Message from the Headmaster

Dear Students, Parents and Carers

Many of us have been shocked by recent signs of the extent of antisemitism in Australia in the form of attacks on synagogues and graffiti in areas with large Jewish populations. It has been shocking because so many of us expected that Australia had moved past these prejudices. It seems not, at least for those inflamed through social media, wherein they may become radicalised.

Triggers for these outbursts appear to relate to the awful scenes through the media of the current and ongoing crisis in Palestine. It appears that hostility towards Jewish people has been generalised from opposition to the way in which the Israeli Government is prosecuting its war against Hamas. Yet, Jewish Australians are in no way responsible for the activities of a foreign Government, whatever one may think of its policies.

One of the ingredients of the desecration of Jewish sites seems to be myopia about history. Many of our Australian population, according to surveys, appear unaware of the Holocaust perpetrated by Nazi Germany during World War II, where an estimated six million of Europe’s nine million Jewish people met their deaths in concentration camps. This notion of racial purity, driven by Nazi ideology, was perhaps the most obvious instance of so-called ethnic cleansing. In fact, antisemitism has an ugly history over many centuries, across multiple nations and different societies. It is based on caricatures, stereotypes, scapegoating and demonisation of “the other”.

While on long service leave in 1983, my wife and I visited Dachau, one of the Nazi German concentration camps where hundreds of thousands of Jewish people were murdered, many in gas ovens. The site was a memorial to them. The pictures, of emaciated adults and children brutalised by guards, were very confronting. As people moved around, no one spoke. Everyone was literally speechless before the horror. The motto or insignia on the memorials proclaimed “Never Again”. As so many have lost touch with the history, including the sordid aspects of our civilisation, we are at real risk it seems of repeating the horrors of the past. Indeed, the growing number of “holocaust deniers”, those who maintain the extermination of Jewish people during World War II is “fake news”, is a worrying trend.

The response of Governments has been, quite rightly, condemnation of these acts. Members of the community are now calling for schools to address issues of antisemitism, other forms of racism and an understanding of civic engagement within a democracy.

At Shore, we wish to contribute to the national good. We also wish to honour and protect our Jewish students and staff, as we wish to do with our Islamic students and staff and those of any and all religions and ethnicities. This is in fact a key Christian principle:

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”. Galatians 3:28

Christian faith sought to break down the barriers and hostilities between ethnic groups, classes of society and genders. In its first instance, the division of humanity into Jews and non-Jews (Gentiles) was no longer relevant. We need to apply the Christian stance of love for all, irrespective of categories. Our curriculum at Shore already includes, within the study of History, a unit on the Holocaust in Europe, including a visit to the Sydney Jewish Museum. Such a visit is sobering. Furthermore, in History and Commerce, we teach units which relate to citizenship and an understanding and valuing of the mechanisms of Australian parliamentary democracy.

We want our students to emerge as engaged and culturally literate adults who are able to play an informed role as citizens. This includes a desire to actively promote the good of the Commonwealth, that is, literally the common good of the nation, comprised of multiple ethnicities, religions and worldviews.

Shore will do its bit in terms of graduating boys to ensure they leave us with a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of those who, while in some respects different from themselves, are no less valuable and important as human beings.

Dr John Collier
Headmaster

Chaplains’ Chat

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” – Philippians 4:8

Is it good? This is one of the most important questions that you can ask. Indeed, much of life can be summarised as seeking to answer this question. Is it good for us? Whether we’re dealing with something as simple as what food to eat or what to do on the weekend, or addressing the important decisions about work, family and relationships, we desire to seek what is good.

This week in Chapel, Mr Broadbent spoke to this idea in his reflection on Philippians 4:8. In this passage, the Apostle Paul encourages his readers to pursue all that is good so that their lives reflect goodness to others. The challenge, of course, comes in determining what actually is good. One of the goals of education is to equip students to build a robust framework from which they can distinguish what is good and right. This challenge even extends beyond the classroom and onto the sporting field, musical groups, and other extracurricular activities. Will our behaviour and actions reflect goodness and love towards others? The Christian message reminds us that God shows us goodness and love, even when we are far from Him, and so, we too, are called to be like our Heavenly Father. So, let us continue to strive for goodness and set our minds on all that is excellent.

Mr John Sheldon
Chaplain (Acting)

CRU Update

“It is impossible that any ill should happen to the man who is beloved of the Lord . . . Ill to him is no ill but only good in a mysterious form. Losses enrich him; sickness is his medicine, reproach his honor, death his gain.”
Charles Spurgeon

This week at CRU was the second of the year, and it marked the beginning of many of the Year 7 students’ time here. We began with a fun game where a blindfolded person acting as King Pharaoh would try to protect his crown by reaching out and grabbing onto another person who tried to sneak behind them and grab the crown – inciting a lot of cheers, especially from the younger years as everyone tried various tactics to sneak past Pharaoh.

After that, Mr Ho gave a Bible talk on a reading from Exodus 2. The excerpt describes how the Pharaoh of Egypt had given an order to kill any Hebrew baby boy, and Moses’s family thus hid him in a basket and placed it into the Nile. It was then discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter – one of the worst people that the baby could’ve gone to. However, instead of handing the baby over, the Pharaoh’s daughter took pity on the baby and nursed him.

The first key lesson that Mr Ho highlighted drew upon the pain experienced by many of God’s people in Egypt – that God doesn’t promise a pain-free life. We can see this throughout many of our own lives, with Christians still experiencing as much hardship as anyone else. Opting into Christianity is never a decision to free your life from pain. However, the second lesson Mr Ho helpfully described was that even though we might experience pain, he still wants the best for us. That’s why even in the face of Pharaoh, ultimately, God still found a way to rescue Moses – just not in the way that any of us would have expected. We can apply this lesson to our own lives as Christians – even when we are experiencing hardship, God can work through these hardships to strengthen us inside.

Moving forward, we will have Junior CRU on Thursday lunchtimes for Years 7 to 8 and Senior CRU on Friday lunchtimes for Years 9 to 11, and we will be looking deeper into Exodus. CRU is open to everyone – in particular, you don’t need to be Christian or understand anything about Christianity. CRU is a great way to learn more about Jesus over a soft drink and a sausage, whether you are a Christian already or considering becoming one.

Jayden Pan
Year 11

AAGPS Sporting Events

Year Group Compulsory Event Dates

Each year, the major AAGPS Sporting events provide an opportunity for the boys of the School to come together to show support for their School and our athletes.

In 2025, the following year groups will be attending the AAGPS Events:

Head of the River, Saturday 22 March

• Compulsory for all Year 7, 8 and 9. Year 11 and 12 are welcome to attend.
• Summer School uniform (no coats or boaters) with yard hat or a blue Shore sports cap.
• Bus transfers will be arranged.

AAGPS Swimming Carnival, Friday 28 March

• Compulsory for all Year 10 and 11 (except those participating in the Musical).
• Summer School uniform (no coats or boaters) with yard hat or a blue Shore sports cap.
• Bus transfers will be arranged.

AAGPS Athletics Carnival, Saturday 20 September

• Compulsory for all Year 7, 8 and 10. Year 12 are welcome to attend.
• Winter School uniform (no boaters) with yard hat or a blue Shore sports cap.
• Transport will be arranged.

Communications will be sent home to parents with relevant details closer to each event.

Mr Andrew Mansfield
Deputy Head Operations

Shore Community Fellowship and Prayer Evening

A special evening for members of the School community to come together to reflect and rejoice in the School’s Christian purpose and to pray for the School community.

We would love to have people from all parts of the School community – Old Boys, Staff, Parents (current and past) – everyone is welcome.

The evening will be an opportunity to share a casual meal, meet one another, hear from various members of the School community regarding the Christian ministries that are happening, and to pray for the School as well as our wider world.

Thursday 6 March – Shore Dining Hall

Dress – Smart Casual

Dinner – A casual dinner will be provided (Boarding meal)

RSVP – To assist with catering, please let us know if you are attending by clicking here

Parking: Parking available in the School Car Park (Entry via Hunter Cres)

Please forward this to any interested members of the Shore community.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Shore Community Tees Off for Cancer Council

Each year, Shore students, teachers, and Old Boys take on The Longest Day, an endurance golf challenge supporting the Cancer Council. Led by Year 12 student Cameron, the 2024 event saw participants play 72 holes from dawn to dusk, raising $52,184 for cancer research and support services. Among the players was Year 11 student Jack, who participated in honour of his mother, Margie, currently undergoing treatment for ocular melanoma. His initial fundraising goal of $250 quickly grew, with strong community support helping him surpass $10,000. The event also honoured Leon, a beloved Shore Golf Team member who passed away in 2024, with his younger brother Lawson (Year 5) becoming the youngest participant nationally. The day was a meaningful demonstration of community spirit and dedication to a worthy cause.

Congratulations to Shore staff who also took out the entire podium, placing 1st, 2nd and 3rd for the day! 

Click here to read more about this incredible story. 

Shore Foundation Icebreaker

Tickets are now available for Shore’s annual Icebreaker event to welcome all new and existing parents back to Shore for 2025. Hosted by the Shore Foundation and the Shore Parents’ Association, this is a relaxed night and a great opportunity to meet new parents and Staff.

Icebreaker welcomes all parents from the ELC to Year 12, to gather and welcome in the new School New Year.

Date: Friday 21 February

Time: 6pm – 9pm

Location: School Oval, North Sydney Campus

Cost: $90 per head

This includes drinks and canapés for three hours. Gluten-free and vegetarian options will be available.

Click here to book your tickets

Shore Parents Prayer Group

All parents are very welcome.  Enquires contact: Kathie Hone kmhone01@gmail.com or Rev Nick Foord nfoord@shore.nsw.edu.au

Tennis Day – Hosted by Shore Parents’ Association

Friday 7 March 2025 from 9.30am – 12:30pm

Mums, Dads and Carers, please join us for a fun morning of social tennis at the wonderful Northbridge Tennis Pavilion. There will be prizes, a raffle and morning tea.

There will be a Tennis Active Clinic for all levels, or Round Robin matches if you love competition. All standards of player are welcome!

Book Now

Year 7 Welcome BBQ

The Shore Parents’ Association (SPA) warmly invites all 2025 Year 7 Shore families to a Welcome BBQ.

Saturday 8 March, 4.00pm to 6.30pm – Shore Northbridge Playing Fields, E Ground (behind the Hawker Stand). Corner of Alpha and Sailors Bay Roads, Northbridge.

Parking – Parking available on G Ground with entry via Alpha Rd.

Dinner – A free sausage sizzle is provided and non-alcoholic drinks will be available to purchase.

Please feel free to bring a picnic rug, cheese plates, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. Games and activities will be organised for the boys and their siblings by Shore staff, coaches and Senior boys.

RSVP – Please let us know if you are attending by 28 February: click here to RSVP

Volunteer – All SPA events rely on the generosity of volunteers. At Shore, volunteers are required to have a WWCC clearance. We ask that you please consider registering as a volunteer via this link and also click here for a 30-minute commitment at the Year 7 Welcome BBQ. It’s a great way to meet new friends!

For further information contact Year 7 Reps: Mrs Virginia Westcott, Mrs Karen Prowse and Mrs Laura Ferguson via ShoreClassof2030@shore.nsw.edu.au

We look forward to seeing you there.

Career Event

Parent Workshop: Year 12 and Beyond with ADHD

When: Tuesday, 18 February 7.00pm-8.15pm

Where: Online

Cost: $25

Register here.

A wonderful colleague, Ms Claire Pech, is very experienced in working with students with ADHD and is hosting this webinar for parents of Year 12 students with ADHD.

Topics covered include:

1. Understanding the characteristics of ADHD, debunking unhelpful myths
2. Exploring the similarities and differences between ADHD at School vs. Tertiary
3. Considerations for choosing further studies after Year 12
4. Evaluating potential action plans and pathway options
5. Understanding what adjustments/supports are available after 12 Year
6. Creating insight and self-awareness around current ADHD status
7. Essentials of Executive Functions, impact and creating a tailored toolkit for success
8. Identifying and harnessing ADHD strengths
9. Managing technology with ADHD
10. Career planning with ADHD
11. Strategies for parents to support their kids
12. Q&A.

Career Event

UNSW Year 12 Medicine Information Evening

When: Wednesday, 12 March 6.00pm-7.00pm

Where: Online

Register here

Cost: Free

Learn about the highly competitive application process and the opportunities available in the programme.

Cyber Safety Parent Seminar

Realistic and Practical Cyber Safety Education

The Pastoral Care team and Shore Parents’ Association warmly invite parents to a seminar with Mr David Smith, from ySafe on Online Respectful Relationships and Shore’s comprehensive approach to Cyber Safety.

This seminar will provide realistic and practical cyber safety education sessions to equip and empower Shore parents to actively participate in their children’s online lives. Packed with real-world, relevant and evidence-based information, the session will provide strategy-rich content that can be implemented immediately at home to promote a safer online environment.

Date: Wednesday 19 February

Time: 6.00pm – 7.00pm (supper will be provided from 5.45pm)

Venue: Smith Auditorium

Book Here

Music Calendar

All dates and events are subject to change, please confirm with the Music Department.

Snowsports Invitation 2025

Information Night for all families

The 2025 Snowsports Season promises to be an exciting and rewarding experience for those who are passionate about Skiing and Snowboarding. After an outstanding season of success from newcomers and experienced racers last year, we invite all new families to join the Shore Snowsports Team this year and greatly look forward to the return of experienced athletes. The school remains abuzz from last year’s National Championship success stories and podium results. Let’s get out there and get racing!!!

Snowsports fosters a wonderful family-oriented enjoyment of Alpine environments, with events in downhill skiing and snowboarding, skier and snowboard cross and slopestyle, ski and snowboard slopestyle and cross-country skiing in a fun and relaxed atmosphere, suitable for skiers and boarders of all standards.

Please read below for important information for this season:

Info Night

The Info Night is an evening event for families to learn more about Snowsports at Shore, the Interschools Competition and the registration process. There is also the opportunity to meet with parents who are experienced with the Sport.

The 2024 Info Night is scheduled for Tuesday, April 8, in the Playfair Hall from 6:30pm.

Interschools Event Dates

In 2025, the Shore Snowsports Team will compete at the following Interschools events:

• Subaru Sydney Interschool Snowsports Championships | 15 – 18 July at THREDBO
• Subaru NSW/ACT/QLD State Interschools Snowsports Championships |18 – 22 August at PERISHER
• Australian Interschools Snowsports Championships | 2 – 7 September at MT BULLER, Victoria

If you are not yet part of the Snowsports Team at Shore but are interested, please contact Mr Payne for any information regarding the season ahead, as well as to be added to the email contact list to keep informed of any developments as the season approaches: email wpayne@shore.nsw.edu.au or visit the NSW Interschools website.

Stay tuned!

Mr Warwick Payne
MIC Snowsports

Term Dates 2025

Future of Jobs

Key Trends Shaping the Future Workforce.

“In this method, you don’t ask, What do I want from life? You ask a different set of questions: What does life want from me? What are my circumstances calling me to do? In this scheme of things we don’t create our lives; we are summoned by life.”
― David Brooks, The Road to Character

When making career decisions, it is important to consider your interests, the skills you want to develop, and where you want to make a contribution to this growing world of need. It is also important to make decisions in the context of our dynamic future of work. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 is a great resource for exploring where future opportunities will grow over the next five years. The report surveyed more than 1,000 companies around the world representing more than 14 million workers, 22 industries and 55 economies.

The most transformative trend expected to impact future jobs is the broadening of digital access, with 86 percent of respondents expecting AI and information processing to transform their business by 2030. This will see a demand for technology-related skills such as AI, big data, network cybersecurity and technological literacy. Other transformative trends include the increasing cost of living and a general economic slowdown, which will increase demand for creative thinking, resilience, flexibility and agility skills. Climate change mitigation will see growth in roles such as renewable energy engineers, environmental engineers and autonomous vehicle specialists. Demographic shifts with the aging population will see growth in healthcare jobs such as nursing, and the declining working-age population will see demand in education-related professions. The table below summarises the fastest-growing and declining jobs in light of significant transformative trends over the next few years.

Upcoming Careers events can be accessed on the Lampada Careers News.

A Promising Start to 2025 in English

As we welcome the new year, the English Faculty is excited to embark on another year of learning, growth, and literary exploration. The start of 2025 has been dynamic and engaging, with students across all year levels diving into their new studies. Over the first two weeks, each Year Group attended the Smith Auditorium for a special ‘Launch’ event, introducing them to the expectations and goals of their upcoming units. This event has set a strong foundation for an exciting and enriching year ahead.

Teachers have taken the opportunity to meet and welcome their new classes, fostering a positive learning environment from day one. Junior classes have commenced their DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) programme, reinforcing the importance of independent reading. Additionally, they will begin their Wide Reading initiative in Week 3, encouraging students to explore diverse texts and develop their literacy skills.

English at Shore offers diverse opportunities for learning, with Students engaging in a variety of stimulating units, including film, poetry, and memoir writing. These units will help them develop analytical, creative, and reflective writing skills. Our Year 12 students are firmly in the swing of things, having completed their first assessment in Term 4 of 2024 and now beginning their study of their next unit.

We are excited about the learning journey ahead and look forward to seeing students grow as readers, writers, and critical thinkers. Thank you for your ongoing support, and we encourage students to approach their studies with curiosity and enthusiasm.

Mr Harry Guest
Teacher, English
Mathers Housemaster (Acting)

Lions Competition 2025

Congratulations to Angus, our Senior Prefect for 2025, for winning the Public Speaking Award at this year’s Lions Competition with an exceptional display of speaking skills and thoughtful presentation.

The competition, held at NBSC Manly Selective Campus over the weekend, consisted of a 70 percent interview and 30 percent public speaking component, with participants competing for the Overall Winner and Public Speaking Winner awards.

Angus was awarded the Public Speaking Prize, while the Overall Winner was awarded to the Captain of Manly Selective. Students, also from Mackellar Girls, delivered speeches on various topics, including Toxic Masculinity, Kindness is Courage, and Life after HSC. The impromptu topics, “Our Deepest Fear Is Not That We Are Inadequate. Our Deepest Fear Is That We Are Powerful Beyond Measure” and “Every Family Has That One Special Person. Tell The Audience About Yours” challenged the students’ knowledge and demonstrated their ability to think critically and speak eloquently on the spot. The interviews covered topics such as the education system, the role of young men in society, views on the WHO and UN, and how to combat corruption.

We extend our congratulations to Angus on his remarkable achievement and commend him for his outstanding representation of our School.

Study Centre

Welcome to 2025 and Shore’s popular Study Centre. There are subject-specific sessions before and after school to allow the boys to seek individual help and guidance with their work. Teachers, sometimes assisted by high-achieving Old Boys, are available according to the published timetable. Most sessions are held in and around the Library, but check the timetable for locations. Study Centre operates on a drop-in basis, and there is no charge involved. All boys are strongly encouraged to attend.

Focus On is part of the Study Centre. It is run by staff in the Educational Services department who offer support to boys in all subjects in Years 7 to 10. They will assist the boys with their executive functioning skills as well as help with homework and other schoolwork.

Please note that the Study Centre timetable changes from time to time as teachers’ co-curricular commitments change. It is always best to check for the most up-to-date version of the timetable on Lampada.

Mrs Eva White
Head of Library & Information Services

Study Centre Timetable Term 1 2025

   Study Centre Timetable Term 1 2025

Parent Cyber Safety Seminar

Dear Shore Parents and Carers,

At Shore, we are committed to developing young men of character—boys who embody our guiding virtues of honesty, respect, humility, and integrity both in person and online. As digital learning tools continue to play an increasing role in education and daily life, it is vital that we guide our students in using technology responsibly and respectfully.

A key part of this effort is our comprehensive approach to digital wellbeing and cyber safety, strengthened through our ongoing partnership with Qoria, the parent company overseeing our student device monitoring software, and its educational branch, ySafe. This collaboration allows us to integrate active monitoring, education, and support, ensuring that student devices are used purposefully for learning and in alignment with Shore’s values. ySafe also helps equip our educators with the latest knowledge on digital trends, allowing us to stay ahead in the ever-evolving landscape of technology. Over the last 3 years, our boys have reported that the ySafe seminars are engaging and highly relevant to their online experiences.

Recognising that digital wellbeing extends beyond the classroom, we are also committed to working proactively with parents. In 2025, we are continuing our efforts to support families by providing parent seminars to engage with ySafe and Shore pastoral leaders on the topic of cyber safety.

Parent Cyber Safety Seminar with David Smith

To support this mission, the Pastoral Care team and Shore Parents’ Association warmly invite parents to a special seminar with Mr David Smith from ySafe. This session will focus on Online Respectful Relationships and Shore’s Comprehensive Approach to Cyber Safety, providing valuable insights into current online trends and practical cyber safety education.

Mr Smith has been working with Shore for several years, delivering seminars to our Senior school students and parents. As both a parent of three teenage boys and an experienced cyber safety expert with ySafe, he brings a wealth of knowledge and real-world insight to this critical conversation. His session will offer practical advice on managing technology at home, from setting healthy digital boundaries to addressing sensitive online topics with your sons.

The 2024 Online Youth ReachOut report highlights the importance of bridging the gap between parental concerns and student experiences. While parents ranked social media use as their top concern, students placed it much lower on their list—behind stressors like study pressure, future uncertainty, and financial concerns. This seminar aims to foster better understanding and equip families with strategies to navigate these digital challenges together.

Cyber Safety Day Highlights

Throughout the day, our Year 7 and 9 boys, pastoral leaders, and parents will participate in cyber safety education sessions designed to empower our community and strengthen the partnership between Shore and its families. These seminars, led by David Smith from ySafe, will provide real-world, evidence-based insights and actionable strategies to promote safer and more confident digital interactions. Sessions will include Q&A opportunities, giving students, staff, and parents the chance to discuss pressing online safety topics and gain practical advice.

Parent Seminar Details:

Date: Wednesday, 19 February
Time: 6.00pm – 7.00pm (Supper provided from 5.45pm)
Venue: Smith Auditorium

We encourage all parents to take advantage of this opportunity to engage with our ySafe expert, ask questions, and gain the tools needed to support their children’s digital wellbeing. Together, we can ensure that Shore students grow into responsible digital citizens. Please know that we will record the session and make it available for our Boarding community and parents who are unable to attend on the night.

Mr Derek Champion
Deputy Head, Pastoral Care

Parent Seminar Series 2025

2025 VEX Robotics World Championships

Two Year 8 students, Ethan and Brian, have earned the incredible opportunity to compete on the world stage after excelling at the National Robotics Competition at the end of Term 4 last year. Ethan placed 7th in the national competition, securing his place to represent Australia at the 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas, this May. Meanwhile, Brian’s team also qualified for the prestigious event, marking an impressive milestone—his fourth time competing at the World Championships.

The National Championships feature a series of challenging events where teams accumulate a Skills score, testing their programming, problem-solving, and engineering abilities. Brian’s team ranked among the highest in the National Skills standings, earning their place in the global competition. Their success reflects the dedication, innovation, and teamwork required to compete at such an elite level.

The 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship, presented by the REC Foundation, will take place from May 6 to 14, 2025, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. This annual event brings together top teams from across the globe in the VEX IQ Robotics Competition, VEX V5 Robotics Competition, and VEX U Robotics Competition. Participants will showcase their skills, celebrate their achievements, and compete for the ultimate title of world champion.

Shore is incredibly proud of Ethan and Brian for their outstanding achievements and wishes them the best of luck as they prepare to take on the world’s best in Dallas!

From the Music Department

Camps

There are several Music Camps: String and Orchestra Camp is on Friday 21 February; Band Camp is on Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 March and Choir Camp is Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 August.

Details will be emailed to parents. For more information, please contact Head of Strings: awentzel@shore.nsw.edu.au; Coordinator of Bands (Acting): srobertson@shore.nsw.edu.au  or for Choir Camp: Director of Choirs: lmassey@shore.nsw.edu.au

Private Music Tuition

Lessons have begun for students learning instruments at Shore. The School offers lessons on all brass instruments including euphonium, woodwind instruments including saxophone, string instruments including guitar, piano, voice, musicianship/theory and drum kit. You can complete a form to sign up for lessons. On scrolling down the page, the form can be found here: Lampada – Assessment: Private Music Tuition Application for 2025

If you have any questions regarding private Music lessons, please contact privatemusiclessons@shore.nsw.edu.au

Upcoming Dates:

Mrs Kim Barber
Head of Music

Basketball Report

Saturday 8 February 2025

In Round 9, Shore’s First V faced off against a St Joseph’s College (Joeys) team, who had been playing great basketball and are a team full of momentum. Having played them twice already, the boys knew that the keys were to protect the paint defensively and match Joeys physicality. Shore absolutely answered the call, dominating the rebound count and winning points in the paint. Shore grinded out to an 18-point lead, late in the fist half, however after Ben Murray fouled out and Oscar d’Almeida rolled his ankle, the Firsts were left to 7 players, and Joeys came storming back. With 30 seconds left, Joeys took their first lead, but that was still plenty of time for Will Rintoul to come through in the clutch – getting to the free throw on back-to-back possessions and ultimately icing the game with a 76-75 win. In addition to the game-winning free throws, Will Rintoul added 27 points to the tally, and Adam Awad added a spark off the bench with 10 points in the first half.  

When the Seconds faced off against Joeys in Term 1, the youth of our group showed. Joeys was tougher, played harder, and was more disciplined, and for those reasons, the Shore Seconds dropped a game they should have won. The first quarter of the game this past Saturday was no different. The Seconds started slow, allowing Joeys to have a commanding lead and, once again, let their youth show. From the second quarter on, the Seconds were a completely different team, executing offensively and creating great shots for one another and then playing tough team defence on the other end to hold Joeys to a total of 56 points. Jordan Gao led the team in scoring and facilitating, but the ultimate Spark was Harvey Joyce, doing a little bit of everything on the court. This was a true team effort to get the 62-56 win.

Round 5 was a great day for the programme, winning 26 out of 37 total matches.

Player of the Week: Reggie Stafford – 14 points vs Joeys and held their best player to only 7, to lead Shore 14A to a big win.

Team of the Week: The Year 7s had their first high school fixture of the year on Saturday; some boys were new to the sport, and many were nervous about the game at hand. You would not have thought either of these was the case with the 13I’s as they stormed into Cranbrook, dominated the opposition and became this week’s Team of the Week.

The first introduction to Shore Basketball has been pace and pressure, and with the 13I’s scoring a whopping 36 points and only letting in 6 against Cranbrook, it’s clear to say they are very quick learners! Hunter Lane led all scorers, though it was a commanding effort by the entire team.

Mr Indiana Faithfull
MIC Basketball

Cricket Report

Saturday 8 February 2025

Round 9 saw Shore take on St Joseph’s College (Joeys) with a fixture list of two halves!

The higher age groups (Tuesday/Thursday training) really struggled with just one win (1/6) only (Go Fifths!), and the lower age groups (Monday/Wednesday training) only losing one (8/9 wins).

Something to do with the coaches, maybe?

It was great to see all Year 7 teams winning this weekend as their Senior School Cricket started. As important, was how much they enjoyed themselves and played in the right spirit. Well done, boys! Well done also to their supporters, with huge crowds flocking to B/D and F grounds on Saturday morning.

Cricket Wires

Henry Benecke (Year 9) started just last week as a Boarder from Wagga, home of former Test Cricket Captain Mark Taylor. While Wagga means “Place of Many Crows”, maybe Joeys No.2 Ground should be called “Place of Many Runs” after Henry blasted an even 100 in just his second game for the School – well played!

The Third XI lost 7 wickets in the first 7 overs and still managed to get an excellent 134 thanks to Zac Roberts and Jeremy McKindley’s brilliant partnership.

In the 16A’s, Lachlan Boys had 3-0 off 3 overs before finishing with a miserly 4-9 off 4 overs.

Welcome to Cricket Jayden Spiess (15B), an American-born new student who, in his first game of cricket ever, yes ever, got a wicket on his 4th ball! How good!

The 13B’s almost got two hat tricks but had to settle for a team hat trick with a great run-out for the 3rd wicket.

Over on D-Ground, the 13A’s had Joe Reddy take 3 wickets in an over and Ed Holmes a true captains knock with 46no, steering his side to a winning total.

14B Match Report

A nice revenge victory after losing narrowly to them in Term 4. Joeys won the toss and batted first, getting off to a flyer against some very rusty bowling. But we tightened up and, supported by some good catching, the bowlers worked their way easily through their less capable batsmen. 127 was never going to be enough as long as we kept our wickets intact. Joeys had a couple of decent bowlers, and some soft dismissals kept things interesting, but we powered away against the lesser lights and won in the 22nd over.

15A Match Report

The 15A’s had another strong win over Joeys. After winning the toss and electing to bat, Shore found itself at 2/13 after both openers went down to some excellent bowling. When the next wicket fell, however, Shore had put on another 139 runs to be 3/152.

This was due to a dominant partnership between Xavier Simmonds (65) and Henry Benecke, who scored a century in his first batting innings at Shore. Shore was in control of the game when they finished 6/221.

Tight bowling and outstanding fielding from Max Cawood, in particular, who was involved in two direct hit run outs, saw Joeys finish the game for 10/152, never really troubling Shore.

Henry Benecke added three wickets to his century, finishing with 3/38, and Max Cawood took two quick wickets to finish with 2/4.

15B Match Report

The Shore 15B XI lost the toss and bowled first. On a small ground where scoring was easy, Shore restricted Knox to 128 all out in the 17th over. Our best bowlers were Ethan Spencer (3/15), Teddy Turner (2/8) and Will Tomes (2/11). What was noteworthy was how Knox would have an over where they scored heavily, but Shore would respond with a wicket or two and bring them back. Also, Jayden Spiess took a wicket with his fourth ball in his first cricket game ever.

Chasing, Shore batted sensibly with loose balls being punished. Will Tomes (54* off 22 balls) and Ollie Thompson (20) put on 66 for the third wicket. Despite some loose shots towards the end, we scored 5/131 in the 15th over.

Fifth XI Match Report

The Fifths bounced back from the loss last week with a comfortable win over Joeys. Bowling first, the Shore boys kept the run rate low, restricting Joey’s to just 69 runs and eventually bowling them out in the 18th over. Everyone bowled economically, but the pick of the bowlers was Digby Hockey and debutant Bede Clout, who both finished with figures of 2/3 off their two overs. The star of the show, though, was Austin Butler behind the stumps. His sharp work saw him take two catches and three stumpings to put a stop to any attempt Joeys had to lift the run rate and put themselves in the game.

The run chase didn’t take very long, with Shore getting across the line in just eight overs. Sam Harris hit a few sixes on his way to 24, and Bede Clout backed up his great bowling with an easy 23* to see the team home with the loss of just 2 wickets. 

It was a great all-around performance from the team, showing a lot more energy in the field and taking their chances well. Hopefully, this can carry forward for the rest of the season.

Results

Rowing Report

Saturday 8 February 2025

All Schools Regatta see the Shore Boat Club enjoy a perfect day

Last weekend, the Junior fleet from the Shore Boat Club enjoyed a brilliant day on the water, with all crews who competed recording a brilliant win against their side of the draw. In this regatta, we were drawn against The King’s School (King’s), Sydney Grammar School (SGS) and in some races – Redlands School.

Our Year 8 Quads set the tone of the day early with big margins being generated by our Year 8 Eighth and Ninth Quad – it was brilliant to see these young men of Shore so early in their rowing enjoying such a solid hit out. This trend continued through the division and really helped set up the base for the rest of the day.

Our Year 9 Quads raced next and continued the great form that they had shown through the season, recording strong performances that resulted in victory the whole way through. It was great to see the row from our Year 9 Seventh and Eighth crew, with many members of these two boats being in their first season.

Our Year 10 Second, Third and Fourth Crews went to the line with some re-jigged combinations for their first hit outs and performed very well, with the Fourth crew showing great form over a strong St Joseph’s College (Joeys) crew to record a great win in their division. Our Third Year 10 crew continued that form, recording a brilliant row as did the Second Year 10 crew.

The day finished with 20 starts across the three age groups for 20 1st places!

This weekend will be the Gold Cup and our first hit out against our traditional rivals, Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview, in the Junior competition. Whilst our performances to date have been great, our boys know that they can’t afford to take their foot off the pedal. The race times across the Year 8 and 9 Quads have been very similar, and we now are tasked with venturing into their backyard to compete on this questionable course. It will make for some great viewing and will provide a brilliant opportunity for the boys to gather race experience!

Shore boats forced into some very late changes at NSW State Championships

Whilst our Juniors were in action in Sydney, our Senior squad travelled to Penrith to compete in the 2025 NSW State Championships. This regatta is one of the largest of the season, with schools travelling from Victoria and Queensland for what really is the appetiser for the Nationals Titles, which will be held through the last week of March in Tasmania.

Our Year 10 First VIII started this year’s campaign by progressing into the A final of the under 17 VIII. In that A final, whilst showing good improvement between races, the crew narrowly missed out on that much sort after podium finish, being nudged out by Brighton Grammar (Victoria) and Prince Alfred College (South Australia). Credit must go to the Riverview boat, who, for the second week in a row, have shown great form for this time of the season. The next best GPS crew was King’s, who finished in 6th place approx. 4.5 seconds behind the Shore boat.

Our First and Second VIII were due to race next in the Championship Schoolboy coxed VIII category, but unfortunately, sickness struck the Second VIII (just 1000m away from the startline), with one of the boys needing to be removed from the boat. Even with the great scramble from our coaches to try and get a sub in from the First IV, the crew ultimately missed the start of the race. Our First VIII showed great form, racing well to secure their spot into the Semi-final, where they secured the placing to settle in for a spot in the A final.

The A Final was a pretty diverse field with three Victorian schools, one Queensland and four NSW crews battling it out for the title. The race was one by early season favourites Riverview, with the Shore boat finishing back in 6th place narrowly behind the crew from Southport, who finished in 3rd, Xavier College in 4th, and Brighton in 5th all separated by just over a boat length.

The Championship Schoolboy 4+ was the next to take to the line, and this event saw, for the first time in Shore rowing history, five Shore crews racing for the title. Our First IV showed great resolve to take to the water in a completely fresh combination (with a crew change coming at 4pm on Friday). This crew showed great resolve to forge their combination in the heat of battle to secure the silver medal behind Riverview and in front of the Joeys crew, who had won the division previously. Our Third and Fourth IV, as they had done so far all season, battled down the course and were only separated in the end by a very narrow 0.23 of a second. But both were ahead of the Second crew from Joeys, which was very pleasing for these boys.

Our Second VIII did get a chance to race, which was great to see. Their day got re-started after the lunch break with the heat of the Under 21 VIII. In a great showing, the crew finished in the top three (amongst a field of first crews) to secure a spot in the A final. In a final that has the best Under 21 talent in the country from NSW and Victoria, the Second VIII found the pace a little fast but held on really well to finish in 7th place overall. A brilliant bounce back from some early adversity.

Mr Glenn Bates
MIC Rowing

Senior Swimming Carnival 2025

The Senior School Swimming Carnival for 2025 was held at the R A I Grant Centre on Tuesday 4 February. The carnival attracted a record number of entries, and it was pleasing to see more boys keen to participate in the annual competition. A special thank you to all those involved in the organisation of the carnival, especially Dr Andrew Mansfield (Deputy Head Operations), Mr Gareth Inches (Sportsmaster) and Mr John McClelland (Chief Timekeeper).

NEW School Records!

The afternoon got off to a blistering start, with Vice-Captain Ethan Cook breaking the 200 Individual Medley record by 4 seconds – a record he held last year. Over the afternoon, 12 School records were broken, which is a testament to the School’s current level of swimming, which is the best that Shore has seen. Out of a total of 37 records, there are only eight records left that haven’t been set by boys currently at the School!

The 12 NEW records that were set in 2025 include:

2025 Age Champions:

Congratulations to our Age Champions, who performed exceptionally well across the range of events swum. They are as follows:

Congratulations to all swimmers involved. We have now selected the representative swim team to represent the School at the AAGPS Swimming competitions held across February and March.

The full gallery of the day can be viewed on Lampada here.

Go Shore!

Mr Tom O’Keeffe
Head of Swimming

Surf Life Saving Report

Saturday 8 February 2025

Shore Carnival – Long Reef Beach

The conditions during the week at Long Reef were good. The boys approached their training over the week preceding the Carnival with enthusiasm and were certainly up for the challenge when Carnival Day came around. Mid-week training included beach sprint and flags practice races, along with surf swim and board events. The Sir Adrian Curlewis Cup has never left Shore in all the many years that the Shore Carnival has been running, and the Shore SLS boys were certainly not going to give it up this year.

Conditions could not have been better on Saturday, with light winds and small swell, as Shore welcomed St Joseph’s College (Joeys), Barker College and Knox Grammar School to Long Reef for a morning of competitive beach and water events. The Shore SLS coaching team set up the swim and board course, beach sprint and flags area early on, avoiding groups of surfers and beachgoers. All events ran smoothly and on time.

It was pleasing that the Juniors and Intermediates had some competition from Barker College and Knox Grammar School, and there was fierce competition between the boys for the top six point-scoring places and gold, silver and bronze medals at all times.

The Senior boys faced tougher competition from Joeys, Knox and Barker but demonstrated immense skill, determination and athletic ability to be the highest-scoring school in a number of events. This year has seen the introduction of the Nigel Scozzi Cup, which is competed for by Seniors across all three school Carnivals. Joeys has taken an early lead and left Shore with some catching up to do at both Bungan and Whale Beach in March.

The Barker College girls competed amongst themselves and showed that they are an incredibly talented surf carnival team. It is hoped that Long Reef Surf Lifesaving Club might raise a team of girls to provide some much-needed competition for future carnivals.

The following results were attained during the day:

Junior (Years 7 and 8)

Junior Age Champion: Harrison Ayer – Shore

Intermediate (Years 9 and 10)

Intermediate Age Champion: Sam Chan – Shore

Seniors (Years 11 and 12)

Senior Age Champion: Oliver Roxburgh – Shore

Overall Points Scores

A huge congratulations to the Shore SLS boys for demonstrating such tenacity and competitive spirit to retain the Sir Adrian Curlewis Cup, but more importantly, for participating with a sense of fun and camaraderie with the utmost respect for all competitors and staff from other schools.

In other SLS news, a number of boys attended a sunrise surf-ski paddle training event at Narrabeen Lagoon on Saturday. Archie Alderson, Xavier Adamo, Ethan Adamo, Ben Gordon and Sam Chan were introduced to the sport by Club Trainer Mr Chris Lock. If they feel confident enough, these boys may attempt the 6.5km surf-ski paddle as part of the Long Reef Iron Man event in March.

Mr Gareth Jones
MIC SLS

Surfing Report

Saturday 8 February 2025

The surfers continued their training for next week’s Battle of the Boards tag team competition. The conditions were small, so time management and wave selection were crucial. We ran two heats in three-man teams, then a 10-minute individual heat.

The following results were recorded:

Heat 1

Heat 2

Individual Heat

Mr John McClelland
MIC Surfing

Tennis Report

Saturday 8 February 2025

Firsts Report

The Firsts maintained their undefeated season with a dominant 9-0 win over St Joseph’s College (Joeys). After retaking 1st place, the boys put on a clinical display without dropping a set. Starting the day off strong with some doubles, the boys took a 3-0 lead. The boys all won their singles comfortably, with a special mention to Josh Cottee for winning on his Firsts debut and to Josh Powell for only losing two games all day. The boys look to extend a premiership lead against Riverview next week, with their eyes set on an undefeated premiership.

Oliver Wilcox
Firsts Captain

Seconds Report

Shore Seconds tennis teams had another strong weekend, displaying control and technique to get the upper hand over their opponents. Shore played Joeys away and was able to win 8-1 after a long fight. Starting with the doubles, the number one pair, Oli De Kock and Anay Mishra Mall, displayed strong net play to dominate points. The second pair, Taj Gupta and Chris Hunter, also won using splendid ground strokes to win in the tie break after being one set all. The last pair, Ralphie Fowler and Alex Yu started slowly being down 2-0 in the first set but managed to close out all the remaining games with a serve volley combination. Following the doubles, Oli De Koch and Alex Yu started their singles. Oli lost his first set in an eye-catching set 7-5 but, through amazing determination, won the next two sets. Alex unfortunately lost his game, demonstrating strong serves, but was unable to conquer the opponent. Anay was exceptional, winning his game 6-0 6-0 again, having not lost a single game in singles in the team. Taj held down his opponent with strong build-up play, comfortably winning, while Chris had another exceptional win, 6-0 6-0, demonstrating an impenetrable backhand. Finally, Ralphie showed exemplary technique to close out the final game of the day, with countless serve winners down the line. The Team is preparing for next week and another big win.

Alex Yu
Seconds Caption

U16s

The Under 16s had an excellent weekend playing Joeys, with the A’s winning 6-0, the B’s 5-1, and the C’s 3-0. In doubles, all pairs achieved victory, with four pairs winning 6-1. In their doubles win, Isaac Metcalfe and Noah Gee were forced into a tiebreaker, eventually winning 7-5. In the singles, Edward Dunnet and Jack Connor-Brent were victorious 6-1, a result which Max Scarlett, Noah Gee, and Leo Brasic, who made his debut, matched. Most notably, Loki Lam and Luca Wescott took home 6-0 victories, displaying their skill and consistency. The D’s and E’s played internally this week, training to play Riverview next week, where all teams hope to repeat their excellent results against Joeys.

Benji Loy
U16s player

U13s

Ziheng Wang and Benjamin Pan played very well both in their double and singles games. Alex Warren and Henry Brieger were beaten in their singles, but both games had a high amount of quality tennis from both sides.

13B and 13C’s – Drew on the score sheet, with both teams being evenly matched.

13D’s – Lachlon Wang, Jack Hersey, Koji Takamura and Harry Stibbard all played their part in a whitewash of the opposition, winning 6-0 Sets and 36-10 games

Mr Darren Junee
U13s Coach

Water Polo Report

Saturday 8 February 2025

15B

It was an emphatic and complete win from the 15B’s water polo against Knox on the weekend. The game started slowly; however, Shore’s momentum was quickly kickstarted by Oscar Chang, who scored the team’s first three goals in the first quarter. This provided a strong basis for the team to build off throughout the rest of the game, with more highlights from Sid Shoemark scoring 5 goals and Will Watson selflessly assisting multiple goals for the team. Despite their attacking efforts, Shore’s defence was not to be understated, with the team only conceding one goal, with special mention to Cooper Sparks and Riley Roland-Smith for their efforts, which have been sustained throughout the whole season. Overall, it was a great win for the team, highlighting their improvement in all aspects of the sport throughout the season.

Mr Thomas Serhan
15B Coach

14B

After navigating the busy Pacific Highway, The Shore 14B’s arrived at Knox Grammar School ready for a highly anticipated matchup. It was Shore who quickly asserted their dominance. By halftime, the score stood at 8-2 in favour of the good guys, with Shore showing flashes of brilliance, particularly in their attack. In the second half, Shore got out of second gear and onto the autobahn and took total control. The team came out firing, shifting into high gear. Their passing was crisper, their drives more purposeful, and their communication flawless. The defence was tight, preventing any meaningful chances from the opposition, while the attacking line began to look unstoppable. Goal of the match went to Joey Boyd, who pushed a great goal through during this phase. Shore’s relentless pressure wore down the Knox defence, with Shore eventually finishing off the match with a resounding 19-3 victory.

Mr Seamus O’Kane
14B Coach

13A

Ahead of their first competition game against Knox, the 13A’s came out strong, experiencing a back and forth encounter with a goal to Alex Baker, making the score 2-1 to Knox after the first quarter. However, the boys rebounded in the second quarter, with Stirling Armstrong and Oliver Guifoyle each scoring down the wing while Harley Tilden scored a half-court buzzer-beater to end the half 5-3 to Shore. Strong defence by Thomas Woodhouse and Ted Chiplin was complemented by Oscar Elliot in goals to ensure the team had a 7-6 lead going into the final quarter. Silky passing from Thomas Tourle, Thomas Sharp, and Isaac Hill created space for Alex Baker in centre forward to score three goals in the final quarter before Harley Tilden scored his second half-court buzzer-beater of the game to secure the 11-7 victory.

Mr Koby Smith
13A Coach

Results