Senior School Link – Week 8, Term 1 2025 - 20 March 2025
Michele Marquet, Acting Head of School
Dear Parents and Carers
In recent Link messages, I have been speaking about the importance of the partnership that needs to exist between school and home, and how vital it is that these interactions are based around respect on both sides: a valuing of the intimate knowledge a parent holds of their child and childhood developmental pathways and subject expertise that a teacher possesses as a professional.
The exchange of these perspectives can make for robust conversations at times, but when we remember that families and teachers are on the same side, the side that wants what is best for the student, then we are on the way to being able to truly listen to each other and find a way forward.
When we get this right, it builds trust on both sides and enables us to make the very best decisions for the child, both now, but most importantly for their long-term journey into adulthood. We always need to consider the bigger picture of what prepares them best for life beyond just the immediate.
I am so grateful for the many parents who work collaboratively with our staff, around layered issues frequently involving their child’s wellbeing and peer relationship challenges. It always impresses me enormously when a parent can see an issue not just from their own child’s perspective but from others involved as well – and how they can use that understanding to help their child grow as a person, through reframing the child’s perspective to be more balanced, broader and accurate.
With multiple students, differing perspectives and concerned families, grappling with and navigating these situations with fairness, care and wisdom is undoubtedly difficult at times. Such complex situations require enormous amounts of time and effort to move forward. I am also incredibly grateful for the dedication and commitment of our Wellbeing Team across the School, particularly Angelique Sanders, Liz Fletcher and Matt Banes, along with our extraordinary Heads of House and Mentors, our School Nurses and Psychologists who carry the burden with positivity, resolve and a genuine love of the students in their care.
A reminder that our staff always endeavour to respond in a timely manner to families who email them. For their wellbeing, our staff are encouraged to disconnect and so, will usually not respond to evening or weekend emails at these times. They will reply as soon as practicable on their return to work.
We look forward to another week of productive learning and engagement.
Kind wishes
Michele Marquet Acting Head of School
Bob Meakin, Head of Senior School / Deputy Headmaster
Dear Parents and Carers
Good luck to our Year 12s who are preparing for their half yearly examinations which commence in Week 10 (Monday 31 March). A reminder that staff are available in the Year 12 College and for students to seek advice from their class teachers for these assessments.
The weather for our Year 7 CITF has been fantastic. Many of these students have never experienced the great outdoors in this form and the entire Year Group has embraced it and have grown a great deal through the challenging activities. Other than a couple of injuries, the students have interacted extremely well with their peers and the staff. We look forward to welcoming them home tomorrow afternoon.
Congratulation to our CAS Swimming Team who managed a podium 3rd place at the CAS Championships last Thursday. There were a significant of personal bests throughout the evening. A special thank you to Matthew Alexiou and Tate Suriani for leading this team so well. The swimmers were extremely grateful for the loud support from Years 8, 10, 11 and Prefects who cheered throughout the entire event.
Last Friday, many students were honoured for their achievements in the Summer Sports programme at the presentation evening in the Centenary Hall. Our Senior Prefect (Co-curricular), Noah Teitler was the speaker for the evening. The content of his speech and its delivery were outstanding. His congratulations to the award winners meant a great deal to the students that were being honoured.
E-Bikes (again) Sadly, the School has received complaints about students riding dangerously on their E-Bikes, both to and from School. We have given clear messages about their dangers and tried to provide some safety advice. May I ask that parents please reinforce this especially the fact that they should not be riding on the footpath at speed and in groups. Many thanks for your support with this.
Electronic and Online Communication There have been several instances where our students have let themselves down in this area. May I please ask parents to remind students to be kind and considerate when online and never attempt to bully or belittle other students when communicating with them. Unfortunately, some of these communications have been extremely disappointing and gone as far as affecting some students’ wellbeing, which is completely understandable. The School will continue to do more work in this space.
Most Sport this weekend is internal with trials and training, can students please be punctual and in the correct attire.
Have a great week.
Bob Meakin Head of Senior School / Deputy Headmaster
Adrian Harrison, Acting Director of Academics
Year 12 HSC Session: Meet the Markers
During Wednesdays SWP session Year 12 HSC students were treated to a panel discussion with a number of experienced HSC markers. At our school one of the greatest assets students have at their disposal is the calibre of the teachers in front of them. Wednesday was a demonstration of this excellence where I was joined on a panel consisting of Ms Byrnes, Mr Benson, Mr Drivas, Mr Briscoe-Hough and Mr Sinclair. We were able to enlighten students about processes involved in both HSC examination settings and HSC marking process. Our staff have held every possible role within NESA from marking, Senior marking up to Chief of marking, in the assessment space we have assessors, exam committee members and Chief examiner. Students were able to engage in Q&A with these staff. This enabled them to get a great insight into the marking process. This session was excellent preparation for the upcoming examination. Best of luck to all students and thank you for the thoughtful questions.
Adrian Harrison Acting Director of Academics
Hannah Thomas, Director of Professional Learning
Rethinking Literacy Instruction: Balancing Explicit Teaching with Inquiry
Last week Caroline Usasz delivered an engaging and thought-provokingpresentation at our latest Cranbrook Teachers Talking Teaching (CTTT) session.
Her Teacher Inquiry Group (TIG) report, Thinking Like a Linguist: Implicit or Explicit? Raising the Bar of Literacy Instruction Through a Hybrid Pedagogical Approach, provided a compelling analysis of how explicit grammar instruction and inquiry-based learning can work together to improve students’ analytical writing.
Caroline’s research critically examined the data underpinning NESA’s renewed emphasis on explicit instruction, particularly in response to data from NAPLAN and PISA, alongside the findings of the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) report. While AERO’s 2024 report advocates for a knowledge-rich curriculum, arguing that countries favouring inquiry-based learning have seen declines in student outcomes, Caroline questioned whether explicit instruction alone is truly the solution. Her findings suggest that a hybrid approach, which integrates structured teaching with student-led exploration, may be more effective in fostering deep engagement with language and literature.
Key Research Insights:
Explicit grammar instruction built foundational knowledge, as students demonstrated confidence in identifying metalanguage and grammatical techniques when taught directly.
However, explicit instruction alone risked limiting deeper analysis, with students often struggling to move beyond denotation and apply their knowledge in meaningful ways.
Inquiry-based learning fostered critical thinking; when students were encouraged to independently explore texts, such as identifying powerful words and phrases in George Orwell’s Animal Farm and Wilfred Owen’s poetry, they developed more nuanced interpretations.
Scaffolding was key to bridging the gap; Caroline’s use of Fill in the Gaps (FIG) writing structures helped students articulate their ideas more clearly, regardless of whether they had learned through explicit or inquiry-driven methods.
Implications for Teaching Practice:
A balanced approach is essential; explicit teaching provides students with analytical tools, while inquiry allows them to apply those tools in meaningful ways.
Scaffolding matters, as structured support like sentence frames and targeted questioning can help students develop confidence in their analytical writing.
Interrogating the data behind curriculum shifts is crucial. Caroline’s research reminds us to critically assess how educational policies are shaped and whether they truly address students’ needs.
Caroline’s work challenges us to consider how we support students to move beyond “identification” to interpretation and engagement, helping them not only recognise grammatical structures but also understand their effect and purpose within texts. A balanced approach is crucial to developing confident, analytical writers.
Hannah Thomas Director of Professional Learning
Angelique Sanders, Director of Student Wellbeing/Acting Deputy Head of Senior School
This week in SWP, our students engaged in a variety of thought-provoking and practical activities across all year levels.
Year 8, guided by Mr Pyle, Head of PDHPE tackled the complex topic of body image, exploring how societal expectations and media messages influence adolescents during this period of change. Year 9 embraced the theme of courage, reflecting on personal experiences and identifying the qualities they admire in small acts of bravery that they can practice daily. Year 10 began the first of two insightful sessions on navigating difficult conversations, delving into the ‘who, when, why, and how’ alongside conversation techniques for being assertive, progressive, and confident communicators. Year 11 were introduced to the Careers Department website by Ms Fletcher and Mr McDonnell, to aid their research and decision-making for future career paths. Please ask them to show you around the website as it is highly valuable resource. Finally, our Year 12 students focused on their respective streams: DP students dedicated time to their CAS projects with Ms Schmidtke, while HSC students benefitted from a panel of HSC markers, led by Mr Harrison, offering invaluable preparation for upcoming assessments.
Angelique Sanders Director of Student Wellbeing/Acting Deputy Head of Senior School
Matt Grice, Director of Sport
Dear Parents and Guardians
The CAS Swim Team of 30 students led by Captain Matthew Alexiou and Vice-Captain Tate Sirianni competed at Olympic Park last night at the 94th CAS Swimming Championships. Cranbrook delivered an impressive display of individual excellence and outstanding teamwork throughout the event. The energy at SOPAC was once again amazing, with Year 8, 10, and 11 students creating an incredibly supportive and lively atmosphere, cheering for their teammates all night long. This unwavering support gave our swimmers the confidence to perform at their best across all disciplines. Each competitor demonstrated incredible talent, resilience, and a fierce determination to push themselves to new personal bests. The team’s months of hard work, intense training, and unwavering commitment was clearly evident, culminating in a spectacular CAS championship performance
For the first time in five years Cranbrook had a diver compete in the CAS Diving Championships. Archie Tremain represented the school brilliantly with his dives for the 1m & 3m springboards. The execution of his dives, which consisted of an Inward Dive, Forward 1½ Somersaults, Forward Dive, and Reverse Double Somersault, was outstanding, and placed Cranbrook in 4th for the Junior competition. Well done Archie on a fantastic and courageous performance!
The Cranbrook CAS swim team finished 3rd place on the night, with 441 points. 30 points better than 2024. The final team results were:
Knox 569
Trinity 534
Cranbrook 441
Barker 371.5
Waverley 343
St Aloysius 322.5
Well done to the students who broke school and CAS records on the night!
Tate Sirianni
Opens 50m Backstroke 27.16
Maximus Mason
Opens 200m Individual Medley 2:37.61
Noah Kemp
15 years 50m Butterfly 27.34
Cater McGee
Junior 200m Individual Medley 2:29.26
Thomas Penny
Intermediate 200m Individual Medley 2:19.09
13 years 100m Freestyle 57.02 + CAS record
13 years 50m Breaststroke 34.92
Junior 200m Freestyle 2:03.46 + CAS record
13 years 50m Freestyle 26.78
13 years 50m Backstroke 29.96
Aodhan Taylor
13 years 50m Butterfly
Olive McGee
12 years 50m Freestyle
17 years 4 x 50m Freestyle relay
Oliver Minning, Maximus Mason, Vincent Tagg and James Lee 1:42.40
15 years 4 x 50m Medley relay
Noah Kemp, Aidan Park, Prestan Irawan and Harry Moylan 2:00.89
13 years 4 x 50m Medley relay
Thomas Penny, Oliver McGee, Aodhan Taylor and Charlie Roberts 2:04.50
13 years 4 x 50m Freestyle relay
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended the 2025 Summer Sports Awards. Your presence and support helped make the event a memorable celebration of our Cranbrook student athletes. We truly appreciate your commitment to recognising and celebrating the hard work and dedication of our sporting community. We are looking forward to the Winter Season ahead. A big thank you to Miss McCabe and Miss Clozel, the award night would not be possible without your incredible organisation and dedication.
Roman Fisher and Benji Robinson took part in the highly competitive Hyrox fitness competition last month in Brisbane. The event, known for its challenging combination of endurance and functional fitness, had them working together through 8 sets of 1km runs, each alternating with 8 different functional exercises. These exercises tested their strength, agility, and stamina, pushing them to their limits. Roman and Benji demonstrated impressive teamwork, supporting each other throughout the gruelling course. Their determination and resilience were evident as they powered through each segment, finishing the entire challenge in 1 hour and 13 minutes. Their performance in this intense and demanding competition is a testament to their fitness levels and commitment to pushing the boundaries of their physical capabilities. Well done!
The following boys will be representing Cranbrook School at the National Championships to be held at Lake Barrington, Tasmania from 24 – 30 March. Sol Stathis, Toby Lane, Henry Dawson, Max Scales, Tomas Loukes, Edward Hartwright, Edward Williams, Charles Mann, Luke Martin, Owen Mudie, Oscar Orden, Tate Leggett, James Campbell, Max Allchin and Fergus Dawson-Damer.
The boys will race primarily in Coxed Quadruple Sculls with James Campbell and Max Allchin also taking on the Under 17 Double Scull. Racing begins on Monday 24 March with the Under 17 Double Scull Heats being contested from 4.20pm onwards. The event will be LIVESTREAMED through the Rowing Australia website.
Cranbrook was one of only a handful of schools who contested the inaugural National Schoolboy Championships held in Canberra in 1964.
We wish all the boys the best of luck and good racing.
Sam Carroll Head of Rowing
1st 4X+ – Silver Medallist – ACT State Jnr Championships 2025.Cranbrook U17 4X+ streaks away to win the ACT Junior State Championship on Lake Burlley Griffin.Cranbrook’s 2nd Quad of Tomas Loukes, Max Scales, Henry Dawson, Toby Lane and Sol Stahis rocket down Lake Burley Griffin.
CAS Swimming Report
The CAS Swimming Championship was a fantastic way to close out the Summer Sport season. Cranbrook’s CAS Swim Team of 30 students led by Captain Matthew Alexiou and Vice-Captain Tate Sirianni competed at Olympic Park on Thursday night at the 94th CAS Swimming Championship. There was strong support from Cranbrook School with the whole school completing the tradition of the student tunnel from Chapel Lawn to Hordern, with the band playing rocky in the background, the team was fired up by the school gathering round them to chant the school song led by Brookie Booster. The support didn’t finish there with years 8,10 & 11 and prefects all making their way out to SOPAC bringing their passion and energy to support our team from the stands.
The team noticed the support and we set the meet off to a great start qualifying for CIS in the 6 x 50m Freestyle relay. This was a brand-new event on the program, being held for this first time. Whilst this event doesn’t contribute towards points on the night, it is a qualifier for CIS, and also an event to showcase who has talent across all age groups with one swimmer from 12,13,14,15,16 & 17over competing a leg of the race. The event did not disappoint with the three swimming powerhouses Knox, Trinity and Cranbrook battled it out for the first ever title, with just over 1 second separating all 3 schools. Cranbrook finished in a strong 2nd place by only .3 of second behind Knox.
Our captains then led the way in the Freestyle sprint races with Tate Sirianni placing 2nd and Matthew Alexiou placing 3rd in their 50m Freestyle events. Continuing on the podium in 50m Freestyle, Vincent Tagg recently returned from shoulder surgery placed 3rd and Oliver Minning was 2nd in a personal best time of 24.44 swimming under the National qualifying time. The juniors continued our 50m Freestyle success with top 3 finishes from Aidan Park 3rd in a new personal best, Noah Kemp 2nd, Charlie Roberts 2nd in a new personal best, Aodhan Taylor 1st in a new personal best, and Oliver McGee 3rd. Oliver also broke the junior school 50m Freestyle record.
At the end of the 50m Freestyle races, we were sitting in 3rd on the point score with Trinity in front of us in 2nd and ahead of Barker in 4th. We then moved onto the 200m Individual Medley races, these were new races in the programme this year. 13-Year-old Thomas Penny swam up in the 15-16 years and placed 2ndin a new school record. Carter McGee and Maximus Mason also achieved school records in this event. Jack Wilkinson then placed 3rd in the Open 400m Freestyle as a 16-year-old. Both outstanding achievements.
We then moved onto the Butterfly races where Aidan Park, normally known for his Breaststroke performances, finished 3rd in the 50m in a new personal best time, Noah Kemp finished 2nd in the 50m breaking the school record, Charles Gassman placed 3rd in a new personal best after overcoming an ankle injury which had him in a boot the past month, Aodhan Taylor placed 1st in the 14 years then backed up only a few minutes later to win the 13 years, he also broke the school record. Oliver Mcgeealso finished on the podium coming 3rd in the 13 years as a 12-year-old.
Our great results continued in the 100m Freestyle events. Tate Sirianni,Noah Kemp and Carter McGee allplaced 2nd in their age groups. Year 7 emerging champion Thomas Penny won the 100m Freestyle in a new personal best breaking the CAS and school records in a time of 57.02 seconds.
The 4 x 50m Medley relays were next, with 3 of our 6 teams finishing on the podium, 2 of which broke school records. Our Opens and 15 years placed 3rd, while the 13 years, featuring, Thomas Penny, Olive McGee, Aodhan Taylor and Charlie Roberts, won in a time of 2:04.50 breaking the school record by 11 seconds.
In the Backstroke, Tate Sirianni continued his form winning the 50m in a new school record time. Other podium finishes in the 50m included, Oliver Minning 3rd, Noah Kemp 2nd breaking the school record, Carter McGee 3rd, Ziggy Day 3rd in a new personal best time and Aodhan Taylor 2nd. Tate Sirianni then rounded out the Backstroke events placing 2nd in the 100m.
Breaststroke has become one of our best form strokes. Hugo Mertens was the first to secure a podium finish in the 50m events placing 3rd in a new personal best time as a 15 year old in the 16 years race. Jack Charles and Prestan Irawan also finished in 3rd after also competing in the opens, before Aidan Parkplaced 2nd in a new personal best time. Olive McGee also finished in 3rd and Thomas Penny won in a new school record. Prestan Irawan finished our Breaststroke success placing 3rd as a 15 year old in the opens 100m event.
We finished the individual races where Thomas Penny continued to assert his dominance winning the 200m Freestyle in a new CAS record time of 2:03.46. This boosted the mood leading into the freestyle relays with his win beating the inform and strong swimmers from Knox and Trinity. The relays proved that we have not only developed some great individual talents within the swim programme, but the depth and diversity of our swim team has also improved.
We finished the night with 4 x 50m Freestyle Relays, which was the backbone of our CAS swim training. We built our team culture on being able to stand up as a team and deliver in these races. The 13 years placed 2nd in a new school record time of 1:52.18 featuring Thomas Penny, Aodhan Taylor, Oliver McGee and Charlie Roberts.
Cranbrook swimmers set 15 new school records, and 2 new CAS records this season:
Tate Sirianni – Opens 50m Backstroke 27.16
Maximus Mason – Opens 200m Individual Medley 2:37.61
Thomas Penny – Intermediate 200m Individual Medley 2:19.09 – 13 years 100m Freestyle 57.02 + CAS record – 13 years 50m Breaststroke 34.92 – Junior 200m Freestyle 2:03.46 + CAS record – 13 years 50m Freestyle 26.78 – 13 years 50m Backstroke 29.96
Aodhan Taylor – 13 years 50m Butterfly
Olive McGee – 12 years 50m Freestyle
17 years 4 x 50m Freestyle relay – Oliver Minning, Maximus Mason, Vincent Tagg and James Lee 1:42.40
15 years 4 x 50m Medley relay – Noah Kemp, Aidan Park, Prestan Irawan and Harry Moylan 2:00.89
13 years 4 x 50m Medley relay – Thomas Penny, Oliver McGee, Aodhan Taylor and Charlie Roberts 2:04.50
13 years 4 x 50m Freestyle relay – Thomas Penny, Aodhan Taylor, Oliver McGee and Charlie Roberts 1:52.18
The Cranbrook CAS swim team finished 3rd place, with 441 points. This was 30 points better than 2024. We closed the gap to Trinity by 39 points and extended our gap from Barker by 70.5 points. Our final team results were:
All 30 students who represented the swim should be proud of their achievement and their positive contribution. Over half the team has been selected to represent CAS at the CIS Championship next term. Congratulations to our top 10 individual points scorers:
Thomas Penny Yr 7 Thomas
50
Aodhan Taylor Yr 7 Cutler
35
Noah Kemp Yr 9 Rawson
32
Tate Sirianni Yr 12 Northcott
30
Oliver Minning Yr 12 Harvey
27
Carter McGee Yr 8 Hewan
26
Jack Wilkinson Yr 10 Cutler
23
Aidan Park Yr 9 Northcott
22
Matthew Alexiou Yr 12 Northcott
21
Prestan Irawan Yr 9 Cutler
16
Maximus Mason Yr 11 Woodward
16
These results are a collective effort from Cranbrook School. I would like to thank the Heads of Sports and Heads of Music & Drama for supporting the students through the swim training season, often missing their team sports or group classes to swim with the CAS Swim team. I would also like to thank admissions and the House Masters for supporting swimmers into the school and allowing for adjustments in their education due to heavy training loads. Finally, these results couldn’t have been possible without the support and dedication of the coaching staff. Everyone throughout the school has made this a collective effort. This success will no doubt ignite the fire for an even bigger and better performance next year where we will continue to push chase down the Swimming powerhouses of Knox and Trinity who have dominated the sport for over 90 years.
Rebecca Wheatley Head of Swimming
Capturing the Essence of Beach Life: Year 11 Photography Excursion to Bondi Beach
On a recent excursion, Year 11 Photography students worked on developing their camera skills by capturing the vibrant life and energy of Bondi Beach. Inspired by the renowned French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, they embraced the concept of the ‘decisive moment’—patiently observing their surroundings and anticipating the perfect instant to press the camera’s shutter button.
Using their camera’s viewfinder, they carefully composed shots, applying the rule of thirds to frame engaging and dynamic photographs of people along the esplanade of Australia’s most famous beach. The students enjoyed the opportunity to employ their photography knowledge and to explore this local seaside location, always on the lookout for fleeting moments that caught their eye.
A special thank you to staff, Donna Feneley, Tully O’Regan, Liam Houlihan, and Julian Wrigley for their time and support in making this excursion possible for the students.
Mackenzie Pedersen Science Teacher, Resident Tutor and Assistant Head of Science
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
Easter Concert: RISEN
Join us on Monday 24 March at 6.30pm for an uplifting evening of music and reflection as we celebrate the joy and hope of Easter through a beautiful selection of choral and instrumental performances.
This event promises to be a very special celebration of Easter, and we would love for you to share it with us.
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/
