclude on Saturday 9th August. We then move into our Athletics and Summer Pre-Season period.
Please note there will be no Saturday sport – unless students are part of the Athletics Team during this period.
However, I encourage all students to try out for the Athletics Team. Cranbrook’s Athletics Team provide students an opportunity to develop and enhance their athletics skills, as well as skills related to their specific summer and winter sports. Through regular training and guidance from experienced coaches, they will improve technique, agility, and speed, ultimately becoming a better athlete.
It’s also a great opportunity to train and be part of a group outside their regular summer and winter sports.
Looking forward to seeing everyone around the grounds this weekend.
Matthew Grice Director of Sport P-12
Cranbrook Shines at School Sport Australia Swimming Championships
Five Cranbrook students travelled to Brisbane on Saturday 26 July to represent New South Wales at the School Sport Australia Swimming Championships, held from Monday 28 to Wednesday 31 July. All five boys were selected for the NSW All Schools Swim Team, with Year 12 student Tate Sirianni proudly leading the squad as team captain
Tate Sirianni led the way for Cranbrook at the 2025 School Sport Australia Championships, as Captain, he led with distinction, delivering a dominant performance in the pool. Tate claimed Gold in all three backstroke events 50m, 100m, and 200m, alongside a Silver in the 100m Freestyle, breaking two of his own school records in the 50m & 100m Backstroke.
Not to be outdone, Thomas Penny delivered one of the most remarkable performances of the entire meet. A standout from start to finish, Thomas won more medals than any other athlete, taking home an astonishing nine Golds and two Silvers. He also broke the Australian Record in the 100m Backstroke and bettered one of his own Cranbrook school records in the 50m Backstroke.
Aodhan Taylor earned the title of National Champion in the 50m Butterfly, securing Gold with a time in the 26-second range for only the second time in his career, just narrowly missing his own school record.
Noah Kemp had another phenomenal meet, posting two massive personal bests to earn Bronze medals in both the 50m Butterfly and 50m Backstroke, and finishing 5th in the 100m Backstroke.
Aidan Park also won 2 bronze medals in the Breaststroke events, collecting Bronze in both the 50m and 100m Breaststroke. He narrowly missed his own school records but delivered the second-fastest swims of his career in both races.
In total, Cranbrook swimmers brought home 20 medals, including a staggering 13 Gold, 3 Silver, and 4 Bronze. This highlights another exceptional year for Cranbrook School Swimming with new school records set in over 22 events, with of those records, many of them being broken multiple times by the same students.
Of the 57 swimming records maintained by Cranbrook, 44 have been broken since the opening of the AFC. Just 13 records remain from before the facility’s opening, and in many of those cases, our current students are already swimming faster than the existing times.
We extend our congratulations to all the boys on their phenomenal results and for proudly representing Cranbrook on the national stage.
Tate Sirianni – Year 12 (3 Gold, 1 Silver)
Day 1:
200m Backstroke – Gold (2:04.89)
Day 2:
100m Backstroke – Gold (57.41) – New School Record
Day 3:
50m Backstroke – Gold (26.98) – New School Record
100m Freestyle – Silver (51.72)
Thomas Penny – Year 7 (9 Gold, 2 Silver)
Day 1:
200m Backstroke – Gold (2:12.54)
200m Freestyle – Gold (2:01.53)
200m Medley – Gold (2:14.81)
Day 2:
400m Freestyle – Gold (4:16.88)
200m Butterfly – Gold (2:13.59)
100m Backstroke – Gold (1:01.24) – Australian Record
NSW Medley Relay – Gold
Day 3:
100m Butterfly – Gold (1:00.83)
400m Medley – Gold (4:45.57)
50m Backstroke – Silver (28.90) – New School Record
100m Freestyle – Silver (55.80)
Aodhan Taylor – Year 7 (1 Gold)
50m Butterfly – Gold (26.92)
Aidan Park – Year 9 (2 Bronze)
Day 1:
100m Breaststroke – Bronze (1:07.62)
Day 3:
50m Breaststroke – Bronze (30.09)
Noah Kemp – Year 9 (2 Bronze)
Day 1
50m Butterfly – Bronze (26.41) – New School Record
Day 2:
100m Backstroke – 5th (1:00.79)
Day 3:
50m Backstroke – Bronze (27.80) – New School Record
Daniel Arnamnart Head of Aquatics
Running Lines: Volume 6 2025
As we welcomed St Stanislaus after their three hour bus trip, it was déjà vu from last year. For those that remember, it was one of the coldest and wettest days of the year. It was no different on the morning of this year’s fixture.
Our results were:
Team
Opposition
Result
Win/Loss
1sts
St Stanislaus
39-5
Win
2nds
St Stanislaus
45-5
Win
3rds
St Stanislaus
29-7
Win
4ths
St Stanislaus
27-0
Win
5ths
St Josephs 10th XV
7-40
Loss
6ths
St Josephs 11th XV
7-46
Loss
16A
St Stanislaus
24-5
Win
16B
St Stanislaus
19-12
Win
16C
Bye
–
–
15A
St Stanislaus
20-17
Win
15B
St Stanislaus
32-15
Win
15C
St Stanislaus
17-26
Loss
14A
St Stanislaus
0-44
Loss
14B
St Stanislaus
5-50
Loss
14C
St Stanislaus
19-38
Loss
13A
St Stanislaus
45-24
Won
13B
St Stanislaus
19-22
Loss
13C
St Pius X
5-45
Loss
Player of the Day: Junior Teams (13s, 14s & 15s)- Jesse Lane
Player of the Day: Senior Teams (16s & Opens)- Felix Sheldrick
Rugby All Rounder of the Day (for effort/attitude on and off the field): Harry Middleton
Team of the Day- 4ths
The day kicked off with some early morning action, with the Under 13Cs drying up the early morning dew with action-packed rugby. St Pius’ 13B proved too physical for our 13C boys. Irrespective of the result, some much needed game time for these youngsters was valuable. The 13Bs started on the backfoot conceding two early tries. Stannies had some big ball runners that required more than two Cranbrook boys to bring to ground. Our boys just had to absorb the early pressure and buy their time. They really did manage to compile a recovery plan. However, it was too little too late unfortunately. The 13As continued on their winning ways. A good understanding of the game has allowed these boys to develop over the season. This age group needs to develop some urgency over the next few years. When given the opportunity to attack after a turnover or a penalty, the boys need to be decisive on their next move.
Some great wins across the board, and more so some noticeable camaraderie across the board. All the games were played hard, but most importantly in great spirits.
Special mention must be made to the Under 15 age group. Many of these boys needed to double up because of absence, injury and sickness across our teams. Young Jesse Lane was full of running for both the C and B team. He played fullback and every time he got the ball, he never considered kicking even from his own dead ball. His first instinct was always to run. Near the end of the B team game his legs had tired but his heart kept on going. These boys all put their hands up and put on a great display of running rugby. Well done boys. The 15A side started where the Bs left off and came out the blocks hard and fast. Three tries in the first 10 minutes. However, Stannies managed to claw themselves back in the game. With the score at 17 all and ten to go, the Cranbrook boys need to dig deep to salvage a win here. They managed a penalty to secure a 20-17 win. Big match temperament by these boys.
The open age group enjoyed some fantastic results. The 4ths were an easy pick for the team of the day. For many of these year 12 boys it was their last home fixture. Lead by their dedicated coaches in Mr Hirst and Mr Harrison, these boys lit up the field in all avenues. Instructions would be yelled from the side and the boys followed what they were told. Zain Rashid was providing the backs with some crisp service that set the backs on their way. Playing scrum half is a dream come true with this pack in front of you. Felix Sheldrick, Henry Dawson and Finn Hutchinson were involvedin every play without neglecting their primary roles. Nelson Harvey was full of running and set up some nice counter attack opportunities that the boys managed to convert. A great win for this cohesive group of fourth team boys.
It goes without saying, but when the under 16As play well on Hordern, it sets the tone for the teams afterwards. There is nothing better than watching your school team scoring tries while you are warming up behind the poles. It is a massive school momentum gain taking the field when the team before you have played well and ultimately won their fixture. The 16As had a fantastic victory over Stannies that set the tone for the 3rds to come.
What followed was some scintillating victories from the 3rds, 2nds and 1sts. The 1st XV didn’t have it all their own way in the first half. Our boys were a little impatient in the approach. With the forwards dominating the set piece and all collisions, there just needed to be a better connection between the forwards and backs. The half time talk must have done the job as the boys came out scoring some well worked tries. Many of them in the corners of the field, proving difficult to convert. A special mention to young under 16 Harry Middleton who made his official 1st team debut. Added to this he was dangerous on attack and never defaulted from ‘running everything’. He managed to finish off a well worked try too.
A fantastic day of rugby on display, as the sun came out on Hordern. Well done to all of our boys who represented the school on Saturday. Thanks too must also go to our coaches and managers who have spent many hours organising teams and planning for the weekends fixtures ahead. With the heavy traffic and rainfall over Term 2 and holidays, our ground keepers have once again done an immaculate job to showcase Hordern as one of the best ovals around Sydney.
We look forward to another busy weekend ahead as the Cranbrook army travel to St Gregs and the Central Coast for their weekends fixtures.
Brent Crossley Master in Charge of Rugby
Football Report Term 3 Round 8
Term 3 Round 8, Cranbrook’s football teams delivered impressive performances against St Aloysius College, with 15 wins, 4 draws, and 11 losses across the day.
Year 10 Shine
The Year 10 teams were unstoppable, going undefeated with the 10A and 10B teams both securing wins. Their skill, teamwork, and determination were on full display.
Year 8A’s Unbeaten Run Continues
The Year 8A team continued their impressive unbeaten run, drawing their match against St Aloysius. Their consistency and talent are a testament to their hard work and dedication.
Year 9’s Gritty Effort
The Year 9 teams fought hard against a strong opponent, but unfortunately, were outfought all day. Despite the result, their determination and spirit were evident throughout.
Year 7/s Mixed results
Great win from the 7B’s along with a well-deserved draw for the A’s . It’s not often we hear of games where 10 goals were scored in the match, and we ended in a draw. 5-5 for the mighty 7d team.
1st XI’s Thrilling Win
In a nail-biting finale, the 1st XI secured a 2-1 win on the final whistle. The team’s focus paid off, and they celebrated a well-deserved victory.
The days highlights
– 1st XI: Win 2-1
– 2nd XI: Win
– 10A: Win
– 10B: Win
– 9A: Loss
– 9B: Loss
– 8A: Win
– 8B: Win
– 7A: Draw
– 7B: Win
Overall, it was a fantastic day of football. With plenty more matches to come, we’re excited to see our teams put themselves to the test against Knox next fixture
Cranbrook 1st XI 2 defeated St Aloysius 1
In a refreshing change from recent weeks, our 1st XI team finally broke the trend of walking away with draws or losses when they deserved more. This week, they managed to capitalize on their chances and secured a well-deserved win against St Aloysius.
While we may not have dominated the game, our team’s determination and grit paid off. It was great to see the boys blow out the cobwebs and get back in the winners’ circle.
*Benny the Chef Olschewski Steals the Show*
In a thrilling finale, Benny “The Chef” Olschewski scored the winning goal with the last kick of the game. What a moment! It’s fantastic to see our players making an impact and contributing to the team’s success.
*Looking Ahead*
With this momentum, we’re excited to take on Knox under the Friday night lights. The boys are pumped and ready to give it their all. Let’s keep the winning streak going!
Our 2nd XI before their win against St Aloysius
Cranbrook 2nd XI 1 defeated St Aloysius 2nd XI 0
Tough week for children of the 80s, first Ozzy then Hulk Hogan. To make us all feel better the 2nd XI took us all back to a time when magazines were always three months out of date and the choice on Saturday night was between watching The Two Ronnies or being paralyzed by indecision at the video store. A time when restaurants advertised serving both Chinese and Australian food, people still ate choko, and Bubble-O-Bill proved that more is not always better. It was a time when computer games came on cassette tape and cars had heaters but no air conditioning, perfect for a midsummer drive up the Old Pacific Highway to see Nan and Pop for some tea cake and Earl Grey tea. It was also the time of Arrigo Sacchi’s Active 4-4-2 formation which made AC Milan champions of Europe and inspired the 2nd XI’s Round 8 performance. Like Sacchi’s Milan we opted for a 3 line formation and a match plan predicated on ensuring our lines were no further than 25 yards apart from front to back (The 80s was also a time when people could comfortably read analogue clocks and communicate distances, size and weight in either the metric or imperial systems). The boys started brilliantly as Harry Sewell, Luke Brady, Ayrton Palmer (the King of Monaco), and Renzo Balagna worked together to allow us dominate possession and territory on the right side. Even better when St Aloysius’s 2nd XI was able to set its defense, we escaped its numbers as Harry Sewell would pass to Renzo at 9, who passed back to Harry Wilcockson who switched to Lachie Read at Left Centre Back. Lachie Read would then drive into space and allow us to attack down the left. If you are a student of Milan in the 1980s and 1990s, you’ll know that their attacks began with centre back Franco Baresi driving into the midfield and passing directly to Ruud Gullit and Marco Van Basten. It was this that we copied from Sacchi, with Lachie Read driving into the midfield and passing directly to the King of Monaco (Ayrton Palmer) who demonstrated great patience before setting Renzo free with a perfectly weighted ball forward. From there Renzo won a corner. It was the creator of such diverse works as Three Standing Figures (1947) and Another Three Standing Figures (1963) Henry Moore who whipped in the corner which Renzo slotted home. 1 – 0. It could have been two when Henry Moore played a diagonal ball to Renzo who passed back to Kai Crotty at 6, who found Jordi Singh, who passed to Harry Sewell, who then passed to the King of Monaco. In goal Josh Chidiac was at his best. By and large the most serious threat we faced was from free kicks, but Josh was up to that challenge, like Giovanni Galli he was quick off his line and superb in the air. And his distribution was outstanding! In particular, he allowed us to launch counter attacks by throwing or kicking directly to Harry Golovsky and Henry Moore. Perhaps my only disappointment was that Harry Golovsky didn’t get the goal he deserved. After cutting the defensive line with a driving run and close control, Harry found Renzo Balagna with a beautiful pass. Renzo contested the ball with St Aloysius’s goalkeeper who made a good save. The ball bounced back to Harry, who finished from 25 yards. Unfortunately, the goal was ruled out. Special note should be made of Kai Crotty and Luke Brady who dominated the midfield. For Kai it was his first game at 6 since he was a wee lad, and Luke played by far his best 2nd XI game. They won the ball in the air and on the ground, they shielded the back three, and they connected us back to front, and side to side. What a performance! The King of Monaco was unlucky not to score when his shot went narrowly wide of the left post. In the second half, Thomas Plavsic came on at right wing back and made a Ned Zelic style run through Aloys defensive line and Sun Yuan Hare was too fast and physical for both Aloys right and left sides. And though short, Archie Neeham showed that he belongs in senior football. Finally, a brief shout out and ice block to three players. Firstly, Henry Moore whose intensity set the tone for the match, secondly, Harry Wilcockson who controlled the defensive lines like Franco Baresi, and finally to Kai Crotty who demonstrated that when you believe in yourself, work hard and listen to feed back you can achieve. Henry you win a Scribbler, Harry you get a Cool Shark and Kai you win a Return of the Jedi. Me … I’ll be savoring a Razz and watching highlights of a young Tony Canning running around for Bangor in the Irish First Division.
Ben Rollison Head of Football
Andrew Benson, Head of Drama
This week we saw the work of our senior Drama students on display with the Student Directed Programme. This stands as the cornerstone of the Senior School Drama experience. More than just a showcase of performance, it is a powerful exercise in student agency, voice, and leadership. In this program, our senior Drama students take the reins as directors – collaborating with their peers to bring bold, original, and thoughtful work to life on stage.
This initiative empowers students to shape their own artistic visions, guiding every element from casting and rehearsals to staging and interpretation. It challenges them to think critically and creatively, to lead with empathy, and to problem-solve in real time. In doing so, they develop not only their directorial skills but also their confidence, resilience, and ability to inspire others.
At its heart, the Student Directed Programme celebrates collaboration. It is a space where student directors and actors work as equals, building meaningful theatre together and demonstrating the very best of what drama education can be. It reflects the values of our school and exemplifies the transformative power of student-led learning in the arts. We congratulate our student directors Slade Keating, Lachlan Mattner, Will Holland, Hugo Cardonnel, Thomas Gascoine, Aarya Mistry and Thomas McCallum. Each of these directors led their casts with courage, vision, and dedication.
This term we welcome our Junior School to the Packer Theatre with James and the Giant Peach in Week 8 of this term. Under the expert direction and creativity of Ms Boniface this is a highlight of our school drama journey where students get to be involved in a large-scale production. Always creative, bold and fun, this is an event that brings joy to our families in the junior school and an event I encourage you all to support by attending.
The Middle Years Production of Treasure Island started rehearsals this week and with a large cast of 37 students under the direction of Mr. Riorden it will be a swashbuckling adventure to round out the year for Cranbrook Drama. Tickets will be on sale soon for performances on 6 – 9 November 2025 in the Packer Theatre.
Andrew Benson Head of Drama
City2Surf Volunteering – Service in Action
On Sunday 10 August, up to 100 Cranbrook students and multiple staff will have the chance to take part in something bigger than themselves—not by running the City2Surf, but by cheering from the sidelines while manning the drink station outside the school gates.
Volunteering at the City2Surf offers a unique opportunity to live out the values at the heart of our Service Learning program: community, compassion, and contribution. By cheering on thousands of runners and supporting the inspiring charity Running for Premature Babies, students will be part of a collective effort to raise awareness and funds for newborns and their families.
Service isn’t always about grand gestures—it’s often about showing up, giving your energy to support others, and recognising your role in a broader community as an agent of change. Being part of this day means encouraging strangers, lifting tired spirits, and standing in solidarity with those running for a cause.
This is what meaningful service looks like: simple, powerful, and deeply human.
Students are encouraged to step up and be part of the City2Surf volunteer team by registering at the link emailed to them earlier this week.
It’s more than a fun day out—it’s a way to give back, grow, and be changed by the experience and we look forward to seeing lots of enthusiastic faces there on the day!
Aaron Nolan Acting Director of Service
Remembering the 80s – Our Best NSWJCL Chess Performance Since 1985
In Term 2, the Cranbrook chess teams played in their respective age-divisions for the first stage of the state championships.
The competition began with a bye for the Senior team and matches for the Intermediates and Juniors. The Intermediates convincingly defeated Corpus Christi Maroubra 3-1, (having forfeited a game, due to lacking a player). The Juniors drew their match 2-2 against Reddam House, an impressive first showing for many of our players.
The following week, the Seniors had their debut against top seeds Sydney Grammar A. A gaggle of Year 12 students turned up to support the team, and particularly James Xylas, who was making his Senior debut on Board 4. Cranbrook ended up winning the match on tiebreak after a victory on the top board and two draws on the lower boards collected enough points to take home the match. Meanwhile, in the Intermediate and Junior divisions, we scored another match win, and unfortunately, a loss in the Juniors. Although the Intermediates managed to outplay their combative opponents from Sydney Tech 3-1 (with another forfeit loss), Sydney Grammar A proved too prepared for our Junior players and we unfortunately lost that match 3.5-0.5, with the draw being scored by Maurya Mehta (Year 8) on Board 3!
With an excellent start to the season, spirits were high for our incoming matches, and our results matched our attitude! We scored an impressive 12-0 record against teams from Marcellin and Ascham, which propelled each team closer to the finals.
The following week was a strange match, where although the Seniors and Intermediates were scheduled for a match with Waverley, only three players out of eight turned up; two from the Seniors and one from the Intermediates. Because of this, both Cranbrook teams had already won their matches, and the only thing in contention was tiebreak points!
Meanwhile, the Juniors had a tougher match against Fort Street, where our own Kenneth Rhee played against Australia No. 27, FM Yifei Hu. Kenneth managed to play an excellent game against someone with so much experience, and I’m sure it was a very educational experience to play against such a player.
In the same match, we had a new player join the Junior team, who salvaged half a point against the strong Fort Street team. Magnus would go on to win/draw his remaining games and meet the criteria for an EQV. This is Magnus Blackstone, from Year 7, not Magnus Carlsen, (although that could be argued)!! He was winning but a draw is a very commendable result against Fort Street, and he should be feeling very accomplished.
In Round 5, both the Seniors and the Juniors played Emmanuel while the Intermediates played top seed of their division, Sydney Grammar A! On home turf, Cranbrook decisively won on Boards 1, 2 and 4 to ensure a 3-1 victory against their top team, while in the Juniors, the match was even more convincing after two forfeits, and we took home the win 4-0 after Maurya and Kenneth defeated their opponents on Board 1 and 2.
Meanwhile at Sydney Grammar, the Intermediates had an intense match against one of the most refined teams in the state. Unfortunately, a player on the Intermediate squad had not shown up, so we were already playing with a one point deficit. Although there was some turmoil on Board 2 involving a dispute on the touch-move rule and the use of the clock, the match went otherwise, rather undisturbed. The first result came back as a loss for Cranbrook on Board 2, but following this, Rupert Rust managed to flag his opponent on Board 1 in a drawn position, and scored a valuable win! It all boiled down to Board 3 where Peter Wang was in a winning position against somebody twice his rating! Unfortunately, time pressure got to our player and we unfortunately lost the final game, sealing the match 3-1 in Sydney Grammar’s favour.
Our penultimate match was a really important one. All teams played Scots at Cranbrook, and we all knew this match would be incredibly important; not only for this competition but for the Battle of Bellevue Hill next term. This match has been going on for decades between Cranbrook and Scots, and happens in mid-late Term 3. Our result here would give us an idea of what we can expect to happen then. In the Seniors, Ewan and I won our matches, but unfortunately, on Board 2, we lost from a won position after time pressure mounted on our player. We also lost on Board 3 from a drawn endgame, where at the end of the day, the more experienced player came out on top. Therefore, we drew that match 2-2. However, results were better in the Intermediates and the Juniors, with the Juniors winning their match on tiebreak and the Intermediates winning their match outright 2.5-1.5, with a draw on Board 1 against Deves Manoji.
And so it came to the final round. At that point, only the Seniors were in contention for the top spot in the division, leading it by half a point against Sydney Grammar, with Sydney Grammar having to face Scots while Cranbrook had a match against Marcellin Randwick. Meanwhile in the other two divisions, Cranbrook was fighting for some important placement
points. The Intermediates division was strange, as although they were three points behind Sydney Grammar, they were also four points ahead of third place! The Juniors were currently in 4th, but were fighting for 3rd with their final match against Scots.
In the Juniors, we managed to draw the other Scots team, which eventually jettisoned us into third place when the third placed team, Scots A lost their match 4-0 against Sydney Grammar.
In the Intermediates, we defeated Sydney Boys with a score of 3-1, with wins on Boards 2,3 and 4. This cemented Cranbrook’s standing in the Intermediate division, placing us in a convincing second place.
Finally, in the Seniors, a match win was necessary against Marcellin, to win our division. The first result was scored on Board 1, where Marcellin top board, Max Jansson resigned after losing a rook. Following this, (not long after), two wins on Board 2 and 3 came in as wins for Cranbrook, meaning we had already won the match, but a positive result on Board 4 would simply confirm it. James Xylas, who remained undefeated throughout the season, played an intense and dynamic game. In a sharp position with chances on both sides, he ultimately offered a draw to protect his potential eligibility for Colours which was met by laughter from both teams. Marcellin now thinks that Colours are “cool coloured stripes on a blazer”, (which isn’t entirely wrong!) The Seniors therefore won their match 3.5-0.5 against Marcellin, advancing us to the finals, the first stage of which will be played on August 1 against Sydney Boys A.
Throughout the season, seven players went undefeated, with two of them winning every game they played.
Congratulations to all players for their excellent results. Below are the results for each division.
If you would like to play chess during lunch or come support us while we play at school; we are always in V4.07, and if anyone is around on Friday evening in Week 6 or 7, keep a lookout for the Battle of Bellevue Hill! Bring your posters and school spirit and let’s win back that cup!
TeamMembers:
Seniors:
Board 1: Will Wenderoth
Board 2: William Hambly
Board 3: Ewan Walker
Board 4: James Xylas
Reserves: Oscar Peak, Bo Campion
Intermediates:
Board 1: Rupert Rust
Board 2: Sam Farquhar
Board 3: Etienne Roux Board 4: Peter Wang
Reserves: Rahul Jacob, Joey Olschewski
Juniors:
Board 1: Kenneth Rhee
Board 2: Ayan Cheong
Board 3: Maurya Mehta
Board 4: Magnus Blackstone
Reserves: Edward Jonkman
Comments from the team:
“This term has not only been a complete success, with many players receiving recognition for their performances. It was a very fun way to spend lunches, and to enjoy a Friday afternoon!” – Rupert Rust (Y10)
“In my game against Sydney Grammar A, my opponent mistakenly thought his queen was trapped. I quickly offered a draw, which he accepted, not realising he was actually winning! It was funny but I felt bad for him afterward.” – Maurya Mehta (Y8)
“To everyone who’s been part of the Cranbrook Chess Club, thank you. We welcome all chess enthusiasts to join us in V4, where the game continues, and so does the journey to victory.” – William Hambly (Y11)
“Chess is more than a board game, it is a mirror of life itself” – Ayan Cheong (Y8)
“I am very grateful to all the people who have been attending the chess club in order to play the game. I am also incredibly thankful to all members of the chess team, and I am very proud of our performance and results!” – Will Wenderoth (Y11)
This year marks 20 years of CETOP, two decades of journeys taken, friendships formed, lives changed, and communities connected across Nepal, Ladakh and here at home.
To honour this milestone, we invite everyone who has been part of the CETOP story – past travellers, teachers, parents, committee members, and supporters to come together for a special evening of connection and celebration.
Whether you were part of the very first trip or joined us just last year, this is a chance to reconnect with the people you shared those moments with, celebrate the group you travelled or worked alongside, and reflect on all we’ve achieved together.
You might even like to reach out to the group you travelled with and come along together. It’s the perfect excuse to reconnect, reminisce and be part of a night that brings the whole CETOP community together again.
Event Details
Date: Friday 8 August
Time: 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Location: The Field at Easts Rugby Club
Tickets: $50 per person. Children under 12 $30. Click here for tickets. Bookings are essential – please RSVP before Friday, 1st August
Please note that any students under 18, whether they have attended past trips or are interested in future one, must be accompanied by a parent or carer at this event, as alcohol will be present on site.
If you are a parent whose son has now left Cranbrook, please do pass this invitation on to him. We would love to see as many of our past travellers there as possible.
And for those who have travelled to Nepal, we have something truly special to share. Our beloved guide and dear friend Jigme will be joining us all the way from Nepal. For so many of us, Jigme is at the heart of the CETOP experience, and having him with us to celebrate this milestone will make the evening even more meaningful
We truly hope you can join us for this special gathering of the CETOP community.
