From Ms Allum

Behind the Green Gate was established in 1998, two years after I arrived at SCEGGS. Then, it was a double-page newsletter printed on green paper (but of course!) Each week since then, we have chronicled the many great achievements of our girls, wrote about educational issues and highlighted news and events.

Although the vehicle and medium for delivering all this has evolved, what remains constant is that this newsletter is all about our community. And SCEGGS is a community that cares; we care about each other, about those around us and we care about those a little farther away too. I am filled with gratitude for the 30 years I have had with this community; the girls and teachers that I have cared for – and they have cared for me too!

I have been moved by the so many well wishes – whether at the Parent Cocktail event earlier this term, from Old Girls at reunions, at yesterday’s beautiful Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols or on the Giving Day website. There have been lots of things written and said, and I will treasure them all.

Together we have built a school and a community where our girls are valued and celebrated. They are imbued with an intellectual curiosity and encouraged to pursue their passions, whatever they may be. Ours is a special community indeed.

So, as I pen my last Behind the Green Gate article, I do so with lightness and joy, knowing that SCEGGS will forever be in my heart.

My deepest wishes to you all for a happy and holy festive season.

Farewell for now, until our paths cross again beyond the green gate.

Luceat Lux Vestra

Jenny Allum
Head of School

Speech Night 2025

Speech Night will be held at the Sydney Town Hall on Tuesday 2 December, with rehearsals conducted throughout the afternoon. The ceremony commences at 7.30pm and concludes at approximately 9.30pm. Correct summer uniform should be worn by all students (blazers are not required).

Information for Students

Students are not required to attend school on the Tuesday morning, as the School will be closed. Students in the Secondary School will go straight to the Town Hall on Tuesday afternoon, arriving progressively for rehearsals. For students in Years 3-6, they will meet at school in the afternoon and will travel by bus to the Town Hall accompanied by their teachers. Primary students must arrive at school by 3.15pm for a 3.30pm departure. Further information is available here.

Information for parents/carers wishing to attend Speech Night

It will not be possible for parents to access the venue any earlier than this, but as usual, we do expect that the auditorium will be completely full well before 7.30pm, so please ensure you arrive early if you do wish to attend the ceremony.

For the consideration of all other patrons in the auditorium, please note that recording or videoing is strictly prohibited inside the Centennial Hall.

At the conclusion of Speech Night at approximately 9.30pm, parents should arrange to meet their daughter in the outdoor square between the Town Hall and St Andrews’ Cathedral.

We look forward to celebrating the achievements of 2025 and the end of our academic year at the Town Hall next week.

Holly Gyton
Deputy Head of School

Farewell Ms Allum

It was music, poems and stories aplenty as the student body formally farewelled Ms Allum at assembly on Monday. From our very youngest student to our incoming Year 12s, it was a joyful and moving tribute to our fifth Head of School!

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

The School community gathered to celebrate the joy and meaning of Christmas at our beautiful candlelight Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols last night. Readings from the Bible along with the beautiful melodies from our musicians and the congregation uniting in hymn, made for a special and memorable occasion.

P&F Cocktail Party Save the Date

Parents’ and Friends’ Association Welcome Cocktail Party – Save the Date

The much-loved annual P&F Welcome Cocktail Party will be held on Friday 20 February 2026 from 6.00pm – 8.00pm at SCEGGS. More information, including ticket details, will be shared in Behind the Green Gate early next year.

On behalf of the P&F we thank you for your support throughout 2025. We wish you and your families a safe, restful and joyful holiday season, and we look forward to welcoming you back to campus in 2026!

Rob Jessup
P&F Association President

From The Chaplain

I thought last week was going to be my last article in Behind the Green Gate for the year but there is one more thing that I should let you know. The dates for our Monday Food Deliveries are now live and ready to go in the SignUp App here. If you would like to continue providing next year, have been thinking about getting involved or have had no idea that we do this, here is your opportunity. 

Thanks again to everyone that has contributed to this program. Over 470 meals were made throughout the year by about 120 volunteers. Many of those meals were made into portions of between 4 and 20 meals. It’s hard to estimate how many people we have fed but from the feedback that I get from the different organisations I take the food to, it could be in the thousands!! What a magnificent effort that makes a massive difference to so many lives. 

Wishing you all the best for the Christmas season and a restful break.

Rev. Garry Lee-Lindsay
School Chaplain

Year 2 Koala-ty Creations

Last Friday, the Year 2 classroom was transformed into a vibrant gallery for Koala-ty Creations, an art fundraiser proudly imagined and organised by the girls themselves.

Inspired by their Term 2 literature text Koala Ark by Stephen Michael King, the students were deeply moved to learn about the threats facing Australia’s koala population. What began as classroom discussions and persuasive posters soon grew into a heartfelt idea- could we use our creativity to make a real difference for koalas in need?

With support from Ms Woodcock and Ms Playford, the girls spent Term 3 and 4 painting, sculpting, and experimenting with printmaking to produce a stunning collection of one-of-a-kind artworks. The event was opened with a series of student presentations explaining the learning journey behind the project. Guests were invited to view the artworks, read student reflections, take photos in the Koala Photobooth, and make pledges to help protect wildlife.

Families generously contributed through the event’s donation page, raising over $1200 and all funds raised will support the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary and the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital.

The Year 2 team are immensely proud of the girls’ initiative, empathy, and commitment to turning an idea sparked during learning into real-world action. Their Koala-ty Creations truly reflected not only artistic skill, but also compassion, teamwork, and a sense of environmental responsibility.

Rebecca Woodcock
Year 2 Teacher

Year 2 Camp

Last week, Year 2 headed off with enthusiasm for their very first overnight camp at Stanwell Tops, returning with plenty of stories and smiles. From the moment they arrived, the girls embraced a full program of engaging and adventurous activities.

Day 1 saw them diving into team-building games that strengthened co-operation and connection within the cohort. One of the highlights was a creative raft-building challenge in the pool, where the girls used a selection of materials to design and construct a raft sturdy enough to carry a teddy bear. They also enjoyed a bush walk to the Ponds, learning about Australia’s native plants and the clever ways they adapt to survive.

Despite waking to wind and rain on Day 2, the girls’ enthusiasm never wavered. Dressed in wet weather gear, they ventured back outdoors to construct shelters for their drink bottles using natural materials found in the bush. This activity once again called on their teamwork, problem-solving skills and ability to listen respectfully to one another’s ideas.

Throughout the camp, the teachers were incredibly proud of the girls’ maturity, resilience, and positive attitudes as they navigated their first night away from home.

A sincere thank you to Ms Woodcock, Mrs Cavaliere and Miss Gellert for their care, leadership and energy across the two days. Their support played a significant role in making the Year 2 Camp such a wonderful success.

This camp represents a meaningful milestone for our Year 2 girls, offering valuable opportunities for independence, personal growth and the strengthening of friendships. We know they will look back on this adventure with great pride.

Cristi Wilsmore
Deputy Head of Primary (Teaching and Learning)

Secondary Sports News

Merry Christmas

The PDHPE Department would like to thank you everyone for a fabulous year of sporting activities. We hope everyone has a safe and relaxing time over the Christmas break and we look forward to 2026.

For any late Sports Enrolments for Term 1, 2026, please contact the PDHPE Office to check for availability.

Easts Touch Grand Final Day – Saturday November 29 at Queens Park

Good luck to all teams who have qualified for the Grand Finals this Saturday.

8am

9am

10am

Congratulations to the following players who have been awarded Best & Fairest by Easts Touch for their respective grades:

IGSA Water Polo

Good luck to our water polo teams who play their final matches this weekend. This is a round robin competition with ‘first past the post’. Current standings are as follow:

IGSA Tennis

Our tennis teams have had a very successful season and are well placed across all grades coming into their final round.

Tildesley Shield Trials

We will be running two Tildesley Shield Trial days at Parklands Tennis Centre from 8am-12pm.

Please speak with Mrs Moar if you have any further questions. The final team to compete at the 2026 Tildesley Shield will be announced early in Term 1, 2026.

Inter-House Tennis Results

Congratulations to Christian who were the champion house at the Inter-House Tennis Competition that was held recently.

Sydney Indoor Hockey

Our SCEGGS Indoor Hockey teams will play their final matches on Thursday evening. Current standings are as follows:

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

Saturday Sport

Round 6 of the IPSHA Basketball competition took place last Saturday. The teams came away with five wins out of nine fixtures. There were some very close encounters. The Year 6 teams came away with one win, including the 6A team who were up by ten points, however, couldn’t hold on and ended up losing 23 – 24 to Abbotsleigh. The Year 5 teams also managed two wins from their games, including the 5C team who had a strong performance and managed to win 20 – 6 against Wenona. Congratulations to all Year 4 teams who had strong performances.

It was a fantastic weekend of tennis for the two SCEGGS teams. Both teams played extremely well and won their matches. The SCEGGS 1 team has been a standout on the court this term with some incredible rallies and superb shot-making. Shoutout to Emilia Laban who not only excelled on the court but was supporting her teammates throughout the morning.

Year 3 Football teams have done a fantastic job this term and improved their skills. All teams played against Ascham on the weekend and came away with a win. Mrs Sweeney has been happy with the teamwork displayed by the girls.

Good luck to all teams for their last round which is taking place on Saturday 29 November.

Moore Park Tigers AFL Club

The Moore Park Tigers AFL Club is looking to recruit players to join their community for 2026. A few of the SCEGGS girls in the primary school are already involved in the club and have even progressed to playing in the Sydney Swans Junior Academy as a result. There are even around eleven girls from the 2025 Kindergarten class who will be joining the club in 2026. If you are interested in your daughter joining this AFL community, then please see the attached flyer.

Sport Reminder

IPSHA Tennis and Basketball, and Year 3 Football competitions finish on Saturday 29 November (Week 7). All students are expected to make this round.

Important Sports Dates

Summer Hockey

St George Randwick Hockey Club are hosting an exciting girls’ primary school hockey competition in Term 1, 2026.

This is a friendly competition designed to provide students with a fun and engaging introduction to hockey, as well as valuable game experience in preparation for the IGSA competitions in Terms 2 and 3. Below are the key details for the competition.

Competition Overview:

Grades

Open to girls in Years 3 to Years 6. Depending on the number of teams, we may split the competition into two divisions: Years 3-4 and Years 5-6.

Dates

The competition will run for 5 weeks on Wednesday afternoons.

Have a wonderful week and looking forward to sport recommencing in 2026.

Adrian Hammond
Primary Sports Coordinator

Debating

It has been another fun, rigorous and well supported debating season at SCEGGS. In this issue we wrap-up 2025 as well as provide information on how your daughter can be involved next year!

Debating Program 2026 – Get Ready! 

The SCEGGS Debating Program for 2026 will commence early in Term 1. All details will be available via the SCEGGS App from early December, where students can sign up through Clipboard. 
 

No prior experience is required, Trials are simply a way to form balanced teams, and we encourage all interested students to apply. 
 

Training and Commitment 

 
Debating is a team activity, so commitment to the full season and consistent attendance at training is essential. Training sessions focus on: 

• Discussing current issues to prepare for topics. 
• Practice debates. 
• Constructive feedback from coaches. 

Competition topics are provided in advance, so training debates mirror these themes to build confidence and competitiveness.

Program Schedule 

Debating Trials 

Due to high interest, Debating Trials will be held on Friday 30 January 2026, from 3.15 pm – 5.00 pm. Trials ensure fair team selection and give every student an opportunity. 

Students new to debating can also join Social Debating to develop skills before inter-school competitions.

For any questions, please email here.

Debating Wrap-Up 2025  

The Debating season for 2025 has officially come to an end! This has been the most student participation we have had in SCEGGS Debating history and it is a testament to the students and their natural curiosity for the world about them. Debating is a co-curricular activity which is beloved in the SCEGGS community as it allows students to be couragous and challenge their assumptions on real world issues, alongside other schools. It has been wonderful this year seeing the over 70 students involved in the Debating program and they should all be proud of their efforts.  

This year has seen Semi Finalists in Eastside and ISDA, alongside Grand Final winners in Archdale.

IGSA Representative Squad 

Some students in Year 10 and Year 11 auditioned for the IGSA State Representative Squad and two of our students qualified this year, which is an incredible achievement – congratulations to Lou Bien and Holly Johnston. The IGSA State Representative team came 2^nd overall in their competition. Lou and Holly have been incredibly committed to Debating this year and both their coaches speak to their skill and commitment, it is no surprise they were picked for the Squad and their light shun bright this year!  

Archdale Grand Final  

This year in Archdale Debating, we had two teams qualify for the Grand Final out of 22 competing schools – teams 8A and Year 9. 

The topic for the final was, “That we should have a 50% quota for women in senior leadership positions in large corporations and government departments.” 

Team 8A took the negative side and lost narrowly to Kincoppal, while Year 9 argued the affirmative against Loreto Kirribilli and delivered a stellar performance, securing a well-deserved Grand Final win. It’s worth noting that Year 9 reached the Grand Final in each of the past two years – and this year, they finally brought it home. Third time really was the charm! 

The following Year 8A debaters received a silver medal: 

• Cynthia Cai 
• Anna Slack 
• Clementine Reuss 
• Anastasia (Annie) Botros 
• Arianna Li 
• Sophie Wang 
• Elyse Ng  

The following Year 9 debaters received a gold medal: 

• Anna Luo 
• Sophia Whiting 
• Flora Balagna 
• Josephine Hatherall

Congratulations to all teams for their efforts this Archdale season, we had 8 full teams compete against 22 schools which all represented SCEGGS with pride. We hope to see all Debaters competing up a level again in 2026! 

Inter-House Debating – Junior and Senior  

Inter-House Debating this year was a success with both the Junior and Senior divisions having support from their House Committee’s to compete in Round 1 – 3 over two separate days. It was wonderful to see the House Spirit in the OG Building at sunset as all teams debated on a variety of topics as follows:  

Junior Topics: 

• That we prefer a world where people are incapable of lying 
• That social media does more harm than good for young people 
• That there a maximum age limit for politicians

Senior Topics:  

• That we should ban all forms of incarceration for people under 18 years of age 
• That governments should subsidise sustainable fashion over fast fashion. 
• Should influencers be held legally accountable for the products they promote? 

Junior Inter-House Results

Senior Inter-House Results

Captain’s Address

Click here to read this year’s Captain’s Address. 

We look forward to supporting your daughter’s debating journey as SCEGGS continues to thrive in this exciting co-curricular space. 

Suvini Kottegoda
Debating Coordinator

Primary & Secondary Music

Musicale 4

Musicale 4 was a great evening that celebrated our students’ talent and hard work. Girls from both the Primary and Secondary Schools shone on stage, sharing the results of many weeks of practice and preparation.

Here are some images from the evening:

Kindergarten – Year 11 Christmas Service

Students in the Years 5 & 6 Choir, Cantare, Choir, Madrigal Ensemble, Amati Strings, and Tour Choir are preparing for the Christmas Service on Friday 28 November. Please see the times below for those involved.

Year 2 Christmas Strings

String players who were not able to participate in Musicale 4 last week due to the Year 2 camp participated in a special project this term to learn festive carols in a chamber music setting with Mrs Sweeney. Daisy Edwards, Angeliki Poulos, Mishka Malhotra, Yvonne Lonard, Myah Solanki, Bianca Roncolato, Henrietta Wharton, Luciana Kwok, Adeline Han, Aria Zhang, Lara Kirkwood and Sofia Zhmurovsky performed unconducted for parents and friends in an open rehearsal last Tuesday, bringing Christmas cheer to all!

Cello Lunchtime Concert

The cello students of Ms Rosemary Quinn performed for an appreciative audience of parents and students in a Lunchtime Concert in the Lecture Theatre last week. Congratulations to Lucia Tam (Year 8), Georgina Auld (Year 9), Eden Elski (Year 8) and Peyton Tiong (Year 8) and special thanks to Ms Catherine McKay for accompanying the cellists in the concert.

2026 SCEGGS Eisteddfod

The annual SCEGGS Eisteddfod will be held in Term 1 next year. K-12 musicians are encouraged to choose a piece to perform for this before the end of term to practise over the summer holidays. A good guide is to choose a “Goldilocks” piece – something that is not too easy, but not to hard – that can be performed confidently for the Eisteddfod Heats in March next year.

AMEB Examinations

Congratulations to the students who sat national music examinations with the Australian Music Examinations Board this term. These musicians prepared all areas of the AMEB syllabus with rigour, improving their facility, technique and musicianship. Special thanks to Jayne Groves and Chloe Waldron-Reilly for accompanying the students and to the SCEGGS string tutors for preparing the girls so well, ensuring a positive experience in the exams at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Term 4 Overview

Please refer to Clipboard for information regarding Term 4 rehearsals and performances. It’s a very busy term as we prepare for the Speech Night and Music Tour and several community performances out of school hours.

Secondary students are reminded that they must communicate with their conductor or ensemble director in advance, if they are unable to attend a rehearsal.

Beyond the Green Gate

We love hearing about ways our musicians are involved in music-making outside of school. Please send details to Heidi Jones.

Clipboard

All co-curricular music ensemble schedules are now available on Clipboard. If you haven’t set this up yet, please follow the provided instructions. For any issues with Clipboard set-up, contact our Music Administration Assistant, Miss Alice Kotowicz.

Heidi Jones
Head of Music (Co-curricular)

Blazer Pocket Awards

Girls in the Secondary School who are awarded a blazer ‘Pocket’ for excellence and outstanding achievement in a co-curricular activity can have their blazers embroidered during holiday periods.

Awards will be announced at the End-of-Term Assembly on Monday 1 December.

Blazers may be left at the Student Services or Reception any time before 12pm on Wednesday 3 December (the first weekday of the School Holidays).

Students with previous awards that have not yet been embroidered can also leave their blazers at this time.

As above, blazers cannot be accepted after the cut-off time of 12pm Wednesday 3 December. Any late submissions will need to wait until the next School Holidays.

Embroidery and dry cleaning will be done during the holidays and the cost will be charged to your daughter’s account.

General Office

School Holiday Arrangements

The School will close over Christmas and New Year from Monday 22 December 2025 and re-open on Monday 5 January 2026.

Reception will be open 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday during the remainder of the school holidays.

The SCEGGS Shop will be be open from Monday 5 January to the end of the school holidays from 9am to 3.30pm by appointment.

Please call the school to make an appointment. The SCEGGS shop is closed from Monday 2 December to Friday 3 January.

Phil Rogers
Director of Administration

Careers Corner

Careers Corner

Please click here to read this week’s Careers Corner Newsletter.

Andrea Pinnock
Careers Advisor

Health Alert: Head Lice

There has been a case of head lice reported in the junior Secondary School. Head lice are very common in schools and may spread further – particularly when people are sharing Santa hats!

So, we would ask all parents to check their daughter’s hair regularly and follow the necessary procedures if needed.

For further information, please refer to the NSW Health Department.