Senior School Link – Week 4, Term 3 2024 - 14 August 2024
Bob Meakin, Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School
Dear Parents and Carers,
Today our Year 10 students worked with boys in Years 3 and 4 from the Junior School to celebrate National Science Week. There was a mix of theory and practical experiments where Year 10s taught students from the Junior School. I commend Year 10s on their maturity and desire to impart their knowledge to our younger Cranbrookians. A special thanks to Mr Briscoe-Hough for coordinating this in the Senior School.
Year 12 examinations have continued this week, and these conclude on Friday, which I am sure is a relief to our Year 12 students. I commend them on their enthusiasm and their extensive use of the Year 12 College during this time.
Last weekend saw the final round of Winter Sport and I would like to thank all parents for their support over the winter season. I realise that this is not always convenient at times, especially with longer trips to away fixtures. It was also the wettest winter season we have had for many years, and I realise that many teams did not compete in a full season due to some cancellations which was a great pity. We celebrate the success of teams and individuals this Friday evening at our Winter Sports Presentation evening, commencing at 5.30pm in the Vicars Centenary Hall.
This coming Tuesday sees the Inter-House Athletics Carnival which will be held at School for the first time in many years. We are trialling this and the Sports staff have worked tirelessly to ensure that the day is athletically engaging and is an enjoyable Inter-House event.
Next Wednesday, we look forward to welcoming our Vintage Club members to assembly and for lunch afterwards. The Vintage Club is OCA members who graduated more than 50 years ago. Our students and staff are looking forward to welcoming this special group next week.
Finally, best wishes to our Year 12 HSC and DP Visual Arts students who will be participating in a Studio Day on Monday to prepare for their exhibition which takes place on 29 August. We wish our artists well as they put their finishing touches to their pieces.
Have a great week.
Best wishes,
Bob Meakin Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School
Nick Jolly, Director of Academics / Deputy Head of Senior School
Dear Parents and Carers,
May I recommend to you the next free online webinar from our friends at Elevate Education: How You Can Make Technology an Ally (& Not the Enemy!). This will occur next Wednesday 21 August at 6.30pm-7.30pm. This webinar will address what parents can do to limit screen time outside of the classroom, where the majority of independent study takes place. It will show parents how they can help their child to remove distractions with the help of app blockers, improving focus and reducing procrastination.
These are usually excellent sessions. Click here to register.
A reminder to parents of Year 12 that our second and final Parent Teacher interviews will occur online from 4pm on the afternoon/evening of Tuesday 27 August. These are very much “opt-in” discussions for families. Please refer to the separate emailed correspondence regarding this event.
Have a great week.
Nick Jolly Director of Academics / Deputy Head of Senior School
Peter Young, Director of Students
Dear Parents and Carers
The House Athletics Carnival will be held at Cranbrook Senior School on Tuesday 20 August 2024. This year’s Carnival will be in held on Hordern Oval and surrounds.
House Athletics Carnival will be conducted in two groups, with a collective final to be held at the end.
Group 1: Year 7-9: 8.30am – 11.15am
Group 2: Year 10-12: 11.15am – 2pm
Finals: Years 7-12: 2pm – 3.10pm
The Carnival will run concurrently with House Volleyball in the VCH, SS Gym and on Furber Court.
Attendance is compulsory for all students and exemptions will only be granted in exceptional circumstances. If your son is absent from school on the day, he will require a medical certificate. All students will be expected to arrive at school for an 8.20am start. The day will conclude at 3.20pm.
Clothing: PE uniform or House Sports uniform as well as runners. Special Requirements: It is recommended that students bring drink and food to the venues. Epi Pen: It is a requirement for students to bring their own Epi Pen. Hive Café Open: The café will be open for Years 7-9 from 11.15am-12pm. Students in Years 10-12 will have access to the Hive Café from 10.30am – 11.15am
We look forward to a wonderful day of Athletics and Volleyball
Peter Young Director of Students
Daisy Turnbull, Director of Coeducation and Academy
With the Paris Olympics over and Australia having our most successful medal tally ever, I thought it was a good time to discuss sport in a coeducational context at Cranbrook.
The past few years have shown that the increased visibility and investment in women’s sport has had an impact not only on the medal tally (13 of 18 Australian gold medal winners were female), but at the grassroots level. This is why sport, along with our students’ involvement in the Arts and Service, is so fundamental to the balanced coeducation offering at Cranbrook.
As a founding member of the CAS, our male students will continue to compete across the sports they always have.
For our female students, we have been accepted into the Independent Sporting Association (ISA) for Saturday sporting competitions and carnivals. Initially our female students will compete in the ISA in Basketball, Tennis, and Touch Football in summer and netball and Football (soccer) for winter.
Students who wish to compete in other sports will be able to participate in some of our independent competitions including Rowing, Sailing, and Snowsports. There is opportunity for girls to compete in some of our CAS teams, but this will be considered in each instance.
We are very proud of the fact that at Cranbrook, all students participate in a sport in both seasons, and that will continue. The benefits of physical activity and sport are well known, and data continues to show that 85% of girls aged 5 – 15 years old do not achieve an adequate level of physical activities (NSW Office of Sport). For that reason, we see our mandatory Sports Programme as integral not only to students’ physical health, but their mental and academic acuity as well.
Training will be coeducational, which means all Year 7 basketballers will train together, even though the girls will compete in the ISA and boys compete in the CAS. This will give students an opportunity to learn and play together.
We are excited about coeducational sport at Cranbrook and look forward to engaging in the ISA competition alongside other great coeducational schools.
Daisy Turnbull Director of Coeducation and Academy
Matt Grice, Director of Sport
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Saturday saw the close of the 2024 Winter season. A huge congratulations to our Cross-Country team who for the first time in Cranbrook’s history won the Michael Spratt Cup for the Overall CAS winners. An amazing achievement for the Cross-Country team! Unfortunately, we were not able to retain the Opens crown as Trinity proved too strong on the day. A big thank you to Mr Uncles, Drew and Kurt Fryer and the entire Cross-Country squad for a fantastic season.
We had a fantastic day in CAS fixtures against St Aloysius. Hordern and surrounds was full of activity, fun and fierce competition. Well done to the 1sts and 2nds Rugby, Football and Volleyball who all came away with season ending wins. A fitting way to finish a season that was filled with rain, ups and down, rain and more rain, but in general a lot of positives and hard work from all involved. Saturday also saw the end of our current Year 12s service to Cranbrook Winter sport. I’d like to thank them all for their hard work and passion throughout the years. I hope they will look back on their time fondly and remember how much they have achieved in their sporting lives at the school. Well done Year 12!
We now 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 provides 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.
This Saturday sees the Athletic squad training at Dangar Oval:
In an electrifying contest, the Cranbrook Junior A team delivered a thrilling performance to secure a 63-44 victory over Trinity. From the very beginning, our Junior As showcased their determination and skill, starting the game with brilliant forward pressure and relentless efforts from the midfielders. This dynamic play created a flurry of scoring opportunities, setting the tone for an exciting match.
The first quarter saw the Junior As jump to an early lead with a score of 22-10. Ollie Wayne delivered a standout moment with an impressive end-to-end goal, while Oscar Dery’s exceptional defensive work kept Trinity from closing the gap. The momentum continued into the second quarter, as we maintained control and went into half-time with a solid 35-19 lead.
The third quarter was fiercely contested, with Trinity putting up a strong fight and narrowing the margin to 49-31. However, Cranbrook remained resilient and kept their composure under pressure.
As the final quarter unfolded, Trinity came out firing, kicking the first two goals and seemingly gaining the upper hand. With the wind in their sails and needing just one more goal to take the lead, Trinity were looking ominous. It wasn’t to be, as Lachie Campbell responded with a crucial play— running through the middle to break the Trinity defensive line and set up another exhilarating end-to-end goal finished by Charlie Crocker. In a fitting conclusion, Finn Baillieu delivered a spectacular left footed check-side goal from the boundary, putting the cherry on top of a memorable final performance of the season! Final score 63-44.
The Cranbrook Junior A’s mix of tenacious defence, creative midfield play, and key moments of brilliance led to a well-earned win, leaving fans exhilarated and celebrating a fantastic team effort. Well done team on a great season! As we look ahead, we wish our Year 12s all the best with their exams and hope they continue their sporting careers into their next chapter.
Eddie Lewis, Sport Operational Coordinator P-12
Our first sessions of Winter Sports Team Photos were completed this week. The next sessions will take place in Week 6 this term. Students and Families have been emailed the schedule below and we wish to remind students that the below items are required:
Full Winter Sport Uniform
Student ID Cards
Winter Sport
Term 3, Week 6 Monday 26 August
Lunchtime 12:50 – 1:30pm
1st/2nd Team Photos
VCH
Tuesday 27 August
Lunchtime 12:50 – 1:30pm
Opens Football, Tennis, Rugby, Volleyball plus Snow Sports (all)
VCH
Co-Curricular Group Photos
Term 3, Week 9 Tuesday 17th September
Lunchtime 12:50 – 1:30pm
Chess, Debating, Model UN, Public Speaking, STEM Hub, Investment Club, Drama & Production, Ethic Club, Amnesty International
VCH Full School Uniform
CAS Athletics
Term 3, Week 9 Thursday 19th September
Recess 10:15am
CAS Athletics Team plus Cross Country (all)
Hordern Oval
Access the Co-Curricular and Sport Timetable here.
Looking forward to seeing everyone around the grounds this weekend.
Matt Grice Director of Sport
Running Lines: Volume 10
The grounds were a hive of activity as the final day of the Winter season rolled through last Saturday. With a number of old boy reunions taking place, our community spirit was alive and flourishing. A special thank you to all the boys who arranged presents and cards for our coaches and managers as a sign of gratitude for all their efforts during the season.
Our results were;
Team
Opposition
Result
Win/Loss
1sts
St Aloysius
58-7
Win
2nds
St Aloysius
60-0
Win
3rds
St Aloysius
40-5
Win
4ths
Oakhill 5th XV
31-7
Win
5ths
St Joseph’s 10th XV
20-15
Loss
6ths
St Joseph’s 11th XV
27-26
Win
16A
St Aloysius
27-0
Win
16B
Shore 16C
40-5
Loss
16C
Scots 16D
30-12
Win
15A
St Aloysius
15-5
Loss
15B
St Aloysius
53-7
Win
15C
St Joseph’s 15G
41-31
Loss
14A
St Aloysius
33-5
Loss
14B
St Aloysius
49-5
Win
14C
Scots 14E
38-15
Win
13A
St Aloysius
38-14
Loss
13B/C
St Aloysius
22-22
Draw
Player of the Day: Junior Teams (13s, 14s & 15s)- Aidan Patterson (14B)
Player of the Day: Senior Teams (16s & Opens)- Christian Collier (4th XV)
Rugby All Rounder of the Day (for effort/attitude on and off the field):
Lucas Mitchell (14C)
Team of the Day- 13 B/C
The combined 13B/Cs are the Team of the Day.
In a tight and seesawing fixture, the Cranbrookians played out a fabulous 22 all draw.
The opening stanza was a physical affair with St Aloysius going to the break with a slender lead. Highlights included some lovely hands in the backline as Arthur Dadswell tiptoed down the sideline to score an impressive try.
The match ebbed and flowed and saw St Aloysius score a well-constructed try followed by a sensational try to Rory Martin.
The game was on a knife edge as both teams ran the ball trying to secure a win.
An excellent run and deft offload from Johnny Hancock saw Arthur Dadswell in the clear again. With swerving 30 m run he was under the posts!
As cool as a cucumber, Teddy Cassidy slotted the conversation aided by a ricochet off the crossbar!
When the referee blew time, it was all locked up and finished in a draw.
Coaches Dave Oliver and Kaleb Ah-Colt described it a marvelous game to finish the season that highlighted the development and improvement of our youngest rugby boys.
See you at our Winter Sport Presentation Evening this coming Friday as we wrap up another season of Cranbrook Rugby.
Matthew Radvin, Year 12, Receives Prestigious Scholarship
Year 12 student Matthew Radvin has just been awarded the prestigious Tuckwell Scholarship to study at ANU in Canberra next year. The Tuckwell Scholarship at ANU is considered the most transformational undergraduate scholarship programme in Australia. It offers funding for five years of full-time study, and there are now more than 70 alumni working worldwide.
Matthew is one of just 25 students from over 1000 applicants to receive this scholarship, which is a major boost for him as he prepares to sit his HSC in the coming months. The Tuckwell Scholarship Program aims to give talented students from a range of backgrounds the chance to realise their potential by providing financial support, personal enrichment and development opportunities. Scholars are selected on the basis of intellect, character, leadership and their commitment to Australia.
On hearing about the incredible educational opportunities that the scholarship provides at ANU, Matthew says he was inspired to apply: “The idea of being part of a scholar community with highly accomplished students from all around Australia was a prospect that really excited me, along with the networking opportunities that this programme provides.”
Cranbrook celebrates a well-rounded education, which was a key focus of the scholarship. Matthew believes that his involvement in athletics and cross-country at school helped his application stand out in the scholarship selection process as it displays personal drive and resilience.
“I think it was important that I had a good mix between sport and the creative arts particularly drama productions, as it demonstrated a sense of balance within my Co-Curricular pursuits. In terms of school community involvement, I think my positions as Cross Country Captain and Head of Perkins House showed that I’m committed to leadership and actively supporting other students in trying to achieve their own goals. However, I think it was important to not only demonstrate service to the School, but also give back to the wider community. I had many opportunities to do this at Cranbrook through the service component of Duke of Edinburgh, as well as a Perkins House initiative in collaboration with ‘Project Kindness’, “says Matthew.
Matthew offers this advice to anyone interested in applying for the Tuckwell Scholarship, or any university scholarship: “Find activities that you’re good at and that you really enjoy. By engaging in Co-Curricular and leadership opportunities that you are genuinely passionate about, it also demonstrates that you’d be able to contribute to the cultural life at university. The students who received a Tuckwell Scholarship varied between debaters, artists, musicians, athletes and actors, along with captains of sport and school. All these areas of activity are offered at Cranbrook, making it possible for any student to pursue their own interests and place themselves in contention for a scholarship.”
Commenting on Matthew’s scholarship success, Michele Marquet, Acting Head of School, said: “I am incredibly proud of Matthew. This scholarship award recognises not only his exceptional academic achievements but also his dedication to service and leadership. Matthew embodies the values we uphold at our school, and I have no doubt that he will continue to excel and make a positive impact in the years to come. I warmly congratulate him on this well-deserved accomplishment!”
City2Surf
Last Sunday, Sydney transformed into a sea of vibrant running apparel and costumes as 90,000 participants laced up their shoes for the world’s largest fun run, the iconic City2Surf.
Cranbrook has lent its support to the beloved tradition – a staple on the Sydney calendar -on many occasions. Last Sunday was no exception, with students and teachers teaming up with the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation (SCHF) to host a Runner Aid Station in Dover Heights.
Waking before dawn, we arrived at Rodney Reserve eager to play our part in the special event. Our water station was almost the last stop before the runners arrived at Bondi. Our attire was purple volunteer t-shirts, and our job was to provide thirst-quenching drinks to runners as they travelled their last 3 kms from the City to Bondi.
While we waited for the first of the runners to arrive, we chatted, watched the early morning sun cast its golden glow over Sydney’s glorious skyline and decided that a human pyramid would be a good addition to the festive atmosphere.
Once runners started streaming past, we settled into our roles, handing out glasses of water and Gatorade to the diverse range of participants: Runners pushing wheelbarrows, some pushing lawnmowers, and blow-up dinosaurs popping up intermittently. The Fire & Rescue NSW team wearing full gear (weighing 20 kgs!) was seriously inspiring. But the runners who drew the biggest cheers from our group were the numerous Cranbrook student and teacher runners who travelled past.
I’d highly recommend this event to other students. It was a fantastic opportunity to give back, strengthen friendships, meet new people, and witness the power of collective effort firsthand. It was a great moment displaying the strong school spirit and pride in Cranbrook’s community. It was also a privilege to support a cause as important as Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation. Lastly, on behalf of all the students, I’d also like to thank the teachers Mr Nolan, Ms Usasz, Mr Uncles, Mr Metcalf, Mr Papandreas, Ms Christou and Ms Sheridan for making this fantastic service opportunity a possibility for us.
Sam Collison Hone House, Year 11
Sport Integrity Australia
Our students recently had the privilege of participating in a highly engaging and educational incursion hosted by Sport Integrity Australia. This event was designed to provide students with a deeper understanding of the rigorous and essential process of drug testing in sports, highlighting the importance of integrity and fair play in professional sports.
The incursion included a cutting-edge, immersive VR experience that allowed students to step directly into the role of a professional athlete undergoing a drug testing procedure. This interactive approach made the learning experience both impactful and memorable, bringing the realities of sports integrity into sharp focus.
One student reflected on the experience, saying, “It felt so real—I never realised how detailed and strict the drug testing process is for athletes. It really opened my eyes to the challenges they face and how crucial it is to keep sports fair.”
This incursion not only enriched the students’ knowledge of sports ethics but also provided a unique perspective on the behind-the-scenes processes that ensure fairness and integrity in professional sports. It was an eye-opening experience that resonated deeply with our students, fostering a greater appreciation for the values that uphold the spirit of competition.
We look forward to continuing to provide our students with such invaluable learning opportunities that prepare them for the ethical challenges of the future.
Adam Catchpole Assistant Head of Department, PDHPE & Data Analytics Coordinator
Oratory Article
Cranbrook represented at the NSW Junior Speaking Competition
Last Wednesday, Year 7 students Alexander Kitto and Owen Jarrett represented Cranbrook at the local heats of the NSW Junior Speaking Competition. Both students spoke exceptionally well in the prepared section: Alexander on the importance of student agency in academic subjects and Owen on the power of learning another language.
The impromptu speeches focused on the topic ‘walking a tightrope’. Success in this section of competition (weighted equally to the prepared speeches) relies on dealing with the stimulus literally and figuratively and both Alexander and Owen balanced both criteria with careful consideration.
It was a highly competitive field and the adjudicator noted the challenge in selecting only a fraction of students from the group to progress to regionals. While Alexander and Owen do not progress, it was pleasing to see and hear them applying so much of what they have been learning in Monday afternoon public speaking sessions. Both projected well, engaged the audience with their voices and non-verbal choices, tackled subject matter that went beyond common school based topics like studying for exams (which never scores well in competition settings), and offered the adjudicator practical solutions to problems faced: for Alexander that was to facilitate student and teacher dialogue around text selection in class, and for Owen that was to challenge ourselves by learning to embrace new thinking through new languages.
We look forward to seeing both students and others in our public speaking sessions continue to experiment with topics, voice and style. Currently, students in Years 7-10 have the opportunity to sign up for the 2024 Voice Competition – more on that below.
Students teaching students
Last Thursday, the Semester 2 Legal Debating group was fortunate to learn from state finalist and national runner-up school mooter Owen Woolford. Owen kindly took a break amid his mock IBDP exams to instruct and guide the group of Years 10 and 11 students in the fundamentals of mooting and how to unpack and evaluate a legal case. Students had the opportunity to ask questions from someone who has recently been through the process of mooting competition and earned great success in that area. Our thanks to Owen for his time and expertise.
Senior student oratory leaders have been active this year in imparting wisdom gained from years of expert coaching themselves, which has also included:
Model UN leaders Alex Hong and Robbie Wyer chairing weekly Security Council style debates and mentoring Years 10 and 11 students in the same roles,
Public Speaking leader Piers Alcott co-coaching junior speakers in refining their speeches and gaining confidence verbalising before an audience, and
Debating leaders Angus Malcolm, Caspar Nicholson and Leonid Burshstein mentoring Year 11 debaters and supporting our social debaters on Thursday afternoons.
There is immense value in students teaching other students, adding another layer to the rich coaching experience provided by teaching staff and external coaches. It is our hope that this developed senior student culture will continue to be passed down to successive senior cohorts – on Friday night, one Year 11 student mentioned to me how much he learnt in the prep room from working alongside a Year 12 debater as part of the rotational 4ths social team; no doubt he will one day be in the reverse position and be that same kind of mentor and support for a younger student.
CAS Competition Debating Update
Last Friday’s debates against St Aloysius focused on education topics. Although high quality debates, unfortunately only one team can ultimately emerge victorious. Cranbrook and its North Shore rival split the wins 50:50, with our 7As, 7Bs, 8As, 4ths, 3rds and 1sts all taking the ‘gold’ (if debating were a an Olympic sport, Australia would certainly have boosted its recent record medal tally to even greater heights – such is the standard coming out of schools presently, making for exciting evenings worth coming to watch!).
Special congratulations to the 8As and the 1sts, both of whom remain undefeated going into Round 4.
See below the CAS topics:
Division
Round 3 CAS: Education
7A and 7B
That we should suspend students that fail to report serious bullying.
8A and 8B
That we should pay teachers according to the performance of their students.
9A and 9B
That we should pay teachers according to the performance of their students.
10A and 10B
That we should implement mandatory “Parenting Classes”
Opens(choice)
That we should implement mandatory “Parenting Classes” That Australian universities should adopt a US college style system of studying a broad range of courses before focussing on their chosen major. That schools in indigenous communities should be allowed to have a flexible approach to the education curriculum.
See below the updated tally:
ISDA Division
Round 1 vs Trinity
Round 2 vs Barker
Round 3 vs St Aloysius
7A
Loss
WIN
WIN
7B
WIN
Loss
WIN
8A
WIN
WIN
WIN
8B
WIN
WIN
Loss
9A
WIN
WIN
Loss
9B
Loss
Loss
Loss
10A
Loss
WIN
Loss
10B
WIN
WIN
Loss
4ths
WIN
Loss
WIN
3rds
Loss
Loss
WIN
2nds
WIN
Loss
Loss
1sts
WIN
WIN
WIN
This Friday 16 August sees the following debates take place:
Details
CAS
Round
Round 4 vs Knox
Venue
The Knox Cultural Centre Building
Address
2 Borambil St, Wahroonga NSW 2076
Entry via
Entry via Borambil St Gate 2 – best for those arriving via train, please follow the signs through to debating Entry via Woodville Avenue Gate 16 – Walk past the oval and follow signs to debating.
Years 7-9 debate / finish
Debates start 6.30pm / Debates finish 7.30pm
Years 10-12 debate / finish
Debates start 7.30pm / Debates finish 9.00pm
Topic area
Law and Justice
Spectator policy
Spectators welcome
A reminder that all Years 7-9 debaters must be collected by a parent or guardian at the end of the night.
Upcoming oratory events
Model UN lunchtimes this Wednesday 14, Thursday 15 and Friday 16 August
Social Debating, Mooting and Mock Trial this Thursday 15 August from 3.30-5.30pm
AMEB Voice and Communication group this Friday 16 August from 3.30-5.00pm
CAS Debating R4 vs Knox this Friday 16 August from 3.45pm
Public Speaking next Monday 19 August from 3.30-5.30pm
Competition opportunities
The following competition opportunities are currently available for students to sign up. Please note there is no cost to students entering any of the competitions below:
Australia vs USA policy debates
Students involved with competition debating can sign up to participate in our second round of policy debates against our friends in the Washington DC Debate League. Sign up is via our dedicated TEAMS channel.
Debate of Origin
Competition and social debaters can sign up to represent Cranbrook and NSW in the 2024 Debate of Origin competition. This year Cranbrook is hosting the event the weekend of 13-15th September and will welcome Churchie (Qld), Melbourne Grammar (Vic), and St Peter’s (SA) to the Eastern Suburbs for engaging interstate debates and some social fun. Sign up is via a form sent to competition and social debaters.
NSW Voice Competition
Any student in Years 7-10 with an interest in public speaking on global issues is encouraged to sign up for the NSW Voice Competition, which will be held during Term 4 (heat dates TBC). Students will need to construct and deliver a prepared speech based on a stimulus that will be provided and will need to respond in an impromptu session to a series of questions that the adjudicators will pose. Any student involved in oratory programmes can sign up via a competitions post in their dedicated TEAMS channel, and students not currently involved can sign up via an email already sent. There will be coaching opportunities for all students who sign up.
International Debating Championships
All students in Years 7-10 are welcome to sign up for the International Debating Championships (IDC), which runs online Friday evenings during October and November. Coaching is provided for teams and the competition attracts all levels of experience. In past years, Cranbrook IDC debaters have encountered teams from all across Australia and Asia, the Middle East and as far west as Africa. Students need to form teams of 4-5 students (team entries only) and respond to the email already sent. Students need to sign up by the close date specified in the email.
International Public Policy Forum Written Debating Competition
All students in Years 9-11 are welcome to sign up for the International Public Policy Forum Written Debating Competition. Sponsored by New York University, the competition invites students to choose a side and write an essay debate to a resolution. Teams that reach Top 64 status (as Cranbrook has done twice now, and even reached the Top 32 in 2023) are then power matched with other global schools to compete in a series of back and forth written constructive and rebuttal essays. Teams that achieve the ‘Elite 8’ status get an all expenses paid trip to New York City to compete for the title and $10,000 USD. Sign up is open and we already have several teams confirmed – students interested are encouraged to form teams of at least 3 students and respond before the close date specified in the email.
Oratory programmes are fully subscribed for Semester 2
There has been a lot of recent interest in participating in one or more of our oratory programmes. However, close date for sign-ups have long passed and we are presently fully subscribed across all debating, public speaking, and Model UN. We are therefore unable to accept new enrolments. However, students keen to gain access to our resources and prepare themselves for Semester 1 2025 sign-up are welcome to reach out to me (note, we only accept expressions of interest from students directly). Sign-up for Semester 1 2025 offerings will circulate via student email in February.
Any competitions open to all students will be circulated via student email and notice will also be provided in these weekly links to families. Note, all sign ups must be done by students only.
Contact
Should you or your son have any further questions about any of Cranbrook’s oratory programmes, you are welcome to reach out to the Head of Oratory and Student Journalism, Mr Benjamin Smith, at bsmith@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au. In the first instance, students should be making contact about getting involved.
Essential information and highlights for parents will be posted here on Cranbrook Connect as part of the Thursday Link. Students involved in oratory programmes will receive updates via their respective Canvas or TEAMS channels.
Benjamin Smith Head of Oratory & Student Journalism
Study Centre
A reminder that the study centre is available to all students in Years 7 – 10 Mondays to Thursdays from 3.30 – 6.30pm. Each afternoon teachers supervise and support students with their homework and assessment preparation, and students are provided with afternoon tea. Study centre costs $50 each afternoon.
Are you sometimes available during the school day? Do you feel competent reading and writing English? Are you a legible writer? Please note you don’t have to be neat, just readable.
If so, we would love to hear from you as we are always keen to have more people to support our students as exam volunteers who act as a reader and/or writer for students doing exams.
Readers can read exam material and a student’s answers at the direction of the student.
Writers must write exactly what the student dictates, but they can punctuate without direction by the student.
All volunteers will require a valid WWC; this can be a volunteer or a paid WWC.
If you would like more information about acting as a reader or writer, please contact Fiona Bain on 9327 9435 or email fbain@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au.
If you are keen to begin, you can start the process by emailing compliance@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au with your name, email address, date of birth, and your WWC reference number.
Compliance will then send out an information pack and a number of documents for which you must sign and return along with a photo page of your passport and proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.
