Introducing the Jenny Allum Scholarships

From its inception, SCEGGS set out to provide a “thorough education for girls” – an ambitious aim for its time. Since then, each Headmistress has honoured this vision including our current Head of School, Ms Jenny Allum. Ms Allum’s tenure has been defined by her longstanding and unwavering commitment to providing the very best education for our girls.

As we prepare to farewell Ms Allum after 30 years of exceptional service, we will invite the community to honour her legacy in a way that is deeply meaningful to her through the establishment of the Jenny Allum Scholarships. These will fund Indigenous and equity scholarships for students commencing their education at SCEGGS in the Primary School.

The Jenny Allum Scholarships will extend SCEGGS’ mission to foster opportunity, excellence and belonging by engendering a more diverse student body.

We look forward to sharing more details in due course, but if you would like to support Ms Allum’s legacy in this way, our Annual Giving Day on 5 November will be one opportunity to do so and to have your contribution doubled by our generous matchers. Together, we can continue to nurture a school where the richness of diversity is celebrated, and each girl is able to let her light shine; now and for generations to come.

Sally Auld                                                                  
Chair, SCEGGS School Board

Christy Boyce
Chair, SCEGGS Trust Board            

From The Chaplain

The SCEGGS Podcast “Walk The Mile” Episode 70: Speaking about Speaking with Elizabeth Walsh and Celia Watson

Public speaking is not everyone’s favourite thing. For some, it can induce terror and anxiety just from the thought of it. But it can be a useful tool for a variety of reasons. Speech lessons have been an integral part of our school’s practice for a long time and the benefits are obvious. In this episode, Speech and Public Speaking  Co-ordinator Elizabeth Walsh, and her student Celia Watson in Year 12 share their love for speech, how it has helped them, how they go about producing a speech and what makes it important. 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.

Term 4 Dates for Monday Food Delivery

One of our Year 8 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

Farewell Cocktail Party for Jenny Allum

Dear Parents and Carers

You would have received an invitation via email to join us to mark Jenny Allum’s extraordinary service to the SCEGGS community. To be held on Friday 24 October, this event will be a wonderful opportunity for parents and carers to come together, say thank you, and celebrate the indelible contribution Ms Allum has made to SCEGGS.

Further details and booking information are in the email invitation. We really hope to see you there for this very special occasion.

Sienna Weir Poetry Workshop

Last Tuesday, 16 budding poets from Years 6 and 7 immersed themselves in the wonderful world of words at the second annual Sienna Weir Poetry Workshop. Under the expert guidance of leading Sydney poet Jane Gibian, students explored and experimented with poetic forms and features, engaged in thoughtful discussions about imagery, rhythm, and voice, and spent time in nature finding inspiration in the seemingly ordinary workings of an inner-city park. The workshop provided an opportunity for our young writers to stretch their imaginations, discover the power of words, and share their creative voices.

The day began in the Library, where students explored the craft of poetry through the work of accomplished poets. We then headed to Cook and Phillip Park, which provided the perfect backdrop for some poetic inspiration. Students sat in quiet observation, engaging their senses and taking note of how the little things contribute to the vibrancy of this natural oasis in the heart of Sydney. A few spits of rain and an ibis intent on trouble did little to dampen spirits, and the park soon revealed itself to be a veritable treasure trove of inspiration.

Back on home soil, our poets experimented courageously with imagery and form, giving voice to their ideas in verse. It was the perfect conclusion to an enriching day. The poetry workshop has quickly become a much-anticipated event on the school calendar, and we remain deeply grateful to the Weir family, whose generosity continues to make the day possible.

Sarah Nicholas
English Teacher

Betty Behan and Gwen Cockell English Prizes

Each year, SCEGGS invites students in Years 7–10 to submit their creative fiction and poetry writing into the Betty Behan Memorial Prize for Short Story and the Gwen Cockell Prize for Creative Writing (awarded for Poetry). Named in honour of an Old Girl and former English teacher (respectively), these prizes are awarded at Speech Night and are a wonderful way of celebrating the writing of our students. Winning entries and extracts of commended pieces are also published each year in Lux magazine.

Students are invited to submit work that they have completed in class or worked on independently over the year. Each year, we are thrilled to receive so many entries from the talented writers at SCEGGS. The closing date for entries is Term 4, Week 2 (Friday 24 October).

Students can follow the link here to read the instructions, upload their work, and view winning entries from previous years.

Red Room’s Poetry Forest Competition

Red Room’s Poetry Forest Competition encourages students to compose poems with a positive message on climate change. This competition is open until Friday 26 September.

More information can be found here.

Jenny Bean
Head of English

Year 10 Commerce – Market Day 2025

This year’s Market Day was a vibrant showcase of creativity, culture, and community spirit, hosted by our Year 10 Commerce students as part of the Running a Business unit. On Monday 8 September, the JF Terrace transformed into a bustling outdoor marketplace, where 18 student-led businesses brought the theme “Around the World”  to life.

From the aromatic spices of Egypt to the bold flavors of Mexico, students offered a delightful array of international foods and handmade products inspired by countries including Vietnam, the USA, the UK, and many more. The event was not only a celebration of global diversity but also a powerful learning experience in entrepreneurship.

Learning Through Doing

Market Day gave students the chance to step into the shoes of real-world business owners—planning, problem-solving, and serving customers with professionalism and flair. As Year 10 students Taylor Mavrakis and Sophia Quick shared:

“Market Day allowed us to step outside our comfort zones and experience what it’s like to run a functioning business. From the planning process to problem-solving, and eventually to serving customers, we all learned such valuable skills that will help us in the future.”

A Cause Worth Supporting – Let’s Build a School in Cambodia

All proceeds from Market Day—an impressive $5,331 raised in just one lunchtime—will be donated to Let’s Build a School, a project supporting educational opportunities in Cambodia. This initiative, in partnership with Global Development Partner, empowers communities by providing access to quality education.

Behind the Scenes

A heartfelt thank you to the many staff and community members who made this event possible:

• Mark Brown and the Operations Team for their seamless setup
• Mel Bolton and the Cafeteria Staff for their support
• The Social Sciences Department, led by Thomas Sutcliffe and Suvini Kottegoda, for guiding the Year 10 Commerce students every step of the way.

Looking Ahead

Market Day is a cornerstone of our Commerce curriculum, allowing students to explore innovation, teamwork, and business acumen in a hands-on environment. With perfect weather, enthusiastic crowds, and a shared sense of purpose, this year’s event was a resounding success. As students now reflect on their experience in their upcoming Business Report Assessment Task, we celebrate their achievements and look forward to an even bigger and better Market Day in 2026!

Suvini Kottegoda
Social Science Teacher

Stage 2 Oracy Showcase: Finding Our Voice

Our Stage 2 finalists recently stepped into the spotlight for The Stage 2 Oracy Showcase. This event is in its third year and continues to celebrate oral language as an art of expression, creativity, and collaboration, not just speech-making.

Throughout this term, Years 3 and 4 have been honing their skills through Readers Theatre, a classroom strategy that builds reading fluency, confidence in presenting, and performance techniques. On the day, teams were judged on pace, clarity, tone, teamwork, expression, and audience engagement, with standout groups earning recognition as winners and highly commended performers.

The performances featured a wonderful mix of fractured fairy tales and adaptations of children’s literature, from the humorous Hansel and Gretel: The Fussy Eaters and Goldilocks and the Three Aardvarks to moving stories such as The Little Refugee and Ziba Came on a Boat. Through each presentation, the Reader’s Theatre showcased how the girls are developing their ability to read fluently and respond to and understand literature, whilst also learning to use their voices with growing confidence and impact.

Congratulations were extended to all the finalists, who performed admirably. Certificates were awarded in recognition of their achievements, with thanks given to Stage 2 teachers for their guidance and support.

Year 3 

Year 4 

Special mention must be given to our Year 4 showcase hosts, Piper Prain-Pfahl, Josephine Rowe, Anna Chan and Sienna Fleming who led the event beautifully. Thanks must also be extended to our judges on the day, Ms Elizabeth Walsh, and senior girls, Isha Singh and Taylor Mavrakis.

The Oracy Showcase provides more than just a platform for performance, it is an opportunity for the girls to present their learning to a wider audience, raising expectations of what they can achieve. Events like this remind us that oracy is not just about speaking, it is about connecting, collaborating, and strengthening the girls’ skills in expressing ideas confidently.

Kristy Williams
Primary Teacher

Primary Maths Cup

On Wednesday, 10 September, 9 of our Year 6 girls represented the School at the Maths Cup, held at Amity College. The teams consisted of Aleisha Yeung, Alice Beaumont, Annabel Ling, Dasha Jolley, Eva Geha, Harriet Hyde, Minttu Guss, Olivia Yeo, and Ying Huang.

Competing in teams of three, the girls completed a series of challenging mathematical activities, including “Find the Target Number,” a multiple-choice maths test, and a range of logic puzzles.

With 102 teams taking part on the day, the competition was very strong. Congratulations to Dasha, Eva, and Annabel, who advanced to the semi-finals after a strong performance in the opening rounds. In the semi-finals, the girls collaborated to solve tricky word-based problems and did well to then earn a place in the finals.

The finals pushed the competitors even further, with just one minute allowed to solve each word problem. Despite the intense pressure, Dasha, Eva, and Annabel performed brilliantly to place 5^th overall—an outstanding achievement given the standard of the competition. 

We are extremely proud of all nine girls who participated in this exciting event. Their enthusiasm, teamwork, and perseverance were a true celebration of their love of mathematics. Congratulations, girls!

Cristi Wilsmore
Deputy Head of Primary (Teaching and Learning)

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award

The year so far has been a wondrous mix of hot-weather swims, cold nights around campfires, sudden downpours, sweeping valley panoramas, and mornings shrouded in fog. We’ve experienced high humidity, been blown away by sea breezes, eaten overcooked noodles and hot chips at cafés after long hikes, and all the moments in between—uproarious laughter, wise reflections, the occasional curse, group hugs, and a few well-aimed side-eye stares. Just like fossicking in the dirt, some days reveal a hidden gem, while others shine with treasures from start to finish. That is the nature of journeying in the outdoors.

This term, our Adventurous Journeys have taken participants far and wide. Term 3 saw three Bronze groups complete journeys along the Colo River, and two Silver groups explore Dharug National Park and the Wiseman’s Ferry area. Wet conditions tested resilience, but in true SCEGGS style, our groups remained flexible and agile, embracing challenges with positivity and open minds. The spirit of adventure—and teamwork—was on full display.

For those working toward their Gold Award, a Gold Residential Project opportunity is available from Monday 29 September to Friday 3 October 2025, at the Jindabyne Sport and Recreation Centre. Participants will immerse themselves in leadership initiatives, community-building activities, and camping under the stars. Please get in touch with me if you would like more information.

A reminder for all participants: the best approach to completing your Service, Recreation, and Skill sections is to create a routine and stick to it. One hour per week, every week, is the formula for success. The Award rules are clear—missed hours cannot be “made up.” For our Year 12s aiming to complete Gold before graduation, consistency is crucial. Achieving Gold before finishing school is no small feat—it is a testament to organisation, dedication, and perseverance, and we are very proud of those striving for this milestone.

Looking ahead, I am excited to introduce our Year 8 students to Duke of Ed and all it encompasses after assessments next term. I encourage them to seek out both current and past Duke of Ed participants to hear stories, advice, and inspiration.

Jo Bower
Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Leader

Secondary Sport News

Saturday IGSA Sport

Good luck to all teams who are competing in grand finals or their final matches this weekend across netball, hockey, basketball and football. All fixtures will be updated in Clipboard so be sure to double check your venue and time. All players should arrive 30 mins prior to the start of your match.

We have a shared a few photos from our teams last weekend after some very exciting semi-final matches.

Striders

On Wednesday morning Year 12 participated in their final ever “Striders” run across the Harbour Bridge. In what has become an annual tradition, 36 students joined Ms Thompson at 6.30am to head to Milson’s Point before the gentle jog back to SCEGGS. We will miss you Year 12!

Athletics

Congratulations to Ruby Fry (Year 12) who competed at the Australian Cross Country Championships that were held recently on the Gold Coast.

Ruby placed 14^th Overall in the 18 years 6km event. In the 18 years 2km time trial she placed 1^st to win the Gold Medal. We are thrilled for Ruby to finish her school journey with such a brilliant result and wish her well in the upcoming HSC exams.

Water Polo

Congratulations to Sophia Carroll  (Year 9) who has been selected in the NSW U15 Water Polo Team to compete at the Australian Championships in Canberra in October. We wish her well as she continues to train and prepare for this event.

Gymnastics

Artistic Gymnastics

Congratulations to Jamilla Yamani (Year 9) who competed at the Australian Gymnastics Championships that were held in July on the Gold Coast. NSW placed 3^rd in the team event and Jamilla placed 9^th overall in Level 8.

Jamilla also competed at the NSW Club Championships, representing Infinity, at the International level. Her team placed second overall (1^st on floor and 1^st on Bars).

Congratulations also to Alexa Falzon (Year 9) who represented Bunnerong at the NSW Club Championships in Level 8. Her team also placed second overall (2nd on vault, 4th on bars and beam and 5th on floor) against a very strong group of competitors from some of the larger clubs.

We look forward to seeing both students in action as they represent SCEGGS at the upcoming IGSA Gymnastics Championships in Term 4.

Rhythmic Gymnastics

Click here to find more information from the event.

Ultra Marathon

Well done to Scarlett White and Elspeth Herbert from Year 10 who took part in the 100k Surf Coast Century Ultra Marathon down on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria last weekend. 

Participating in a team of four called “Riptide Runners”, they finished in the top 10 in their team of four category, while finishing 25^th out of 140 overall, with their team running the 100k in total of 9hrs 44mins.

Scarlett took on Leg 1, dubbed “Coastline Crusade”, starting in the front wave at 6.30am from Anglesea Beach to Torquay, scaling 625m of elevation over 24.5 kilometres, running kilometres of mossy rock platforms round cliffs and knee deep water at one point, soft sand and scrubby bush tracks, including traversing famous Bells Beach, while Elspeth tackled the final leg described as “Lookouts and Lighthouses” from up in the hinterland down through Airey’s Inlet up past the iconic lighthouse, and back down along the coast, describing a steeplechase of rock scrambling under a tiny envelope of space under a bridge, running up several mountains, taking on 490m of elevation in 24kms, and soft sand running for long stretches.

Click here to watch the clip.

They were in great company with adult teammates, Courtney Cutcliffe, of Annandale, and Chris McAuliffe, from Victoria, both seasoned trail runners and wonderful supports, who took on Legs 2 and 3 respectively. We are so proud of this fabulous achievement. More information about this unique event can be found in the website.

Equestrian

Good luck to Abby Simmons, Scarlett Webber and Ella McHugh in Year 10 who will be competing in Tamworth this weekend across various eventing, dressage and showjumping competitions.

Best wishes to Scarlett Webber who will be representing NSW at the Australian Interschools Championships next week.

SCEGGS at Play

Do you have any sporting news or photos to share in the Green Gate?

We love seeing our students being active and want to celebrate their passion and enjoyment amongst the SCEGGS community. Please send in any action shots from the weekend and any other interesting sporting highlights to Alison Gowan.

SCEGGS Training sessions before and after school plus Saturday Sport

Any cancellations or adjustments will be made in Clipboard and families will receive a notification or email when changes are made. Please ensure you have notifications enabled.

All Clipboard notifications will now come through the SCEGGS Mobile App too, so if you have been receiving notifications from Clipboard (eg when sport is cancelled due to wet weather), you will need to download the SCEGGS Mobile App to ensure that you continue to receive these push notifications.

IGSA Fixtures, Results and Wet Weather

The IGSA website and platform for accessing wet weather, fixtures and team results can be found here.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact myself on 9052 2721 or 0418 491 521.

Alison Gowan
Director of Sport

Primary Sport News

Mrs Carter’s Term 3 AFL Reflection

During Term 3, SCEGGS was pleased to field two AFL teams – a Year 6 team and a combined Year 4/5 team. While the season was unfortunately impacted by wet weather, resulting in several cancelled matches, both teams made the most of the opportunities they had to play and represented the school with pride.

Throughout the season, all players consistently demonstrated the SCEGGS sports values of courage, enthusiasm, graciousness, grit, and spirit, and they shone their light in all they did. The Year 6 team enjoyed an outstanding season, finishing undefeated. Their skill, teamwork and unwavering commitment were evident in every game, and they were truly impressive to watch.

The Year 4/5 team, which comprised a mix of students new to AFL and those with previous experience, displayed remarkable growth over the season. Their energy, determination and willingness to learn were commendable, and it was a pleasure to witness their development and enthusiasm each week.

A particular highlight was the strong sense of camaraderie across both teams. The girls trained together regularly and supported one another, creating a united squad atmosphere that extended beyond year groups.

It has been a privilege to coordinate AFL this term, and we look forward to seeing the sport continue to grow and thrive at SCEGGS in future seasons.

IPSHA Touch Football

Despite the many washouts this term, the IPSHA Touch Football teams finished the term positively and there were many highlights to finish the season.

The 5A team had an incredibly close game at Kincoppal which finished 7-7. It was great to see the girls show grit and a ‘never give up’ attitude, being down three tries early in the game. The team managed to level the game through some swift ball movement and were even unlucky not to score a last-minute winner through an excellent effort by Amelia Hidayat.

Another highlight from the weekend was Ms Thompson’s Parents vs Students game, which has become a popular event on the Touch calendar. The parents managed to get the win on this occasion through some nifty footwork.

Well done to all players and thank you to the team of coaches for their efforts!

Rhythmic Gymnastics

Congratulations to:

• Anja Easton (Year 1)
• Sofia Zhmurovsky, Henrietta Wharton and Luciana Kwok (Year 2)
• Candice Li, Hayley Ye, Trinity Zheng, Cynthia Xia (Year 3)
• Eva Lobato-Williams and Mila Easton (Year 5)
• Eloise Switajewski, Olivia Hung, Catherine Skamvougeras, Natalia Adrian and Evie Keatinge-Adams (Year 6)
• Giselle Wharton (Year 7)

for their participation at the annual Club PERO Controlled Training Event (with Tara Anglican School for Girls) held on Saturday 13 September at SCEGGS Darlinghurst.

The gymnasts demonstrated their Levels 1-4 routines across freehand, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon apparatus with confidence. The judging panels awarded gold, silver and bronze banding throughout the event, and a most improved award went to Hayley Ye (Level 1), Natalia Adrian (Level 2), Eloise Switajewski (Level 3), Catherine Skamvougeras (Level 3) and Giselle Wharton (Level 4).

If there are any students who are competing outside of SCEGGS in RG or WAG who would like to compete at IGSA, please contact Ms Gowan.

Click here to find more information and results from the event.

Student Achievements

On Monday 8 to Wednesday 10 September, Beatrice Emanuel (Year 6) represented NSWPSSA at the 2025 School Sport Australia Cross Country Championships in the Gold Coast. As part of the event, she attended the opening and closing ceremonies, relay event and a school excursion. Beatrice finished 16^th in the individual race and her NSW 12 year girls team won both the gold teams medal and the gold relay medal. What an outstanding achievement. Congratulations to Beatrice.

On Friday 12 September, Georgina Sharp (Year 5) competed at the Equestrian NSW Horse of the year competition and was awarded runner up on her pony. This meant that she has qualified to represent NSW at the Equestrian Australia National Show Horse Championships in Victoria in December. Congratulations to Georgina.

Important Sports Dates

Have a wonderful week!

Mr Adrian Hammond
Primary Sports Coordinator

School Shop

Summer Uniform for Sale

The Summer uniform is now available for purchase in the School Shop. Students are to wear the Summer uniform in Term 4. If a full uniform fitting is required for your child, it is advisable to make an appointment. There are limited appointments available during term time. During the school term, the most suitable time is between 9 am and 11 am, Monday to Friday. For new students, the official uniform fittings are conducted throughout January by appointment only.

For your convenience, you are able to purchase school uniform items online via Flexischools.

Year 12 Textbook

The Year 12 textbook list for 2026 is now available on the SCEGGS website for the incoming cohort and can be accessed via this link.

Lost Property

We have accumulated a collection of Lost Property items from Term 3. Secondary students with identifiable items in Lost Property are encouraged to collect them before the end of term. In addition, we have water bottles, lunch boxes and sundry unnamed items waiting to be claimed. In the last week of the term, these unnamed non-uniform items will be displayed outside the School Shop for students to claim.

School Shop Term Break

The School Shop will close for the term on Friday 26 September and reopen at the start of Term 4 on Monday 13 October.

We look forward to helping you with your Summer Uniform needs.

Clare Reid
School Shop Manager

Year 7 Vaccination Clinic

On Monday 22 September (Week 10) all Year 7 students will be offered the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (dTpa) and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines through the NSW Health School Vaccination Program.

We ask that Parents of Year 7 students complete their online consent form by Thursday 18 September.

These vaccinations will only be provided at school if consent has been received.

How to provide consent:

1. To complete online consent for your child’s school vaccinations, visit the NSW School Vaccination Portal. The Vaccination Portal works best on Google Chrome.
2. Follow the steps to log in to your existing ServiceNSW account. This is the same account you may already use to renew your driver’s licence. If you don’t have a ServiceNSW account, refer to ServiceNSW to create one.
3. Update or confirm your personal details in ServiceNSW as required.
4. Complete the School Vaccination Consent Form for your child/ren. You will need to:
   1. Enter your child’s personal details
   2. Provide the Medicare card details for you and your child
   3. Read the linked Parent Information Sheet and privacy statement
   4. Provide consent
   5. For more detailed instructions can be found on the NSW Health website. This includes instructions for how to withdraw consent.
5. You will receive a text and/or email when your online consent has been completed.

If you or your child do not have a Medicare card, consent can still be provided by requesting a paper consent form from SCEGGS Student Services or Reception.

If you have given consent for your child to be vaccinated at the school clinic, but they are absent on the day of the clinic visit, the school immunisation nurses will try to catch them up at their next visit. Alternatively, you can speak to a GP or pharmacist about catching up on vaccinations.

Click here for more information on school vaccinations.

or if you have any questions, please contact South Eastern Sydney Public Health Unit on 9382 8333 (Ext 2).

Phil Rogers
Director of Administration

Parents’ and Friends’ Association