Senior School Link – Week 6, Term 1 2025 - 6 March 2025
Michele Marquet, Acting Head of School
Dear Parents and Carers,
As we approach the final few weeks of Term 1, I would like to acknowledge the phenomenal effort and dedication shown by all our students, staff and families since the start of this term.
At our recent Open Days, in both the Junior School and Senior School, I mentioned to our guests that I am always reminded of how our students truly live out the ideal of a liberal education. In a world that increasingly encourages us to specialise early, our students model our School’s philosophy that a better preparation for whatever the future may hold involves genuine breadth of engagement across all areas of learning and life. That participation in a range of pursuits both in and out of the classroom is the surest pathway to becoming a well-balanced, well-rounded and interesting human being. There is increasing evidence that learning in one area can be helpful in another discipline.
The relationship between Music, Maths and comprehension, is a well-known example. The more we learn about the way our brain works and how we learn, the clearer it is that the impact of learning how to do one thing or about one thing, is not a discrete experience that has no impact on anything else. Breadth allows the development of those inter-personal skills so highly valued by our future work world and ensures an understanding beyond a narrow field of interest. Cranbrook will always advocate for breadth with depth; in other words, a liberal education – broadly educated humans have an appreciation and knowledge of many areas of learning and that is what our world still needs. The understanding of many disciplines is one of the best gifts we can give our children and the surest foundation for success in a future world we cannot fully predict. There is no doubt that our staff’s stupendous efforts above and beyond permit these experiences to take place and support our students in their explorations across so many domains.
This past week has been an example of our students living out this liberal ideal facilitated by talented and passionate staff: a veritable creative powerhouse of activity! Tuesday evening’s Scholars’ Concert was a superb demonstration of talent and enthusiasm, as our young and gifted musicians participated in a truly inspiring concert showcasing their hard work, talent and dedication, as well as highlighting the superb skills of all our music educators at Cranbrook. Last week, the performances of the cast and crew in The Visit were outstanding. The use of space, the way different characters commanded the stage and drew the audience into the storyline was so impressive. Again, all credit to the students who participated and the staff who helped prepare and guide the development of the show. The breadth of our students’ school experience was in evidence at these events, but also across a fine Summer Sport season, which has now come to a close. Outstanding engagement was there to see every week across a wide range of sports, including Rowing, Sailing, Basketball, Tennis, Water Polo, Cricket and more – and the commitment of the students to represent their School each weekend, whether in Year 3 or Year 12 was wonderful to observe. We look with eager anticipation to the CAS Swimming Carnival tonight. Over the past few weeks, with guidance and support from their talented coaches, we have seen our debaters from Junior and Senior Schools take on the challenge of shaping arguments to persuade and convince against a wide variety of schools, with some outstanding results.
Our campuses are such busy, lively places and I so enjoy seeing our students totally engaged in classes, events, sports matches and activities first-hand. We look ahead this Sunday (16 March, 10am – 2pm) to a wonderful Family Fun Day at Dangar in support of CETOP and the Year 6 annual trip to Nepal where families, students and staff come together to support such a worthy cause.
Kind wishes,
Michele Marquet Acting Head of School
School Opal Card
Next week Transport NSW and Transdev will be visiting on Thursday 13 March 2025, 20 mins prior to the afternoon school bell to remind students to use their School Opal cards.
As a reminder, please could you ask your children to:
Always tap on and off when using their School Opal card
Follow the Opal terms of use and only use their School Opal card to travel to and from school
Follow the Student Code of Conduct when they are on the bus
Be polite and courteous to the Bus Driver and follow their reasonable instructions
The usual $10 fee has now been waived for replacing lost or stolen opal cards.
Click here to view the letter from Transport NSW, and here for the info sheet on Tap On Tap off.
Adrian Harrison, Acting Director of Academics
Which type of note-taking is better for learning: laptop or pen and paper? An interesting article was published last week on the benefits of different types of note taking for students. The research indicates that traditional pen-and-paper note-taking often leads to better learning outcomes compared to using laptops. Handwriting notes requires more cognitive processing, as individuals must listen, digest, and summarise information. This enhances understanding and memory retention. In contrast, typing notes on a laptop can lead to transcribing lectures verbatim without sufficient mental engagement, resulting in shallower processing.
Additionally, laptops can introduce distractions, such as internet browsing and social media, further hindering learning. Therefore, while laptops offer convenience and speed, pen-and-paper note-taking is generally more effective for learning. Whilst this focused at higher education it is still applicable to our context. At Cranbrook we promote the use of pen and paper writing within all subject areas. Whilst external examinations in both the IB Diploma and HSC are predominantly conducted using pen and paper this is not our sole reason for continuing to use them in class. This research supports those findings that physical writing continues to have benefits to learning outcomes.
NAPLAN Testing for Years 7 and 9: Important Information for Students and 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 school’s and families with more information about students’ educational progress.
Testing Schedule This year’s NAPLAN will be conducted on Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th of 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
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
Bob Meakin, Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School
Dear Parents and Carers
This morning, we were treated to Isabella Nasser, as our special guest speaker at the International Women’s Day Breakfast. Isabella is currently Captain of the Women’s Australian 7s team for Rugby and has played in 14 tournaments representing Australia, including the Paris Olympics in 2024. Her message to the School and special guests was around the importance of team work and maintaining a strong and equal profile for women’s sport, as well as encouraging Cranbrook to keep teenage girls who will be joining us next year, engaged in sport in ameaningful way. Her speech was beautifully delivered, and we thank her for her time and the wonderful message she left us.
Last night saw the opening of the Senior Production The Visit, a special thank you to the cast and crew for an outstanding first night and I look forward to attending on Friday.
Last night also saw our Year 12 Parent/Teacher night, and I hope this was useful and productive feedback for parents and students.
Yesterday morning we enjoyed an Open Day with prospective students and parents having a tour of the School. A special thanks to our Year 10 volunteers who made our guests feel so welcome and for their excellent work in guiding these prospective families around the School.
This Saturday sees the final round of Summer Sport, with most fixtures against Waverley College. Next week, we enjoy a fixture free weekend, but we look forward to the CAS Swimming Championships on Thursday evening at SOPAC, Homebush. A special thanks to Years 8, 10, 11 and the Prefects for their support of our swimmers, where we hope for many personal bests and a fine team performance.
A reminder that next week Year 7 and Year 9 will have their NAPLAN testing for Literacy and Numeracy. These tests will be done online and whilst students cannot revise, they should arrive with a fully charged device.
Finally, congratulations to James Malcolm, Year 11, who has been appointed the Student Head of CITF, and he is looking forward with assisting with the Year 7 programme which departs on Sunday 16 March.
Have a great week.
Bob Meakin Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School
Daisy Turnbull, Director of Coeducation
Marching Forward for International Women’s Day at Cranbrook
This morning Cranbrook School welcomed Isabella Nasser, Captain of the Australian Women’s Rugby Sevens to speak to our community. Our current students, especially our rugby players, incoming Year 11s, parents, staff, and some of our School Council members came together as a community to celebrate International Women’s Day and hear Bella speak about women in sport, and her own experiences.
Bella spoke the importance of athletes and advocates in supporting and investing in women’s sport. She encouraged students to try every sport, as she certainly did before she became a professional rugby player. At 22, Bella has represented Australia in numerous 7s competitions as well as the Paris Olympics last year. As Australian Captain, Bella spoke about leading by example through diligence, responsibility, punctuality, and empathy.
Bella discussed the importance of keeping women in sport and encouraging girls to play sport. Her education and sporting story is a coeducational one, as she attended a coeducational school from Year 8. She spoke about how her goal is to always be the best player she can be, and the best teammate she can be.
After the breakfast, Bella spoke with some of our Opens Rugby players where they grilled her with questions not about being a woman in sport, but about being an elite rugby player. The questions ranged from managing setbacks and burnout, to her mental health and nutrition tips. Bella spoke about the different skills leaders have in a team and how to build a team that is a safe and happy place for everyone in the squad.
When Bella was asked how it is playing in a male dominated sport, she explained how a lot of the trophies in the Rugby Australia Headquarters in Moore Park are for the women’s teams, and that they have the support of the entire sport behind them.
We are making great strides in women in sport, and as Charlotte Caslick was a mentor for Bella from a young age, I am sure she will be that mentor for many of the young men and women who heard her speak today.
Throughout the week we have also been holding IWD activities in SWP focused around our coeducation transition.
Daisy Turnbull Director of Coeducation
Hannah Thomas, Director of Professional Learning
Enhancing Student Learning Through Continuous Feedback
Effective student reporting goes beyond grades; it should communicate learning progress, provide clear insights, and support meaningful conversations between schools and families.
In our recent professional development session at Cranbrook School, we explored the research behind continuous reporting and its impact on student learning. Drawing on findings from Communicating Student Learning Progress: A Review of Student Reporting in Australia (Hollingsworth, Heard & Weldon, 2019), we examined best practices in student reporting and how we can refine our approach to provide clearer, more timely feedback.
Some key takeaways:
Traditional semester reports are becoming less relevant; parents and teachers alike value more frequent, real-time insights.
Reports often focus on achievement rather than progress over time; shifting towards progress-based feedback is essential.
There is scope to improve clarity: consistent terminology, aligned reporting methods, and accessible information benefit all stakeholders.
To build on Cranbrook’s continuous reporting system, Adrian Harrison outlined the vision for refining our approach, ensuring it remains meaningful and effective for students, teachers, and parents alike.
Following Adrian’s presentation, Tara Schmidtke outlined best practices for ensuring consistent feedback on Canvas. She highlighted key strategies for providing clear, actionable and timely feedback, emphasising the importance of alignment across departments to support student learning effectively.
Our Canvas Champions within each faculty then led teachers to explore ways to enhance continuous feedback, ensuring that our approach remains both collaborative and impactful.
It is inspiring to be part of a school that prioritises clear, research-informed communication about student learning.
Hannah Thomas Director of Professional Learning
Introducing the New Class Dashboard!
We’re excited to launch our Class Dashboard, a powerful tool designed by Adam Catchpole to give teachers a holistic view of their students at a glance. With key data points such as absences, lates, termly effort, and detentions available on an intuitive overview screen, teachers can quickly assess student engagement and behaviour.
But the real strength of the dashboard lies in its ability to bring together academic support insights, literacy and numeracy strategies, and medical data, ensuring that every student receives the tailored support they need. By integrating these critical data points, the Class Dashboard empowers teachers to make informed, student-centred decisions and provide personalised guidance that enhances learning outcomes.
This is more than just a dashboard – it’s a step toward smarter, more connected teaching that truly supports the individual needs of every student.
Hannah Thomas Director of Professional Learning
Angelique Sanders, Director of Student Wellbeing/Acting Deputy Head of Senior School
This week in SWP, our focus for Years 8-12 was the 2025 theme for International Women’s Day: March Forward. Unpacking what this means and how it directly relates to them allows our students to see different perspectives and to become aware of what types of barriers women may face. Our aim is to develop students into caring, principled, and knowledgeable young adults who are part of the solution as they enter society. By allowing space for discussions, we are helping our students look beyond themselves and see how life may be different for young women.
Year 8 spent time researching prominent women who have marched forward over time and then shared their research with their mentor group via expert circles.
Year 9 discussed how women are portrayed in the media by applying the Bechdel Test. They were challenged to think about this in relation to movies they had recently seen.
Year 10 had a Q &A session with Mr Meakin, Ms Turnbull, and students from the Coeducational Committee. Our Year 10 cohort were reminded that they are also pioneers in that they will be the first cohort to have girls join them and will be an important part of the leadership of the School as our senior students. They will be living out marching forward as they learn, study, compete, and socialise with young women daily.
Year 11 students unpacked further the themes and discussions from their Tomorrow Man workshop “In Her Shoes”. Continuing these conversations are important as it allow space for uncomfortable conversations in a safe environment.
Year 12 students had an insightful session with Mr. Solomon, one of our Economics teachers, focusing on the gender pay gap. They analysed recent WEGA (Workplace Gender Equality Agency) data to understand what it means. Additionally, they heard important messages about managing work-life balance as parents.
Year 7 had a CITF Prep session with Mr Lilley. He explained what each day of the course will look like. They also heard James Malcolm, our Student Head of CITF, Mr McDonnell about walking softly on country, Chloe Harrington, one of our School Psychologists on who to go to if they are feeling nervous and myself on being courageous as they embark on their first CITF.
Matt Grice, Director of Sport
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Our rowers headed to the ACT for the Junior State Championships and ACT Regatta over the weekend. I’m happy to report for the 3rd year straight Cranbrook came away with the Governor-General’s Cup. An amazing achievement for our dedicated rowing club. Well done to all involved.
Mr Carroll reports, Cranbrook Rowing pulled off a stunning coup at the ACT Junior State Championships Regatta today on Lake Burley Griffin. Silver Medals in the Blue Riband events, the U19 Coxed Quads and the U15 Coxed Quads were amazing in themselves but Gold Medals in the U17 Coxed Quad and U17 Double Scull stamped this as the most successful day in the school’s history. Multiple Cranbrook crews made A Finals on a track that historically favours the local schools. With the Head of Lake Regatta to come tomorrow it is shaping up to be an extraordinary weekend for the school!
Cranbrook’s momentum at the ACT Regatta weekend continued over into Sunday’s Head of the Lake Regatta. While wins in A Finals alluded us, there were plenty of podiums along with wins in B and C Finals underlining the depth of the program and the tenacity of all the Cranbrook boys at the regatta. So much so that for the 3rd year in a row Cranbrook won the Governor-General’s Cup! The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC presented the Cup to Captain of Boats, Edward Williams and Vice-Captain of Boats, Edward Hartwright.
I’d like to extend my huge congratulations to the Cranbrook’s 14A Water Polo team, who after their 18-7 win over St Josephs on Saturday, became the 1st Cranbrook water polo team to have a undefeated 10 round season. This historic achievement is hopefully just the start for this talented team, and we are looking forward to watching them progress in the coming years.
The 1sts cricketers had a tough but impressive win against the ladder leaders Knox on Saturday. In this must-win game, Cranbrook’s students held their nerve to hold onto an exciting 8 run win. This means a win against Waverley this Saturday will see the 1sts crowned CAS champions for the 6th year in a row. We wish the team, Mr Banes, and Mr Staunton all the best and, no matter the result, it has been a tremendous season.
I’d like to express my sincere thanks to Cranbrook’s Head Prefect of Co-Curricular, Noah Teitler, for organising and rallying extra participants for the Speed and Agility session last Friday. It was a beautiful morning, and once again, it was fantastic to see so many Cranbrookians going the extra mile to engage in a healthy lifestyle while improving their sports skills. A big thank you also goes out to Miss Williams and her dedicated team for facilitating the session and making it such a success. Your effort and commitment to encouraging students to stay active and focused on their personal growth are truly appreciated!
Speed and Agility
This week sees that last week of the majority of the summer sports. We are looking forward to an exciting final round. A reminder we have a sport free weekend on the 15/03/24 for most students in the school.
A reminder that next week the combined Summer Sports Award Presentation will be held. We can’t wait to see you there and celebrate the Summer season. Summer Sports Awards, Friday 14 March 2025 – tickets are now on sale here.
Last Wednesday and Thursday our top triathletes travelled out to the Sydney International Regatta Centre, Penrith, to compete in the NSW All Schools meet. This competition takes the best representatives from all Independent, Catholic, and High Schools in the state.
Wednesday consisted of the individual triathlon, in which Remy M (Year 10), and Wilson B (Year 11) competed. The race consisted of a 500m swim, followed by a 15km cycle, with a 4km run to finish. Signing up for such an event takes courage, let alone completing it! Congratulations to both students, and especially to Remy who finished 17th overall.
On Thursday, Remy was joined by 11 other students, who made up our four teams competing in the NSW All Schools Team Triathlon. This event sees each student choose their leg of choice – a 400m swim, 10km cycle, or 3km run. First up were our Juniors; Carter M got us off to a great start, emerging from the water in 2nd place. Against a strong field, Charles G held his own in the cycle, and Hugo F finished strong in the run for us to finish 20th overall (out of 132 teams)!
Next up was the Intermediate race, in which we had two teams – Jack W, Remy M, and Henry R; and Jack L, Felix D, and Edwin A. Both teams competed brilliantly, finishing in 4th, and 25th places overall respectively (out of 163). Special mention to Jack W, and Henry R, who each came 2nd in their legs!
With the sun baring down, and the temperature tipping 30 degrees, our Senior team stepped up. Consistency was the key to success for this team, with each member contributing their part. Matthew A stayed just ahead of a ferocious pack in the water, to put us in 10th place. Thomas M then pedalled hard, overtaking several times to bump us up to 6th place. It then came down to the run. Huon G took off at a rapid pace and quickly hunted down 5th, then 4th, and, with less than 200m to go, Huon secured 3rdplace overall. A mammoth effort from the senior team, who received awards for both 3rd place overall, and 2nd place in CIS!
Congratulations to all for competing. It was a thrilling display of grit, determination, and skill across all three disciplines.
Eddie Lewis Sports Operations Coordinator
Tennis
Saturday saw the last home match of the Summer season against Knox Grammar School. Always going to be a tough task against the CAS premiers. The 1st team had a new look with Hugo Wise making his debut for the 1st team and pushing his opponents with partner Mickey Chen the whole match. Unfortunately, their opponents were too strong in the end but a very close second set. Eric Mallam and Marc Perilli played well in the second set to win 7-5 after losing the first set 2-6. The boys showed great desire and tenacity to win the second set. Things got a little tough for the boys in the singles matches with all players losing to stronger players on the day. The 3rd and 4th team only managed to win 1 set but not without special mention to Will Holland once again who had continued to impress with an extremely close singles match losing in the tie break 9-7. Both players got a standing ovation at the end for such a thrilling match. The 5th team lost on count-back by 1 game after tying on sets with special mention to Leo Stanford who played outstanding all day! The 6th team were outplayed unfortunately to lose 0-6.
The Year 10 boys showed a huge effort against a very strong Knox team losing by 2 games on count-back after tying on sets. Joshua Yee showed what he can play like when he puts his mind to it. The B team also had a thrilling match winning by 3 games on count-back. The C team won 5-1 whilst the D team won 6-0 with some amazing tennis played by Rahul Jacob and Lucas Oertli.
The 9A team unfortunately lost 1-5 to an impressive Knox team but the boys showed great grit and determination in each match to push their opponents. The B team won 4-2 with Edward East and Doug Murray once again playing some beautiful tennis with some great tactical awareness. The C team lost 0-6 whilst the D team played hard to win on count-back by 3 games. Alexander Lee moved up from players club to win his singles 6-0.
The 8A team had a great day out winning 4-2 with Kailu Kurnadi once again playing some high quality tennis after a week of training along side our Opens 1st & 2nd teams. The B team unfortunately lost 2-4 with our C team too weak for the opponents.
The Year 7 teams all lost but played extremely well against a very good opposition. Last year in the junior school Knox didn’t lose a match and they have all come through to the senior school and continue to be a tough team to play.
Overall it was a very impressive weekend from Cranbrook who won 24% of matches. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but a few years ago Cranbrook lost 100% of matches for at least 12 years against Knox. There were quite a few matches lost on count-back today and if a game here or there went the other way it would have improved our percentages even more. What was great to see is that our Cranbrook boys not scared to go head to head now with the Knox players, they are all showing belief in their tennis.
Special mention to Eric Mallam who was one of eight players from the CAS tennis players to represent CAS in the CIS trials held at Kings School. After a 3 hour rain delay the format changed from a round robin to a knock out draw. Eric played in a qualifying match and won 4-0 in a fast 4 match. He then was drawn against the No.1 player in the draw who unfortunately was way too strong for Eric this time. He loved playing against the top player to learn where he needs to improve against players like that. Well done to Eric for giving it a good crack either way. Cranbrook are proud of you!
Ben Higgins Head of Tennis
Cricket
As we move into the final round of the season, several teams remain in contention for top honours. The 2nd XI is on the verge of an undefeated season, while the 1st XI took a crucial win in a thrilling contest at Hordern. Across the board, teams fought hard, with some delivering dominant performances and others facing tough lessons.
2nd XI: One Win Away from a Perfect Season:-The 2nd XI continued their dominant run with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Knox. Chasing 140, Zac Bogg (55) and Hugo Bush (47*) made light work of the target, ensuring another clinical win. With one game remaining, they now stand on the brink of an undefeated season—an impressive feat that reflects their consistency and discipline.
3rd XI: Batting Woes Continue:- The 3rd XI struggled again with the bat, managing just 56 runs. Knox comfortably chased the total in 11 overs, leaving the team searching for a strong finish in the final round.
8A: A Game of Missed Opportunities:- The 8A team stayed in the contest for long periods but couldn’t apply enough pressure to close out the game. Emile Ghosn and George Andreatta both scored 25+, while Alistair Tudehope impressed with 2/13 off six overs. However, Knox reached the target with 10 balls to spare, showing the importance of capitalizing on key moments.
8B: Falling Short in the Chase:- Chasing 114, the 8B side was bowled out for 68, with Jensen Clementson top-scoring (18*). It was a tough outing, but the team will aim to bounce back in the final game.
7B: Holding Their Nerve in a Thriller:- In one of the most exciting games of the round, the 7B team edged out Knox by five runs. The match was filled with high-pressure moments and loud energy, with key run-outs proving decisive. A great team effort and a confidence boost heading into the final round.
7A: Another Tight Loss: –For the fourth time this season, the 7A side fell just short, losing by four runs. Oscar Rouse continued his fine form with 60, while Oli Morgan bowled well, taking 2/12 off six overs. Despite the result, the team has shown great fight all season.
10A: Charlie Girle Leads the Charge:- The 10A team started strong with the ball, restricting Knox to 122/6, thanks to Ed Andreas (1/4 off four overs). However, at 29/3 in the chase, they needed a steady hand—enter Charlie Girle, who guided the team home with an unbeaten 71. With support from Oscar Parsons and Hugo Helyar, they secured a comfortable six-wicket win.
1st XI: A Classic at Hordern:- The 1st XI’s match was a rollercoaster. A fast start (40 off 7 overs) was undone by three costly run-outs, leaving them at 87/5. Chris Harris (62) and Ben Pelly (64) steadied the innings, pushing the total to 207/6.
Defending on a flat wicket, James Mann (1/27 off 10 overs) led a disciplined bowling effort, removing Knox’s key batter early. Tim Molnar chipped in with crucial wickets as the match built to a dramatic finish. With Knox needing 12 off the final over, Molnar held his nerve, delivering a controlled six balls to seal a thrilling seven-run victory. The win keeps the team in contention to retain the CAS title in the final round.
Final Round: Everything to Play For: With one game left, there’s plenty on the line. The 2nd XI aims for a perfect season, the 1st XI looks to hold onto Archer Sheild, and other teams have pride and momentum to build on. It’s been a season of learning, resilience, and exciting cricket—one last push to finish strong!
Ben Staunton Head of Cricket
Touch Football
Cranbrook 1sts Touch Football Match Report Loss to Barker (7-4) Cranbrook 1sts suffered a tough 7-4 loss against Barker in a highly competitive match. The team started the game strongly, taking control early on and looking dominant throughout the first half. With solid attacking play and a disciplined defense, Cranbrook managed to stay on top for much of the opening period, leading the game and showcasing their ability to apply pressure to the opposition.
However, the second half proved to be a different story. Barker came out with more intensity, and despite a strong start, Cranbrook began to lose their rhythm. The team struggled to maintain composure, and some key decisions from the referee added to the frustration, which impacted their focus and confidence. As a result, Barker capitalised on the situation, scoring several quick tries to turn the game in their favour.
While the final scoreline does not reflect it, there were still many positives to take from the match. The first-half performance, in particular, highlighted Cranbrook’s potential, with fluid passing, good movement off the ball, and solid defensive work. These moments should serve as a foundation for future matches.
The team will need to learn from the second-half struggles, especially in maintaining their composure under pressure. Resilience will be key moving forward, and it’s important for the players to bounce back stronger for their final match next week.
2s Report After a sluggish start at 8am on Saturday morning the 2s came out firing in the second half, driving with purpose and putting the Waverley team under pressure. A couple of repeat sets later and the game was on a knife edges heading into the later stages. If only the rule of dummy half can’t score was lifted victory would’ve been sealed well and truly with 2 sensational scoop and scores not allowed under the current laws. Unfortunately, it wasn’t and Waverley stole it at the death to win 3-4. A tale of 2 half’s was reflective across the squad with some solid performances for Zac G, Harry G, Ethan and Benji. Lets hope the coffees are ordered a little stronger next week.
A very strong performance from Cranbrook 3’s this weekend against Riverview. Creative play on the line from Sam Juod and Roman Fischer opened the scoring account early in the first half. Solid and effective touch playing and strategy with drives, wraps and scoots past the defensive line allowed the boys plenty of scoring opportunities. The second half started a bit shaky, but we settled and went back to original plan in the first half and continued to score a few more times. Special mentions to Roman Fischer scoring 4 tries and Theo Coolentianos and Felix Jolly scoring 2 tries each! A great victory for the team today. Final score Cranbrook 10 – 1 Riverview
Peter Dumbleton Head of Touch Football
Basketball
Round 9 Cranbrook Basketball were scheduled against Knox in Round 9 of the CAS season.
1sts The Cranbrook 1sts played against a tough Knox team. The game was competitive early with Knox holding a lead. At half time the score was 21-40 in Knox’s favour. The third and fourth quarter was even scoring until Knox pulled away in the last few moments. Cranbrook 1sts 55 – Knox 1sts 80
2nds Cranbrook 2nds were in a competitive game early. In the second quarter Knox turned up the heat and Cranbrook was unable to recover. Cranbrook 2nds 39 – Knox 73
10Bs The 10Bs surged ahead with a strong lead in the first half on Knox’s home court. They carried this momentum into the second half, widening the gap to an insurmountable margin for their opponents. With exceptional teamwork, including impressive pump-fake moves by player Toby Laux, the 10Bs remained confident in their victory. Their unity and determination secured a dominant win. Final score: 38-16—a remarkable 22-point triumph!
10As The 10As knew they had to win after their previous match against Knox. With strong words of encouragement and a strategic game plan, Coach Will Ferster emphasised that the loudest team on the court would prevail. The game was evenly matched, shifting back and forth like a thrilling battle of cat and mouse, dictated by the shot clock. In the final minutes, Cranbrook held onto a narrow one-point lead, securing a spectacular victory! Final score: 45-44.
Stephen Whitehead Head of Basketball
Summer Volleyball
Cranbrook Volleyball had a tough day against Knox, with only the 3rd team securing a win. The 1st VI put up a good fight but ultimately lost 1-3, while the 2nd VI struggled to find their rhythm, losing 0-3. Despite the challenges, the team showed remarkable resilience and commitment throughout the season.
It’s great to see that the team’s effort have been outstanding, even if the results didn’t always go their way. Knox proved to be tough opponents, but Cranbrook Volleyball has set a solid foundation for future success.
Ben Rollison Head of Summer Volleyball
Water Polo
Well Saturday we took on the powerhouse of Shore at Murray Rose Aquatic Centre. Our juniors proved that the future is bright for Cranbrook with strong performances in the 14’s & 13’s and 15A’s. Our 3rds snatched a draw in the last 10 seconds and the 16 A’s and B’s went down in nail biters both 6-7.
Unfortunately, our 1st, 2nd and 15B’s were given a water polo lesson by very strong teams.
Cranbrook won 4, lost 5 and drew 1 v Shore.
Our 14A’s continued their outstanding season and defeated Joeys 18-7 to continue their undefeated season. Congratulations on a great effort by all the boys and coaches.
1st Loss 18-3 In a challenging matchup against Shore, Cranbrook were taught that anticipation, good defence and understanding of the game makes a great team. Shore are favourites to win the combined GPS/CAS competition, and they were not going to let Cranbrook off the hook easy. The boys while understrength due to sickness had a torrid start to the game going down 5-0 at the end of the 1st quarter.
The 2nd quarter saw us control our attack by not allowing easy counterattack opportunities and tighten our defence and we went to half time 8-2 behind. Jack Whitehead capitalised on 2 penalty opportunities created by some strong offence by Ethan Negrin and Felix Sheldrick.
Unfortunately, Shore took control again and handed Cranbrook a tough defeat with a final score of 18-3.
Despite the loss, there were moments of resilience and individual brilliance that stood out for Cranbrook.
Jack was one of the standout performers for Cranbrook, contributing both of the team’s goals from the penalty line. His precision and composure under pressure showcased his determination to win.
Ethan also found the back of the net with an extra-man goal, demonstrating his ability to capitalize on power play opportunities. Both he and Felix worked hard to create scoring chances, particularly with their pick-and-roll plays. However, the lack of sharp passing in key moments prevented these efforts from turning into successful shots. Despite their best efforts, the ball was often out of reach, or the timing was off.
The game was a tough outing for Cranbrook, as Shore’s aggressive defence and offensive efficiency overwhelmed them. Still, the team fought hard throughout, with only 2 subs while Shore had a full bench of 6 players.
Looking ahead, Cranbrook will aim to sharpen their passing and communication, especially on set plays, to convert more opportunities in future games. The team remains motivated, knowing that improvement is possible with each match they play, and we hope to defeat our uphill rivals Scots for 5th place next week.
2nd Loss 0 – 13 The 2nds came up against a very strong Shore team who were more experienced and clinical in all parts of the game. While they tried hard they could not match the opposition and lost every quarter 0-2, 0-4, 0-3, 0-4.
3rd Drew 4-4 The 3rds were in a dog fight from start to finish with each team not willing to let the other team score any easy goals. It was a very tight defensive game with scores being 1-1, 1-2, 1-1 and Cranbrook getting the final goal in the last 10 seconds to draw through Angus Messiter his 3rd goal. Steven Kong scored the other goal.
16A Loss 6-7 The boys trailed from start to finish but fought valiantly for the whole game. They showed great Cranbrook spirit to fight back from 2-4 down at helf time to only just go down 6-7. Samuel Newey 2, Hugo Miocevic 1, Hector Kyriakopoulos 1, and Preston Irawan 1.
16B Win 6-7 The 16B’s lost 6-7 in a repeat nail biter as the 16A’s. This time they 16B’s led at one stage 6-3, but poor execution and defence allowed Shore to grab the last 4 goals. Jack Landman scored 3, Finn O’Rielly 1, Fred Neal 1 and Jake Shrimpton 1.
15A Win 5-3 On the back of their 1st win of the season last week, the 15A’s backed it up with a hard fought 5-3 win. They made it tough for themselves missing 4 penalties. In the end they were to strong and held on to win 5-3 for their 2nd win os the season. Alexander Shin & Tom Learmonth backed up to score 2 goals each with Isaac Fountain 1.
15B Loss 3-9 The 15B’s went down 9-3 in a tough game against Shore. More commitment and dedication form some of these boys and things could be different.
14A Win 18-7 v Joeys Cranbrook’s 14A I believe became the 1st water Polo team to go through a season undefeated. Coming up against Joeys and not quite sure how strong they would be, losing Takuma Yamada (goal keeper), Charlie Crocker (both injured) and 2 of their stronger players, anything could have happened. But the boys came out strong and dominated the 1st quarter 6-0. They took their foot of the gas in the 2nd and 3rd 2-2 & 5-4 before showing how good they are as a team and won the last 5-1. Alexander Shin and Tom Learmonth both scored 5, Carter McGee 3, Jack Bramah 2, Sam Cregan 2 and Duke Laurie 1. Well done boys and let’s see if we can carry this great record through to 1st grade in the upcoming years.
14B Win 11-4 The 14B’s were in a bit of a dog fight early 2-2 but came out strong in the 2nd quarter to take control of the game 6-2. Shore fought back in the 3rd to make it 4-7, but Cranbrook closed it out strongly in the last to take the game 11-4. Kai Flekser led the scoring with 4, Felix Bull 2, Jack Dempsey 1, Joshua Shrimpton 1, Leon Frieman 1, Jackson Potter 1 and Thomas Blain 1.
13A Win 16-9 In what was going to be a very tough game as Shore had 3 very strong players, the boys responded from a slow start 2-3 end of 1st quarter. They then worked out who were the dangerous players and worked as a team to shut them down. This helped them lead 6-5 at the half and 10-7 at end of 3rd. The last quarter saw them dominate 6-2 for an outstanding win 16-9. Aodhan Taylor scored 9 goals, Thomas Penney 5, Rylan Hedley 1 and Samuel Simich 1. While Aodhan and Thomas dominated the scoring , all boys contributed to another good performance. The 13A’s won all 4 of their games in Term 1. Well done boys and let’s keep the enthusiasm going.
13B Win 6-2 Cranbrook’s 13B team grounded out another strong defensive play to beat Shore 6-2. They lead from start 2-0 to finish and have really developed over the short season. Louis De Oliveria was excellent in goals again , while Louie Bongardt scored 3, Ryan Morris 2 and Felix Bull 1.
Greg McFadden Head of Water Polo
Speed and Agility Friday Mornings 6:30am on Hordern. We would love to see as many students as possible at this amazing free session our strength and conditioning team put on. The program is designed for all skill sets and athletic abilities. We would love to see everyone come down to get a little better each week for their chosen sport.
Thomas Penny’s Outstanding Sporting Success
We are thrilled to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of Thomas Penny from Year 7, who has recently been recognised for his exceptional sporting achievements in the pool at the CIS Sporting Awards.
Thomas was awarded a prestigious Red scroll and medal for his outstanding contribution at the CIS Swimming Carnival in 2024. This honour is not easily earned and requires demonstrating exceptional performance at the School Sport Australia level. The Red award is particularly special, with only a maximum of two awards per gender per sport typically granted in any given year.
Thomas later in the evening received the most prestigious Junior School Sporting award – the Outstanding Primary Sports Boy for 2024 across all CIS sports. He was presented with the D.A. Wiburn Trophies and Plate, a testament to his remarkable swimming achievements. This was based off his performance at the School Sport Australia National Championships, Thomas delivered an extraordinary performance, winning an impressive six gold medals in six races:
200m Freestyle
100m Backstroke
200m Individual Medley
100m Butterfly
50m Backstroke
100m Freestyle
Thomas will continue to pursue his swimming excellence at the upcoming CAS Swimming Championships, to be held at Sydney Olympic Park on Thursday, 13th of March.
Congratulations, Thomas, on your outstanding sporting achievements! Your dedication, skill, and spirit are an inspiration to all of us.
This week, we held our Term 1 Soirée, featuring 12 brave young musicians who took to the stage and delivered some beautiful performances. We cannot take for granted the will and drive of these individuals to produce a polished performance this early in the year. I am excited to see others follow in their footsteps in the weeks and months to come. Click here to see a list of the repertoire and performers on the night.
I’ve spoken previously of the incredible work of our Music team and in the week of International Women’s Day, I’d like to highlight the tremendous women with whom we work, each and every day. As some of the best practitioners and music educators in the country, I am grateful to be able to collaborate with, learn from, and help support the amazing work they do so selflessly, all for the betterment of the student’s they teach. Their expertise and knowledge will soon be available to all genders which can only be a positive step as we all “March Forward”.
Upcoming events for Term 1
6:30pm Tuesday 11 March Scholar’s Recital – Orchestra Room
Thursday 13 March AMEB September exam Sign up final due date (Please consult with your child and their Instrumental Teacher.
3:30 – 5pm Monday 17 March Performance Plus Masterclass for all instruments – Perkins Building
6:30pm Monday 24 March Easter Concert – Vicars Centenary Hall (VCH)
Phil Beverley Director of Music
Drama Production: The Visit
I am writing to inform you that due to scheduling issues we have made the decision to move the start time of Saturday 8 March performance of The Visit from 5pm to 6pm to accommodate students. We hope you can still make the performance with its delayed start time of 6pm and ask that you keep your tickets for this event. If you cannot make this new time we can arrange a ticket exchange for another performance during the week on Wednesday 5, Thursday 6 or Friday 7 at 7pm. Alternatively you can request a refund.
We thank you for your consideration in this matter and we look forward to celebrating this year’s senior production The Visit.
Last Sunday, Cranbrook students and teachers put on gloves, grabbed rubbish bags, and took to the streets and parks to take part in Clean Up Australia Day. Across Sydney, thousands of volunteers joined forces to remove litter from public spaces, and our students were proud to be among them, making a tangible difference in our local environment. Students and teachers from every House teamed up for the initiative, focusing on areas around Vaucluse, Rose Bay, Bellevue Hill, Point Piper and Bondi Junction.
Arriving at 8am, we were greeted by a lovely summer morning and plenty of sunrays to warm the skin. Armed with collecting bags, tongs, and plenty of enthusiasm, we set out to collect the waste left behind in our local areas.
As we walked together, the morning became more than just a clean-up effort. It became a chance to connect with each other outside of the classroom. Conversations flowed as we worked, with students and teachers chatting about everything from weekend plans to school life. There was something refreshing about spending a Sunday morning outdoors, walking and talking while making a meaningful contribution to the community.
One of the biggest surprises of the day was the sheer number of cigarette butts we picked up. Scattered along footpaths and parks, there were many piles of them. By the end, we had collected well over 50, doing some quick calculations, we realized that if the fines for littering would have amounted to over $10,000.
By the end of the morning, we had filled countless bags with rubbish and recycling, leaving the area noticeably cleaner. Seeing the transformation was incredibly rewarding, and knowing we were contributing to a healthier environment for the community made the effort worthwhile.
I’d highly recommend this event to other students. It was a fantastic opportunity to give back, strengthen friendships, and witness the power of collective effort firsthand. It was also a great way to display Cranbrook’s strong sense of community and environmental responsibility.
This is a final reminder to parents that the deadline for the trip to Tahiti is quickly approaching. The deposit is due tomorrow – Friday 7 March, so please make sure to submit it by then to secure your spot.
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/
