Senior School Link – Week 4, Term 1 2025 - 20 February 2025
Michele Marquet, Acting Head of School
Dear Parents and Carers,
One of the School’s underpinning values is respect. In Pre-school and Junior School, it is articulated as ‘Expect and Model Respect’ and in Senior School, with their growing maturity, the concept is expressed as ‘Model and Expect Respect’.
Respect is at the core of all human relationships: its presence or absence determines the way we treat others and the way they treat us.
From the time our youngest Cranbrookians join us in Pre-school, teaching them about what respect looks, sounds and feels like has to be part of our curriculum. Although some may say respect is how you feel about a person or an environment, you see it demonstrated in the words spoken and actions taken. At every age, as our children grow up, new situations will be faced and can challenge their understanding of respect. It is vital that we work out with them what respect looks like in each of those contexts, so respect is not a concept understood once but many times over. School and family must work together to help our young people grow into adults who genuinely respect others as a core belief, one that flows from an acknowledgement that all humans deserve a certain level of respect just because they are human. A respect for others starts with a healthy sense of self-respect – something our Student Wellbeing Programme across the School aims to foster.
To help our students understand what respect looks like in our School context, we have Student Codes of Conduct for both Junior School and Senior School. These are also printed in the students’ diaries. As we start the year, parents might like to talk through with their child what these codes are about and why they are important. Understanding what the expectations are in different contexts helps us to know what to do and say. Of course, we have a Codes of Conduct for the adults in our School community too – respect is a two-way street – and our values are for all who are part of our community at Cranbrook. There is one for our Staff, and the Parent Code of Conduct can be found here. We cannot underestimate the power of adult modelling for young people when it comes to respect. How the adults in their world respond to others, address challenging situations, resolve conflict or disagreements and approach problem solving positively, speaks volumes to our children, no matter what their age. In a world that increasingly models incivility, the role families and schools can play to demonstrate a different and more humane approach can only be good.
By understanding what respect looks like in our School’s context, we can help all members of our community to interact with each other in a way that will bring better outcomes for all and we show our children a different way to resolve problems that might arise. We are incredibly grateful to our parent community who embraces this partnership and challenge wholeheartedly.
We look forward to a busy and productive week ahead.
Kind wishes
Michele Marquet Acting Head of School
Bob Meakin, Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School
Dear Parents and Carers
Last Friday 14 February, we saw Cranbrook Basketball host St Aloysius. The evening commenced with the 10ths team playing Scots followed by the 2nds and 1sts playing St Aloysius. It was great to see two wins from the three fixtures in front of a very spirited and vocal home crowd that clearly enjoyed the occasion. What a wonderful night!
On Monday, the Senior School hosted its Swimming Carnival and Multi-Sport Day on campus. It is wonderful to be able to host our inter-House swimming competition on-site in our fantastic Aquatic Centre. The House participation rate was superb in the both the pool and the oval. Results will be announced next week in Assembly.
The Pastoral theme of ‘Courage’ is being explored in mentor time, and I am aware that for some students, swimming requires a great deal of courage to participate. To the non-competitive and weaker swimmers in the School, I salute your efforts for participating on Monday.
On Tuesday evening our Year 7 parents received all the information they need for the upcoming CITF excursion to Tharwa. Again, on the theme of courage, for many of our Year 7 students, CITF is a real challenge. For many students this is their first time in the great outdoors and certainly the first time they will spend a week without any home comforts, in all weathers. I wish all Year 7 students well with their preparations.
E-Bikes notice If your son uses an E-Bike to get to school, may I ask that they please use the many bike racks around the campus rather than parking in an area where they may seem as convenient but is an obstacle for many. Also, there have been two accidents so far this term. Both students were not at fault, but it is a stark reminder to follow all E-Bike safety regulations, including the wearing of a helmet.
Mobile phones As you are aware, the School changed its mobile phone policy with no phones on students throughout the day. Whilst there have been few who have tested this rule, the majority have embraced this new policy, and I thank the student population for embracing this change.
Next Thursday 27 February we see the Welcome to Year 11 and 12 Colleges from 6pm – 6.30pm followed by the CSPA Parents Social, where all are welcome.
Have a great week.
Best wishes
Bob Meakin Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School
Adrian Harrison, Acting Director of Academics
NAPLAN Testing for Years 7 and 9: Important Information for Parents As we approach the NAPLAN testing period, I would like to provide you with important information regarding the assessments for our Year 7 and 9 students.
NAPLAN assesses the literacy and numeracy skills that students are learning through the school curriculum and allows parents/carers to see how their child is progressing against national proficiency standards. NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process. It does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance, but it can provide teachers with more information about students’ educational progress.
Information was sent to families this week regarding NAPLAN for 2025. Families requiring adjustments or withdrawal from this testing will need to contact the school. A reminder these are due Friday 21 February. Please direct the requests to psimpson@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au.
Testing Schedule This year’s NAPLAN will be conducted on Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 March. It will be conducted entirely online. This allows for more precise assessment of student abilities and faster delivery of results. Students will complete four tests across the following areas:
Reading
Writing
Conventions of Language (spelling, grammar, and punctuation)
Numeracy
More information will be shared with students and families in coming weeks. Should you have any questions please reach out to Mr Stephen Henriques our Director of Curriculum, shenriques@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au.
Adrian Harrison Acting Director of Academics
Hannah Thomas, Director of Professional Learning
Bridging Research and Practice: Action Research at Cranbrook
In our first Cranbrook Teachers Talking Teaching (CTTT) session of the term, I had the pleasure of collaborating with Mackenzie Pedersen to share our 2024 Teacher Inquiry Group (TIG) action research projects. This initiative has given us the opportunity to explore, question, and refine our practice through evidence-based inquiry, deepening our understanding of what truly makes an impact in the classroom.
I kicked off the session with my project: Writing to Read: Enhancing Analytical Skills through Creative Writing in Secondary Education.
Over my 14 years as an English teacher, I’ve seen students struggle with literary analysis, particularly in articulating the impact of literary and linguistic devices. Meanwhile, creative writing is often sidelined, despite its potential to deepen engagement with texts.
So, I asked: could creative writing improve students’ analytical skills?
To test this, I worked with a mixed-ability Year 8 class, embedding scaffolded creative writing tasks within an analytical unit. The results were clear:
Students who experimented with literary devices in their own writing showed a 7.1% improvement in analysing those same devices in texts.
They reported greater confidence, engagement, and connection to the process of literary analysis.
This reinforces what I’ve always believed: reading and writing work in synergy. Integrating creative writing into analytical instruction doesn’t just make analysis more accessible; it makes it more meaningful.
Mackenzie then presented her research: Why Aren’t Students Asking Questions? Can This Skill Be Taught?
Her study found that students overwhelmingly ask closed, superficial questions, often seeking validation rather than deeper understanding. Fear of peer judgment was a major barrier.
To address this, she implemented Question Formulation Technique (QFT) with Year 7 and Year 9 science classes, explicitly teaching students how to craft open-ended questions. The results?
Year 9 students showed a notable increase in higher-order questioning.
However, their confidence in asking teachers for help declined, highlighting the need for more than just instruction: a supportive, inquiry-driven classroom culture is essential.
Her findings emphasise the importance ofteacher modelling, engagement strategies, and fostering a classroom environment where curiosity thrives.
A huge thank you to Tara Schmidtke for overseeing TIG and to Dr Shani Hartley for her guidance throughout these projects. Research-driven teaching is powerful, and I’m excited to see how these insights continue to shape our practice.
Hannah Thomas Director of Professional Learning
Daisy Turnbull, Director of Coeducation and Academy
For International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025, the theme is March Forward. As IWD falls on Saturday 8 March, we will be celebrating on Thursday 6 March from 7am-8.15am in the Packer Theatre at our Senior School campus.
Cranbrook has always been proud of our compulsory Sports programme, encouraging all students to participate in teams for not only their physical, but mental health, as well as social skills and overall wellbeing. From Year 3 to Year 12, all Cranbrookians, boys (and girls from 2026) participate in Saturday Sport.
For this reason, we are delighted to welcome Isabella Nasser, Captain of the Australian Women’s Rugby Sevens team to speak to our community on how women’s sport is marching forward.
A second-generation Australian Rugby representative creating her own legacy, Isabella Nasser is an undeniable star on the rise in our Aussie Women’s Sevens team!
A talented multi-sport athlete growing up, Bella’s start in Sevens was inspired by the Women’s Gold medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016, and her rise was rapid.
Bella first represented Queensland just two years into her career, before taking on a leadership role in the Australia A team and ultimately making her senior debut in Cape Town Sevens Tournament in 2022.
The dynamic #10 has played in 14 tournaments to date, and having recently returned from her first Olympic Games campaign, is now set to lead this next generation of Australian Women’s Sevens success, having recently been elevated to the role of Captain.
A passionate traveller, student and authentically herself, Bella also values the balance provided by life away from footy and is driven to make an impact both on and off the field.
Daisy Turnbull Director of Coeducation and Academy
IB MYP Update
Cranbrook School recently hosted a highly successful International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) meeting, bringing together schools from across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. This event provided a valuable platform for educators to discuss key topics and share best practices.
Key Topics of Discussion:
Integration and Preparation: Strategies for smoothly transitioning Primary Years Programme (PYP) students through to the Diploma Programme (DP) and HSC equally.
Supporting Personal Project Participants: Best practices for guiding students through their Personal Projects, ensuring they receive the support they need to succeed and reflecting on last year’s external moderation.
Interdisciplinary Units: Exploring various methods of delivering interdisciplinary units to enhance student learning and engagement in true and authentic contexts.
MYP Enhancements: Updates on the latest enhancements to the MYP from the International Baccalaureate Organisation, aimed at improving the overall educational experience.
Simultaneously, our Head of Science, Rukevwe Bateren, hosted a meeting with the science departments from each participating school. The focus was on the rollout of the new NESA curriculum among NSW schools. Further discussions included comparing assessment schedules, methods, and pedagogies across different science classrooms and contexts. A key focus was delivery of Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills and mapping these across a continuum of development.
I would like to extend my thanks to Rukevwe Bateren and her dedicated team—Mackenzie Pedersen, Jesse Douglass, and Rhys Briscoe-Hough—for their hard work and commitment in making this day a resounding success.
Erin Munn IB MYP Coordinator
Angelique Sanders, Director of Student Wellbeing/Acting Deputy Head of Senior School
This week in SWP, our Year 12 students engaged in an insightful session titled “What I Wish I Knew.” Louis Gordon and D’Arcy Richardson interviewed four Cranbrook graduates from 2019 to 2022: Tobey Holland, Matt Drielsma, Max Epstein, and Jack Smith. These graduates have embarked on diverse paths, encompassing university, jobs, and various life experiences. They shared their journeys and offered invaluable tips on school, university, part-time jobs, networking, social challenges, travel, gap years, and seizing opportunities. The students appreciated hearing from recent Cranbrook graduates.
Meanwhile, our Year 11 students continued their session on unlocking potential, delving into more study skills with Mr. McDonnell and Ms. Fletcher.
Years 8-10 focused on using courage to develop their social and emotional skills during their mentor group sessions. These activities are designed to help students navigate the complexities of adolescence and build resilience.
Year 7 had a cohort meeting with Mr. Pyle, where they explored the concept of “Being Your Authentic Self.” They were introduced to the idea of individual strengths and the importance of recognising and celebrating the unique qualities each student brings to our community.
Angelique Sanders Director of Student Wellbeing/Acting Deputy Head of Senior School
Matt Grice, Director of Sport
Dear Parents and Guardians
House Swimming and Multi-Sport Day 2025
I’d like to thank all students for making House Swimming and Multi-Sport Day such a huge success. I’d personally like to thank Mr Lewis and Ms Wheatley for their countless hours of preparation. It was great to see all students and a large number of staff having a wonderful time as they participated in the activities that were provided. We eagerly await next week’s School assembly to learn the House winners of the day. View photo gallery here.
Friday Night Lights Basketball
The turnout for Friday Night Lights was arguably the largest in Cranbrook Basketball history. The energy in the VCH was electric, with school spirit at an all-time high. It wasn’t just about the game; it was a celebration of the sport, the athletes, and the school community coming together to show their support. The crowd was loud, passionate, and fully engaged in every moment of the action, making for an unforgettable atmosphere. I’d like to thank all students, staff, parents, and guardians who attended and made it such a memorable experience.
Congratulations to St Aloysius for their hard-fought victory in the 1sts, which was a tight and intense contest from start to finish. Both teams gave their all, but St Aloysius managed to edge out the win. However, it’s important to acknowledge the outstanding progress the Cranbrook 1sts have made this season. They’ve shown continuous improvement in every game, and I have no doubt that their dedication and hard work will eventually lead to the results they deserve. The effort they’ve put in is commendable, and as the season progresses, I’m confident they’ll continue to grow and excel.
The 2nds, on the other hand, delivered an extraordinary performance that left everyone in awe. After suffering a tough 50-point loss to St Aloysius in Round 1, they showed incredible resilience and determination. In the return leg, they flipped the script and secured a remarkable 15-point victory – a true testament to their grit and ability to adapt. This turnaround is a perfect example of what can happen when you stay focused, trust in your abilities, and keep pushing, no matter the challenges you face. It’s moments like these that highlight the unpredictability and excitement of the game, proving that once that whistle blows, anything can happen.
1sts Basketball
A special mention must be made to our Opens 10ths Basketball team who played their 1sts Friday night lights game against Scots. The game was fierce and exciting with the mighty 10ths holding off a fast finish Scots team for a 1-point win. I’d like to thank both teams for the great sportspersonship during the game and the Cranbrook spectators who turned up early to watch this fantastic event.
Mighty 10ths
Speed and Agility 2025
This past Friday, our Speed & Agility sessions kicked off at 6.30am on Hordern, and it was a fantastic start to the weekend! The event, hosted by our dedicated strength and conditioning team, welcomed a diverse group of participants, from beginners to seasoned athletes, all eager to improve their skills and fitness levels.
The program, which is free for all attendees, is designed to accommodate individuals of all skill levels and athletic abilities. Participants were treated to an energetic and encouraging environment that helped everyone push their limits and improve their speed, agility, and overall fitness.
Not only was it a great way to get in some early morning exercise, but it also provided an excellent opportunity for students and staff to come together, work on their athletic goals, and motivate each other. The positive energy and camaraderie were palpable, and many participants left feeling stronger, faster, and more confident in their abilities.
We’re excited to see this initiative grow, and we encourage everyone – students and staff alike – to join in on the next session! If you’re looking to improve your fitness, boost your athletic performance, or simply have fun, Speed & Agility at 6.30am on Hordern is the place to be.
Looking forward to seeing even more participants tomorrow– let’s continue to get stronger, faster.
Speed & Agility
Mastering Mental Skills for Athletic Excellence Seminar
Cranbrook Sport is excited to announce an upcoming seminar titled “Mastering Mental Skills for Athletic Excellence” with Mark Zimmermann. This is an incredible opportunity for all Cranbrook students to enhance their mental resilience and performance in sports.
Mark Zimmermann is a three-time published author, including an Amazon #1 Best Seller (Winners Mindset), Mark’s expertise has inspired many athletes to achieve their goals. He is also the host of the ON THE MARK podcast, which delves into the world of sports, life, and mindset, offering valuable insights to athletes and leaders alike.
The seminar will cover key topics, including:
“Me” vs “Me” Mindset: Learning to overcome personal challenges and develop a winning mindset.
Building Resilience, Grit, & Mental Toughness: Developing the mental strength needed to succeed in both sports and life.
Managing Emotions: Strategies to control emotions under pressure.
Dealing with Disappointments & Setbacks: How to recover and learn from setbacks to keep moving forward.
These sessions will be free of charge, and we strongly encourage all Cranbrook students to attend. It’s a great chance to gain valuable insights and practical tools to improve not only athletic performance but overall mental well-being.
The sessions will be held in the Packer Theatre from 6.45am to 7.45am on the following dates:
Monday 24 February: Years 11 & 12
Tuesday 25 February: Years 9 & 10
To Note:
Summer Sports Awards, Friday 14 March 2025 – tickets are now on sale here.
A reminder that Clipboard shows your sports and co-curricular training sessions as well as fixtures – it will also notify of any venue changes or updates.
The T1 2025 Co-Curricular and Sport Schedule can be found here.
Winter Sport Selection was emailed to all students this week. If students would like to change their Winter Sport Choice, they are asked to complete theWinter Sport Selection Form before Thursday 27 February 2025
Sports Resources – contain essential information regarding sports events, schedules and important updates for the year ahead
For the first time in the history of Friday Night Lights basketball at Cranbrook, a third game was added to the evening’s schedule. The ‘Battle of the Hill’ saw our mighty 10ths up against our neighbour and rival Scots College as the curtain raiser for the 2nds in what turned out to be a brilliant game. The battle featured see-sawing momentum changes, and as the crowd grew so did both teams’ energy.
After leading 22-10, our team went into cruise control too early, allowing Scots to come back and level the scores at 24 each with 2 and a half minutes on the clock. The ‘Brookie Boosters’ in the crowd got behind our team, inspiring them to take it up another notch.
With 1:10 remaining we scored a vital bucket. The excitement was short lived, however, after a foul gave Scots 3 free throws with 25 seconds left. As the crowd stood in stunned silence, Scots managed to score 1 of the free throws, putting the score at 26-25. Our possession lasted just 10 seconds before an unlucky turnover had Scots on the attack for the final 15 seconds. Some scrambling defence and a healthy dose of good fortune allowed us to get away with the win, 26-25. Congratulations 10ths!
The low-scoring affair was a highly entertaining curtain raiser for our 2nds, and a brilliant opportunity for our 10ths to play in front of a stand full of their peers. We’d like to thank Scots for accepting our offer to host our first Friday triple-header, and hope to continue this tradition into the future.
Tennis
Saturday saw Cranbrook take on St Aloysius at home. The 1st team were always going to have a tough task against a very strong team. The boys started well in their doubles matches with chances to win some sets but just wasn’t to be. Marc Perilli played some great tennis along with Mickey Chen is their singles with both players just coming up short losing 4-6 in both matches. The 2nd team wanted to improve their overall play from the previous week and they did just that. Special mention to Oli Berger and Josh Yee who both played extremely well in both singles and doubles against some difficult opponents. The team won 7-1 overall. The 3rd and 4th teams both won 6-0 overall with Will Holland the stand out player of the teams winning at tricky singles match 6-1. The 5th team won 5-1 overall whilst the 6th team had a thriller with both teams tying 3-3 and 22 games each.
The Year 10 teams were too strong for their opponents with the A, B and D teams all winning 6-0 overall with special mention to Spencer Tang who showed great resilience to get the wins in both singles and doubles. The C team won 5-1 overall to complete a clean sweep for the year group.
The Year 9 boys followed suit with the A and C teams winning 6-0 with special mention to Doug Murray who played some fantastic tennis. The B and D teams also completed a clean sweep winning 4-2 overall.
The Year 8 boys struggled on the weekend with the A team losing 2-4 overall but not without a great showing from Kailu Kurnadi winning both singles and doubles. The B team were outplayed losing 1-5 whilst the C team lost 0-6.
The Year 7 boys turned things around and showed great determination to get the wins this weekend. The A, C and D teams all won 4-2 overall with special mention to Zachary Foo who played some extremely mature tennis and outsmarted his opponent. Also to Bailey Mckee who won both singles and doubles which would have given him alot of confidence after a tough previous week against Barker. The B team won 6-0 overall with the boys showing good team work in their doubles matches.
Overall it was a good weekend of tennis for Cranbrook winning 78% of all matches played.
Cricket
Round 7 saw several teams returning to winning form with improved performances across the board. The only setback was for the Year 9 team, who faced challenges without their captain, Mr. Yetton, who fell ill on the morning of the game.
1st XI The 1st XI delivered an impressive performance, scoring 259/6. Chris Harris shone brightly with his first century, scoring 109, and was ably supported by Tim Molnar, who contributed 75 runs. After a few early wickets from Mann and Pelly, Ed Neal tightened the game with a disciplined bowling spell, taking 1 for 23 off 10 overs. The match swung in our favor following pivotal wickets from Alex Greenhill and Noah Nassar, securing a 50-run victory.
2nd XI Continuing their successful campaign, the 2nd XI claimed a 100-run victory. Zac Bogg’s rapid 73 set the stage for a strong total of 194/6 off 30 overs. The bowling unit maintained pressure, with Copping and Bogg each taking 2 wickets, standing out in their performances.
10 A The 10 A team returned to winning form, led by excellent batting from Copping and Charlie Girle. Hugo Helyar was the star with the ball, dismantling the opposition’s lineup with his leg spin, claiming outstanding figures of 5/12.
Year 8 Teams Both Year 8 teams secured easy wins, highlighted by impressive performances from Jayden Cohen and Emile Ghosn, who both retired in the 60s. Their efforts laid a solid foundation, before the bowlers executed aggressive spells to dismiss the opposition for just 18 runs.
7A Team The 7A team faced a nail-biting finish, hampered by scoring discrepancies that led to a tightly contested match, ultimately resulting in a 2-run loss.
7B Team In contrast, the 7B team engaged in a fun contest but suffered a batting collapse that proved costly, resulting in a 30-run defeat.
Overall, it was a promising round for most teams, showcasing their resilience and capability to bounce back and deliver strong performances. The focus now is on building this momentum and addressing any issues as we move forward in the season.
Ben Staunton Head of Cricket
Touch Football
1s Report Newington defeated Cranbrook 6-2 in a hard-fought match that remained close until the final moments. Despite Cranbrook’s solid line defense, intercepts and turnovers led to runaway tries for Newington. Cranbrook kept it tight for most of the game, but Newington pulled away in the end.
2s Report To say that I am immensely proud of these young men is an true understatement.
This was their best performance in the entire season to date, even in the 5-4 loss.
The game was played at unrelenting pace and both sides through some slick attacking play and aggressive defence at each other.
Ethan Sackar and Tom Harnett were the clear stand outs with ball in hand, whilst captain Cruz Cronan and new student Sifa Oldfiled were unrelenting in defence.
The drama of the day literally went down to the final play. With the siren sounding from the bottom field, the spectacle was tied at 4-4.
Newington got their speedster on the ball at the most crucial of times and he found the smallest of gaps to dive in and score the winner.
HUGE effort by all and even greater learnings. Fine margins is all it takes.
3s Report The sign of a good team is one that scores soon after conceding. Oliver Murphy led the charge in turning a tight game in our favour. Scoreless at halftime, the boys showed great intent to score 4 tries in the second. Training during the week set the boys up to execute drive systems along with understanding of roles within defence structures. More urgency needed to start better but overall a pleasing mornings work.
Final score 4-2.
Peter Dumbleton Head of Touch Football
Basketball
Round 7 Cranbrook Basketball were scheduled against St Aloysius in Round 7 of the CAS season. Cranbrook and St Aloysius have had a long history of Basketball battles over the years and Saturday was no exception. This Round also saw the Friday Night Lights games reach a new level. A triple-header was scheduled with the 1sts & 2nds vs St Aloysius and the Open 10ths vs Scots. The place was jammed with people, all Schools well represented and the VCH was jumping. Arguably the biggest turn out for a FNL game in Cranbrook Basketball history.
1sts Friday Night Lights, big crowd, exciting Cranbrook 1sts team and the game delivered. It was a battle, a real grind for both teams, a defensive game. Both teams put a heap of defensive pressure on each other and scoring was challenging. Cranbrook played hard, smart and together. All Cranbrook players contributed at both ends of the floor, they looked like a team and played like a team. There were ebbs and flows for both Schools, St Aloysius head a slight lead for most of the game, but Cranbrook would not go away. Cranbrook fought until the last final buzzer but it wasn’t quite enough.
2nds Cranbrook 2nds played great basketball against St Aloysius. After losing by 40 points in Round 2, Cranbrook began strong and created a lead, they continue to build though the game. St Aloysius came back but Cranbrook held on for a memorable win.
In the Spotlight – Open 10ths The first ever FNL triple-head with the Cranbrook Open 10ths and it was a cracker. Cranbrook Open 10ths vs Scots with both teams playing hard and passionate basketball. Cranbrook held an early lead but Scots should great determination to fight back. It came down to the last defensive possession for Cranbrook scores 26-25. Cranbrook held there cool and locked in defensively to come away with the victory. The whole team played well following the grit and passion from Cranbrook Basketball stalwarts Darcy Richardson and Marley Farrar.
Cranbrook Open 10ths 26 – Scots 25
1sts Will Dooley in FNL action.1sts guard Hayden ‘Lighting’ Rosen shoots over Aloys defence.2nds celebrate after their win with the Brookie Bear.Cranbrook Basketball loyalist, D’Arcy Richardson, was on fire at FNL for the Open 10ths vs Scots.
Stephen Whitehead Head of Basketball
Summer Volleyball
Cranbrook’s Volleyball teams delivered an outstanding performance over the weekend, securing three impressive victories against St Aloysius.
The 1st VI set the tone for the day with a commanding 3-0 win. From the first serve, Cranbrook controlled the match .
The 2nd VI mirrored the 1st team’s success, also winning in straight sets (3-0). Their consistent serving and well-executed game plan was too much for St Aloys, highlighting the depth of talent within the squad.
The 3rd team added to the day’s success, claiming a hard-fought 2-1 victory. After splitting the first two sets, they showed resilience in the decider.
Despite the overall success, the 4th team was unable to make it a clean sweep, falling 0-2 in a tough contest.
With three wins from four matches, it was an excellent day for the Cranbrook Volleyball program.
Ben Rollison Head of Summer Volleyball
Water Polo
We took on our uphill rivals Scots College and we really wanted to prove how far we have come since the opening of the Murray Rose Aquatic Centre. Once again, we put up some great performances in the junior age groups U/13’s & U/14’s who won well. The 1sts and 3rds fought hard but just went down by 1 and 2 respectively, while our 16A’s couldn’t hold on late for the win and had to settle for a 5-5 draw.
Cranbrook won 3, lost 4 and drew 2 v Scots, while our 2nds lost to Riverview (which is actually there 1sts team) and our 15B’s defeated SBHS.
1st – Loss 9 – 10 In a thrilling showdown between Cranbrook and Scots College, the game went down to the wire, with Scots securing a hard-fought 10-9 victory. Cranbrook came out strong, with Felix Sheldrick at centre-forward scoring 2 quick goals from assists Ethan Negrin. Unfortunately missed opportunities in attack allowed Scots to counterattack and get back into the game to go ahead 3-2.
The second quarter was much the same with us fighting hard to score goals through Felix and Ethan, but once again 4 very scoreable opportunities were muffed from poor final passes or decision making with shots. Scots would then score an easy goal the other way and went ahead 6-4 at the half.
The 3rd quarter was like watching the 1st two quarters and our inability to convert extra man situations really hurt us and allowed Scots to go to the final quarter with an 8-5 lead. We changed our defence to try and create counterattack opportunites in the last quarter and while we done this, we would score a goal but from the throw off Scots would score an easy goal through lack of awareness in defence. To the boy’s credit they kept fighting and reduced the score to 9-10 but unfortunately time would run out.
Ethan Negrin 4 goals, 3 in the last quarter, Felix Sheldrick 3 and Jack Whitehead 2 were the goal scorers.
This was a game that we created enough opportunities to win but unfortunately our lack of converting in Extra man cost us the game. We can’t rely on the same people to score each week as the opposition just press them and try to keep them out of the game. It is up to our other players to have better body position, with and without the ball, awareness of space and other players and good ball skills to help score these opportunities. We have 2 games left, next Friday nights lights v Trinity at Trinity, then Shore at home. Let’s see if we can work on these things and make the Bronze medal match.
2nd – Loss 5 – 10 v Riverview The 2nds were unable to defeat a strong Riverview team (which is their 1st grade team). Riverview had to much experience, speed and strength and were in control of the game from the 2nds quarter on. The boys tried hard with Lucas Crabb grabbing 3 goals while Sach Edwards and Thomas Caldwell got one each. The fight the boys showed in the 3rd quarter to draw 3-3 was very pleasing, but as the game went on Riverview controlled the game.
3rd – Loss 6 – 8 The 3rds went down in a very tight contested game. Cranbrook started well with Angus Messiter scoring 3 of his 5 goals in the 1st quarter. This had them ahead 3-2 at the end of the 1st. The 2nd quarter Scots clawed won back to go 3-3 while in the 3rd quarter Scots crept ahead 6-5. This set the scene for a nail-biting last quarter and despite a goal from Louie Adams, Scots converted 2 opportunities. Cranbrook kept trying to claw their way back, but Scots were able to hold on for a 8-6 win.
16 A – Drew 5-5 Cranbrook’s 16A started strongly and lead 3-1 at half time. The 2nd half to many exclusions from Cranbrook in defence allowed Scots to get back into the game and win the final quarter 2-1 forcing a 5-5 draw. Hugo Miocevic scored 4 goals playing in the field while Kai bogg grabbed the other. As one of the parent’s said to me, “How good it is to see the huge improvement in the boys over the last 3 years. Last time I watched them I think we lost 28-0 to Scots”
16 B – Loss 10-12 In another very tight game from start to finish Cranbrook and Scots went at each other with the lead changing numerous times. The scores were 2-2, 6-6 and 9-8 at the end of the 1st 3 quarters. Could Cranbrook hold on? Unfortunately, Scots came out very strong and won the last quarter 4-1 to win the game 12-10. Jack Landman 5 goals, Archer Bull 3, Jake Shrimpton 1 and Fred Neal 1 were the goal scorers.
15 A – Loss 2-10 Unfortunately, Scots were way too strong for our 15A’s and dominated from start to finish. Cooper Falzon and Ashton Newey were the goals corers.
15 B – Win 8-3 v SBHS The 15B’s took out their Sydney Boys opposition with a convincing win 8-3. They lead from start to finish with Dhylan Patel 4, Krish Mahtani 2, Darcy Wyer 1 and Monte Smith 1 the goal scorers.
14 A – Win 11-0 Cranbrook’s 14A are unstoppable presently and from the 1st quarter 4-0 kept the pressure on Scots in each quarter to run out a 11-0 win. While we scored 11 goals the most pleasing thing is how hard the team works together in defence and to keep a team like Scots scoreless is a great effort. Takuma Yamada in goals leads the defence which allows the team to counterattack for many of their goals. Charlie Crocker was welcomed back from injury after missing last week’s game and scored 5 goals while Carter McGee and Tom Learmonth each grabbed 3 goals. These boys are undefeated with 2 games to go in the season.
14 B – Win 7-4 The 14B’s led from start to finish in a closely fought match. Scots had some strong players but Lucas James in defence kept their main attacker quite in the 2nd half. Scots got within 1 goal at the start of the 4th quarter but the boys maintained their composure and scored 2 late goals to secure another victory. Kai Flekser scored 3, Jack Demsey 2, Hugo Fowler 1 and Jackson Potter calmly slotted a penalty to secure the win.
13 A – Win 10-3 Cranbrook’s 13A had another outstanding win to go 2 from 2. Scots were expected to be a tough game, and it was only 5-2 at halftime. Cranbrook’s fitness and speed showed in the 2nd half, and we ran out comfortable 10-3 winners. Aodhan Taylor was strong in offence with 7 goals while all boys contributed strongly in defence to continually thwart the Scots offence. Thomas Penny, Felix Cooper and Rylan Hedley all scored.
13 B – Drew 5-5 Cranbrook’s 13B team showed plenty of fighting spirit to come back from 3-5 at end of 3rd quarter with Thomas Blain scoring 2 goals in the last quarter to take his tally to 3. The last 2 minutes had everyone on their feet yelling for both teams as desperate defence kept both teams from scoring as they were both rewarded with a 5-5 draw. Felix Bull and Louie Bongardt both scored.
Greg McFadden Head of Water Polo
SS House Swimming Carnival & Multi Sports Day Photo Gallery
The Cranbrook Foundation: Bringing Our Community Together
We were excited to welcome close to 400 Year 7 parents and those joining the School in 2025 at our annual Welcome Cocktail evening, held on the Mackay Lawn. The Foundation is here to help make that transition to Cranbrook, as a parent, smooth and enjoyable, offering plenty of opportunities to get involved, meet other families, and feel at home at Cranbrook.
At Cranbrook, we know that school is about more than just the classroom—it’s about the friendships, connections, and shared experiences that make our community special. The Cranbrook Foundation plays a key role in bringing parents, alumni, and supporters together beyond school drop-offs and sports matches, creating opportunities to meet, connect, and feel part of something bigger.
Through a range of welcoming gatherings and networking events, the Foundation helps parents build lasting relationships, whether you’re new to the school or have been part of the community for years. With Cranbrook moving towards coeducation in 2026, staying connected has never been more important, and the Foundation ensures that every family feels supported and included.
Whether it’s a casual catch-up, a formal event, or simply a chance to meet other parents, the Cranbrook Foundation, in partnership with the Cranbrook School Parents’ Association (CSPA) and the Old Cranbrookians’ Association (OCA, is here to help you stay connected, engaged, and part of our wonderful community.
Sam Roberts Year 7 parent & Chair, Cranbrook Foundation
Homework, revision, organisation – every Monday to Thursday Cranbrook offers study centre for students in Years 7 – 10 to complete their assignments with expert teachers supervising and assisting. Whether its English to Elective History, Maths to managing time, our staff are able to assist students in a collaborative and safe environment.
Run from 3.30pm – 6pm each afternoon, and including afternoon tea, students can develop consistent study habits throughout the term.
An information meeting will be held on Thursday 20February at 6pm in F3.1 for parents and students of Year 9 to Year 11 interested in the 2025 Language trip to Tahiti.
Three Islands Classic
The Old Cranbrookians’ Association is proudly supporting the Three Islands Classic (3IC), to be conducted as usual on Sydney Harbour. It’s open to all who are owners or skippers and can beg, borrow or by other means produce a keelboat for the day!
The event will be held on Sunday 30 March 2025 and will commence at 11am with most yachts sailing for approximately one and a half hours. Arrival at Royal Australian Naval Sailing Association (RANSA) will then be around 1pm for an award ceremony at about 2pm.
Cost: $70 to cover the cost of running the 3IC, the use of the venue at RANSA for the post-race raft, TryBooking fees and trophy regeneration.
For all enquiries or if you’re just keen to be part of a crew, please contact Rebecca Curran in the Development Office on +61 2 9327 9409 or email alumni@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au
CRU Holiday and Study Camps
Every holidays a number of Cranbrook students take the opportunity to join a CRU Activity or Study Camp. CRU Holiday Camps is Australia’s leading provider of HSC & IB Study Camps with over 50 years’ experience in helping students achieve the results they need to succeed!
CRU Study Camps provide the ideal study environment free from the distractions students face while studying at home alone. Their experienced Christian leadership teams help students combat low productivity and procrastination, supporting them as they face the challenges of HSC/IB study. Details can be found at https://crucamps.com.au/cru/camps-2/study-camps/
