Due to major upgrades on our phone system, inbound calls to the School will be intermittent/not possible during 8am to 12pm on Tuesday 29 September.
If you need to contact the School during this time, please use the Contact Us form on the website and if applicable, an office staff member will call you back in due course.
The Vacation Care mobile number will operate as usual.
Thank you for your understanding.
Craig Whalland
ICT Director
As we approach the school holidays, it is important to understand that while many young people look forward to a break from school, time away from the routine, structure, social connections and support school provides can be challenging for some. Changes to routine can sometimes contribute to feelings of stress, isolation, or disconnection, particularly for young people who may already be finding things difficult. One of the most important ways we can support young people during the holidays is by encouraging them to stay connected with others, maintain healthy routines, stay physically active, and remain involved in activities they enjoy. These seemingly simple protective factors can make a significant difference to wellbeing.
For parents and carers who would like additional information and practical strategies, headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation is offering a free online webinar focused on supporting children and young people during the school holidays.
Dates: 22, 23 or 24 September 2026
Register here.
More information: via the PDF attached
The session will explore common challenges and opportunities during holiday periods, offer ideas for supporting wellbeing, provide guidance for approaching difficult conversations, and share information about available support services.
Carol Bloomfield
Head of Student Wellbeing Programs
This week begins our formal farewells to the Class of 2026. It has been a tough year and I have appreciated their perseverance and strength through all of the complexities that they have faced. I will certainly miss their enthusiasm and warmth that they bring to our community and I look forward to seeing how their lives play out beyond the Green Gate. They have been a great year group and a pleasure to know.
It is not hard to find a story about anyone at anytime about anything. But what does it take to get a story which provides a true and clear insight into a character or event? Tracey Hannaford has had a lifelong career in journalism and is currently working for the 60 Minutes television program. She has had a wide range of experience, reporting from overseas and producing specific reports on a variety of current affairs. In this episode, Tracey talks about her craft, what she is trying to determine from those she interviews and how she creates a story that will not only inform the viewer but also have an impact on their worldview, maybe even themselves. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
And a reminder that we are published on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other popular platforms so you can access it easier from your preferred device. I always welcome your feedback or any ideas you may have for further episodes. You will find each podcast as they are produced in this newsletter and on the other platforms as well as our website.
One of our Year 9 mums, Philippa Baker, has kindly set up the next lot of dates for Term 4 in the SignUp app here for those that are interested in the Monday Food Delivery. If you are not sure what this is or haven’t been involved before, go onto the app and you will find all you need there. If you have any questions, please contact me at anytime. Thanks again to everyone within our community for your continued generosity. I can assure you that every meal is very well appreciated. And a special thanks to our Year 12 families that have been providing meals. I might not see you out on Forbes St on a Monday anymore but your contributions will always be remembered!!
Rev. Garry Lee-Lindsay
School Chaplain
In Music Matters this week, read about:
Last Friday, we had the exciting opportunity to attend an organ recital at Yirranma Place. The amazing organist, Robert Fox, picked a program based on the theme of spring. There was a huge variety in repertoire, ranging from the Renaissance to modern film music, all encapsulating the essence of spring; my personal favourite was the dramatic finale, Toccata from Gothic Suite by Boellman. After the concert, we were so lucky to meet Mr Fox who gave us a chance to try the organ! It was really cool to play- one special thing about this organ was that it had bells in it. Overall, it was a wonderful experience, one that would not have been possible without Ms Holmes. Many thanks to her for organising everything!
Anna Luo, Year 10
Although we seemed to be the youngest audience members by about 50 years, the repertoire selected by the organist Robert Fox included something for everyone. Along with JS Bach, Johann Strauss and Thomas Arne, I really enjoyed the film score from How to Train Your Dragon. It was truly an amazing experience. However, the highlight for me was the chance to chat with Mr Fox and play the impressive pipe organ myself after the recital.
Alice Cameron, Year 9
Last Friday at lunchtime, the audience of parents and students enjoyed performances by Daphne Chylek, Adeline Ng, Cecilia Otton, Avani Singh, Eleanor Koch, Clementine Ogilvie-Duggan and Imogen Symons. Eleanor was joined by vocalist Olympia Polyviou in her presentation. The performances were ably accompanied by Ms Jayne Groves on piano and Mr Mike Tierney on trumpet. To end the concert, Alice Chandler led the Primary Percussion Ensemble from the drum kit for a lively rendition of Eat, Play, Sleep, Repeat, written by the very clever combo of Jayne Groves and Matt Moore!
After school last Thursday, Primary pianists in Years 3 to 6 gathered in the Great Hall for a concert. This event opened with a piano duo performed by two Year 10 students, Anna Luo and Leah Zipser. They have been working throughout the term on a special project which takes advantage of having two grand pianos on stage for a Music Extension HSC performance. Following this beautiful presentation of a Mozart Sonata, students from Cantare played piano solos and the entire Cantare choir sang in harmony to the delight of the audience. The concert continued with further piano solos in a variety of styles by students learning from tutors within and outside of SCEGGS.
We love hearing about ways our musicians are involved in music-making outside of school. Please send details to Heidi Jones.
Heidi Jones
Head of Music (Co-curricular)
This week, Year 9 Design and Technology students had the exciting opportunity to visit Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard at the Australian National Maritime Museum.
The exhibition provided valuable insights into Viking culture and the influence of societal traditions on jewellery design, connecting directly to the students’ current studies of jewellery-making techniques and styles from different historical periods, including Art Deco. Students learned about the sophisticated metalworking techniques of Viking craftspeople, including intricate rune inscriptions and the creation of treasured objects that communicated status, wealth and identity.
A particular highlight of the excursion was the opportunity to handle and sketch replica artefacts featured in the exhibition – what an amazing experience!
Combining history, craftsmanship and design, the excursion gave students a unique opportunity to see how jewellery can tell the story of a culture and, in the spirit of the exhibition, was truly PURE GOLD!
Jody Ziesel
Head of TAS (Acting)
Opportunities for Visual Arts students to share their work with a wider audience can be achieved through submission to Prizes and Awards.
Entries are currently open for students in Years 9 to 12 for the inaugural University of New England’s Cover Artist of the Year. This competition asks students to respond in their own way to the theme “unconventional”.
Entry is free.
Submission due date: 23 September 2026
Students are invited to submit 2D mediums including:
Painting, Drawing, Illustration, Graphic Design and Mixed Media
Entry portal can be found here.
A reminder that the Howard Tanner Prize is open to all students at SCEGGS in Years 7 to 11 and submissions are due by the first Friday back next term. This is a special SCEGGS Prize.
The Howard Tanner Drawing Prize is a SCEGGS special award for Drawing. It is presented on Speech Night by Ms Gyton.
We encourage all students to submit work in any drawing media on any subject and on any scale.
The Prize was founded by Architect Howard Tanner to encourage and celebrate the skill of drawing. Students should think of drawing in its broadest stylistic forms, from expressive to realistic, to observational to imaginative and in drawing media from lead and coloured pencil to charcoal, pen or ink. Consider line, tone and mark making as the fundamental drawing components. Students can be as experimental or formal as they like in their approach. To honour the intentions of Howard Tanner, no works created by digital means are accepted for this Prize.
An exhibition of finalist’s drawings will be displayed in JF1 in Term 4.
This week’s banner is a work by Callie Ryan from her Year 9 Painting assignment. An exhibition of all Year 9 paintings can be seen in the Luci Cambell Memorial Cabinets outside the Lecture Theatre.
Heidi Jackson
Head of Visual Arts
This term, as part of the Year 6 Mathematics program, students have taken part in our highly anticipated Build a Business project, creating and operating their own businesses with a strong focus on sustainability.
Working in teams, students designed products using recycled and repurposed materials, demonstrating creativity and innovation. From transforming old soft drink bottles into dinosaur pot plants, to giving unwanted crayons a new lease on life through melting and moulding, and even creating hair ties from old stockings, students embraced the challenge of turning everyday waste into desirable products. The enthusiasm of our Years 3, 4 and 5 customers was evident on Market Day, with many businesses completely selling out of their products.
The project provided an authentic context for a wide range of mathematical concepts. Throughout the term, Year 6 have explored the difference between cost price and sale price, completed employee timesheets, conducted stocktakes, managed Market Day bookkeeping and calculated change.
While the project presented challenges at times, students demonstrated impressive resilience as they navigated problem solving, decision making and teamwork. The experience has strengthened their capacity to be flexible and collaborative learners.
We are delighted to share that Year 6 raised an outstanding $1,132.50 through their Market Day businesses. All profits will be donated to HopeStreet’s Rough Edges community service in Woolloomooloo, which provides welcoming spaces, practical support and opportunities for connection for people experiencing hardship.
We are incredibly proud of the initiative and creativity shown by our Year 6 students throughout this rewarding learning experience.
Thank you to all those who supported the Year 6 entrepreneurs.
Katherine Lock and Maddie Whitfeld
In Primary School sports news this week read about:
It has been wonderful to see all of our IPSHA Touch teams grow in confidence and skill throughout the term. From the beginning to the end of the season, every team made excellent progress and most importantly the girls thoroughly enjoyed their time on the field.
SCEGGS 1 made great strides in their attacking play, particularly in their ability to drive forward and move the ball effectively when attacking the line. Team spirit was a standout of SCEGGS 4, with the girls showing fantastic support for one another. SCEGGS 2, a combined Years 5 and 6 team, came together beautifully and produced some excellent performances. Ms Thompson’s team also demonstrated wonderful teamwork, supporting each other throughout a number of close games and scoring some fantastic tries. SCEGGS 5 and 6 remained undefeated, while SCEGGS 7 went from strength to strength, finishing the season with two well-deserved wins.
A huge thank you to all of our dedicated coaching staff, led by Head Coach Matt. Their encouragement, enthusiasm and expertise have played an important role in helping the girls develop their skills and, most importantly, ensuring they had a positive experience.
Congratulations to all of our girls on a fantastic season!
Mr Hammond
What a fantastic season of AFL for SCEGGS!
Our Term 3 IPSHA team brought together a brilliant mix of players, from experienced club footballers to girls picking up an AFL ball for the very first time. From the opening round, the group threw themselves into the competition with energy, enthusiasm and a real willingness to learn.
With Head Coach Jared and Assistant Coach Eden leading the way, the improvement across the season was tremendous. Skills sharpened, confidence grew and the girls became a stronger and more connected team each week. There were some excellent wins, some very tough opposition and a few thrilling games that went right down to the wire.
The real highlight though, was the spirit the girls brought to every game. They played for one another, celebrated each other’s efforts and competed with determination while always keeping the sense of fun that made this group so enjoyable to watch. Their sportsmanship, teamwork and pride in representing SCEGGS were evident every week.
It was a season full of growth, great moments and plenty of smiles, and the girls should be incredibly proud of all they achieved. See the girls in action here.
Mrs Carter
Year 3 Netball has had a fantastic season, with our Blue, White and Yellow teams enjoying their first experience of netball as a Saturday sport.
Across the term, the girls have developed their skills, confidence and understanding of the game, showing wonderful improvement from week to week. A particular highlight has been seeing every player learn and confidently rotate through multiple positions, developing a much broader understanding of the game and demonstrating impressive adaptability.
With the support of their coaches, Milla, Sophie, Lauren and Georgia alongside SCEGGS Head Coach Shane, the girls have embraced every opportunity to learn, compete and work together as a teams.
Competing against Kambala and Ascham throughout the season, the girls finished with an exciting gala day-style experience, putting their skills into practice and celebrating how far they have come. We are so proud of the enthusiasm, teamwork and sportsmanship they have displayed throughout the term. I can’t wait to see them return for the inaugural IGSA Jnr competition next year!
Miss Tucker
Lark Xiao (Year 4) competed at the Youth State Short Course Swimming Championships last weekend and came second in the 50m Freestyle and third in the 100m Freestyle. She also finished within the top 10 in her other three 50m events. She was very happy with her results. Congratulations to Lark for her achievements!
Aria Hawson (Year 3) is an avid dancer, a member of Randwick Physie & Dance, and last weekend competed in the teams competition. Not only did Aria enjoy the experience, but her team placed second in the 7-8yrs age group. Well done to Aria for her efforts!
Have a wonderful week at sport!
Mr Adrian Hammond
Primary Sport Coordinator
Click here to read this week’s Careers Corner Newsletter.
Andrea Pinnock
Careers Advisor