Message from the Headmaster

‘To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy’

Jude 24

A Fond Farewell

Dear Parents and Carers

Congratulations and Best Wishes to Year 12, 2025

The examination season is already well underway as Year 12 commence their last week of formal schooling after 13 years of such engagement. HSC Language Orals have been conducted, the Visual Arts Major Works are ready for examination, and our Music and Drama students have performed for the external visiting examiners. Design and Technology and Industrial Technology students have completed their project work, which has been assessed by visiting examiners. History Extension Essays and Science Extension Major Projects were exhibited at American Tea. English Extension 2 Major Works, also exhibited at American Tea, are ready for assessment by external examiners. What remains now is for the written examinations to commence shortly after the beginning of Term 4, with the last exam early in November 2025. What follows then is the period of waiting until HSC results are available soon after dawn on Thursday 18 December 2025, with ATARs (Australian Tertiary Admission Ranks) available three hours later. It is a long haul for students who are eager to move into post-School adult life.

At this time, we have one set of results returned to the School. Of the 23 HSC Drama students at Shore, all 23 have been nominated for their group performances, identified as amongst the best in the state and hence shortlisted for the state-wide exhibition and performance night in early 2026. Additionally, 20 of our Drama students have also been nominated for their individual performances. This is the third consecutive year in which the Drama department has achieved these superlative results. Congratulations to all students, to Head of Drama, Mrs Crompton, teachers Mr Laurence, Mrs Clugston and Ms McDonald and Theatre Manager, Mr Grimshaw.

We eagerly await further results in the hope that they come in time to be celebrated by staff and students together.

Year 12 leaving is always a wrench for staff, who have become fond of them over the years. Nevertheless, graduation and independence are the ultimate goals. In the rhythm of schools, they are succeeded by a new Year 12 as another group of Year 7 enters the Senior School.

What then to say to Year 12 as they depart? Certainly this: “To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” Jude 24 – 25 (NIV).

American Tea

The sun shone all day at American Tea! For most of us, the absence of rain on this day was a new experience. Everyone made the best of it, with a large attendance of parents and grandparents as well as the boys themselves. Many could be seen laden with purchases, in some cases, no doubt representing a large part of their Christmas shopping. Thank you very much to our American Tea Volunteer Coordinator, Mrs Amelia Curic, and to all of the SPA Executive and volunteers who staffed our various booths and activities and so made American Tea possible. Profit made from the day will go into the coffers of the Shore Parents’ Association (SPA), and enable them to consider what projects in the School they would like to enable with funding.

Perhaps the best aspect of all on American Tea day was the powerful sense of Shore community, embracing boys, staff, parents and grandparents.

Farewell to our Head of Admissions, Vickii Scott

There are certainly seasons in life, and Mrs Vickii Scott, after 10 years of sterling service at Shore, processing the enrolments of thousands of young people, is retiring today, and granting to herself the gift of time. Mrs Scott has had three consecutive positions variously called Registrar, Director of Enrolments, and Head of Admissions across nearly 30 years. We thank her very much for her wonderful service and wish her a very happy retirement.

Dr John Collier
Headmaster