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WHAT’S THE DRILL?

What started as a small trial for a handful of MLC School girls, quickly took on much greater proportions when more than 80 Year 9, Year 10 and Year 11 girls signed up to join with Newington College in an inaugural combined Cadets program. This is the first time in MLC School history that Cadets has been available to girls from Year 9 onwards.

Head of Senior School, Mr Neil Scotney, says, ‘As a school, MLC School has a strong history in empowering young women and being one of the first schools in Australia to offer girls the same level of education as boys, it was a natural progression that we allow girls the opportunity to take part in the Schools Cadets Program. We are always proud of the way an MLC School girl embraces new challenges and Cadets provides the perfect platform for them to push the limits and further unpack our school values of courage, compassion, respect and growth.’

The program provides girls with exciting and challenging opportunities to move
outside of their comfort zone, work effectively in teams and develop individual character and leadership skills.

The cadet training program works within the structures and values of the Australian Defence Force. It is exciting and varied, and encompasses a range of activities such as scuba diving, rock climbing, abseiling, archery, bush navigation and camp craft. There are also leadership courses offered which are progressive in nature and teach the girls valuable life skills. The successful completion of these courses results in promotion to a higher rank. There is also an annual camp and a promotions camp.

Esther Maling, an MLC School Old Girl and the MLC School Senior Sports Coordinator, is the Cadets Coordinator. Esther says, “It is an amazing opportunity and demonstrates that MLC School provides every chance for our girls to challenge and grow within any area of interest.

“I believe it is important that a female leads the unit as a role model and familiar face, as there will be times that the girls are really challenged as females in a male-dominated field.

“I finished school in 2010 and would definitely have been a cadet if it had been available. My sister, who finished in 2012, is now a Logistics Officer in the Royal Australian
Air Force, and she would have jumped at the chance to have an insight into cadet life
during high school.”

Friday 14 February 2020 was the first official MLC School Cadet Unit training at Newington College. The girls met their Sergeants and Cadet Under Officers (CUOs) and the rest of the cadets in platoons for the first time. They spent time doing drill, learnt basic marching, and lined up for uniform checks. Cadet drills continued under flexible learning as much as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inaburra Pivoting to Online

Since Inaburra’s inception, the study of media has continued to be one of the key pillars of the school. A fully equipped and operational Media Centre located in the Performing Arts Centre, including a live television and recording studio, enables students to acquire skills in sound recording, video production and camera work using high-quality industry-standard equipment. Many students who have completed the IT Multimedia Technologies course for their HSC have gone on to pursue successful careers in the media industry.

Meet the Media Makers

Current students are given first-hand insight by visiting professionals at the ‘Meet the Media Makers’ event. This year (pre-COVID) it included a visit from Jamie Cohen, founder and anaging director of Clockwork Films, Sam Beckman, who has his own YouTube channel, and Will Liston, senior editor for Neil Crompton Motorsports. All these professionals are Inaburra alumni and each spoke of their journey into the industry, rapidly changing technology, and advice for students on how to find their niche in this highly competitive market.

Pivoting school events to online platforms

Inaburra’s Media Centre has also come into its own with the restrictions brought about by coronavirus, with nearly all the School’s onsite public events either cancelled or limited in numbers. Over the past few months, thanks to the ingenuity of the Stage and Screen Faculty and the benefit of wonderful facilities, we have seen many its school activities ‘pivot’ to online. Media staff, technical support staff and students have all risen to the challenge of creating events across a range of digital platforms.

From websites to Livestreams to videos

Instead of attending a subject selection information night in person, Senior students and their parents have been able to watch subject video outlines through a custom-built mini website. The TV Studio has been fully booked as teachers from all faculties record video overviews of their specialist areas.

Inaburra is now hosting its ‘Meet the Principal’ events through the Livestream platform, with registered participants able to ask questions of key staff in real time. Inaburra has also implemented the Livestream platform for online school assemblies that are projected into every classroom for students to watch in their Homegroups. There has also been the opportunity to record promotional video campaigns for charity fundraisers such as the recent Red Shield Appeal for the Salvation Army. Inaburra is currently in the process of recording a multimedia music performance in lieu of a live concert for its music ensembles from K-12.

Inaburra certainly looks forward to the time when it can welcome visitors back to the school in person. In the meantime, the school is blessed to have provision for providing alternate means of communicating with its community and student cohort through the digital space, and thinks that, post Coronavirus, there are some events that will remain on this platform rather than reverting to their previous ‘live’ format.

Working with Parents to Understand Academic Worry

Since the start of 2018 the Ruyton School community has been on a journey to understand its students’ experience of academic worry through its research study, ‘From Anxiety to Empowerment’. At the end of 2019, parents joined the school to collaborate on this project. We reflected on our journey thus far, explored and provided the opportunity for discussion with parents to further contribute to our research project.

Why study academic worry?

Stressful events are very common in educational settings, both for students and for teachers. A multitude of exams, evaluations and deadlines creates an enormous pressure to perform. This stress, however, can have a critical impact on learning and memory processes. In this study, we have intentionally used the language of ‘academic worry’ rather than stress or anxiety. This ensured that students from Years 5 to 9 could relate to the questions posed in the surveys used to collect the data.

Using student voice for meaningful data

Over the course of this study, we have been asking students to reflect on their experience of academic worry at school. This qualitative approach has helped us understand academic worry through the eyes of our students. It has been their voice and the consistent use of a Data Driven Dialogue protocol with students, staff and parents that has helped us make sense of and determine strategies and structure learning to effectively minimise academic worry for our girls.

Collaborating with parents

Workshops provided the opportunity to engage with our parents to gain insights and parent perspectives on the topic of addressing academic worry. At a workshop late in 2019, we read ‘Little Miss Anxiety’, a chapter from Madonna King’s book, Being 14, and then used a protocol that helped us discuss the issue of anxiety from an Australian girls’ perspective. We gathered parent input that will assist our researchers to determine potential ways forward to tackle the epidemic of anxiety. Collaborating with parents is one method of data collection in this proactive study, Ruyton is leading the way in combating the effects of anxiety or academic worry in girls.

Below is a sample of some the practical classroom strategies our parents discussed:

 “Celebrate growth rather than the percentage on the test.”

“Reflect on failure.”

“Meditation moments in school.”

“Plan/organise students’  time management to prioritise relaxation.”

Dr Bern Nicholls

student leadership coordinator

Ruyton Girls’ School

June 2020

Advice to Parents and Carers

If schools are closed for an extended period of time, the school will continue to provide learning activities for your child to do at home and will communicate with you about their learning.

Little Scientists Big Science

John Monash Science School offered its inaugural ‘Little Scientists Big Science’ initiative for the first time in term three 2011.

The program was the brainchild of one Year 10 student, 2013 School Captain, Lachlan Harkness. Lachlan thought it would be a good idea to engage young students in Science and give them an opportunity he did not get in his own Primary education. He was also keen to give the JMSS students an opportunity to develop and broaden their scientific communication skills, and so the project was born.

More than 300 Primary School students have participated in the program over the past eight years, concluding with each student presenting their final project in one of JMSS’s Science Presentation evenings. Feedback from schools, teachers, principals, parents and students has been overwhelmingly positive.

Since the success of this program the John Monash Science School has also run a ‘Mini Mathematicians’ program since 2016, and in 2020 is introducing ‘RoboGals’, alongside these great programs, which aims to increase participation of girls in STEM.

For more information please contact Ben Delves:

Email – ben.delves@jmss.vic.edu.au

Phone – +61 3 9905 1002

From anxiety to empowerment

It is said that the work of the school is determined by the needs of society. In her latest book Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls, Lisa Damour identifies that while anxiety has risen among young people overall, it has skyrocketed in girls. Girls are feeling more pressure and enduring more of the physical symptoms of psychological strain, such as fatigue and changes in appetite. They are more likely to experience the emotions often associated with anxiety. Report after report has confirmed that girls are more likely than boys to labour under feelings of psychological stress and tension. One study found that the number of teenage girls who said they often felt nervous, worried, or fearful jumped by 55 per cent from 2009 to 2014 while remaining unchanged for adolescent boys over the same period. As Lisa notes, stress and anxiety aren’t all bad, in fact, we can’t thrive without them. Understanding the difference between healthy and unhealthy forms of stress and anxiety is important if we are to help girls manage the tensions they feel.

‘When we confront what makes us uneasy – and help our daughters to do the same – we find that anxiety is usually a warning that something is amiss and that stress is inherent to growth and change’- Lisa Damour, Ph.D.

Healthy stress happens when we take on new challenges or do things that feel psychologically threatening. Pushing ourselves past familiar limits builds our capacity. Much of what our girls learn about managing stress comes from observing how adults manage it. Daughters watch parents for cues about how alarmed they should be by life’s difficulties. When we accept that stress often leads to growth, and help our girls do the same, we create a positive self-fulfilling prophecy. When we allow girls to persistently and continuously overexert themselves, they develop great confidence in their work ethic but not in their talents. We need to raise our girls to feel reassured that they can draw on both. Being low on self-assurance may have real and negative consequences not only at school but also into the working world. At Ruyton we recognise teachers are not simply facilitators of content and standards, rather we are social scientists, researchers and agents of change who occupy a unique position to impact student learning in ways that no grade, transcript, or standardised test can ever do. We challenge ourselves to continually improve, recognising that teaching and learning will only be effective if we continually reflect on the changing needs of learners and the best methodologies to provide rich learning experiences. As an act of continuing scholarship our educators conduct research, report their findings, and reflect on the research process itself. This process embeds and celebrates the culture of learning in our professional practice. In 2018 we launched the Anxiety to Empowerment Research Project at Ruyton, to understand the causes of academic worry for our girls and determine a clear schoolwide strategy focused on minimising and managing this worry. All of our teaching staff continue to be engaged in this research focus in 2019, refining practices and empowering every girl to flourish.   Ms Linda Douglas Principal Ruyton Girls’ School

Understanding the HSC

An understanding of the Higher School Certificate (HSC) will help your child devise the most appropriate program of study in anticipation of either tertiary education or direct entry into the workforce.

Today’s Higher School Certificate (HSC) offers more than 110 courses, including a range of nationally accredited Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses.
Depending on subject choice, NSW students can graduate with a Higher School Certificate, a nationally recognised VET qualification, credit transfer into TAFE  NSW courses and/or an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR).

The Higher School Certificate (HSC)

The HSC is an internationally recognised qualification for students who have successfully completed secondary education in NSW. The HSC is flexible and accessible to all students. There’s a wide variety of subjects to choose from for the HSC, with more than 110 courses developed by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES), along with a range of Board-Endorsed courses.

The syllabuses make it clear to everyone what students are expected to learn and be able to do in each course by the end of Year 12. Sample examination questions and marking guidelines, provided by BOSTES, help students set goals and understand the level of achievement expected. Students will receive a Record of Achievement which lists their HSC results and their Preliminary (Year 11) and Stage 5 (Year 10) grades.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the HSC, students must:
 Have gained qualifications that the BOSTES considers satisfactory
 Attend a government school, an accredited non-government school or a school outside of NSW recognised by BOSTES
 Satisfactorily complete a pattern of study required by BOSTES for the HSC (this may include examinations, coursework and attendance)

NSW Board-developed courses

Board-developed courses are the courses for which the BOSTES develops a syllabus, setting out the objectives, outcomes, structure and content. These are the courses for which BOSTES also develops HSC examinations, with the exception of Life Skills courses.

In addition, BOSTES develops support materials such as course and assessment requirements, sample examination papers and/or sample questions, marking criteria and performance scales for courses for distribution to all schools. Most Board-developed courses contribute to the calculation of the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) by the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).

Life Skills courses have Board-developed status and have been designed for the small percentage of students, particularly those with an intellectual disability, who cannot access regular course outcomes and content. Life Skills courses contribute to a student’s pattern of study for the HSC but do not contribute towards an ATAR.

Moorefield Girls High

NSW Board-endorsed courses

There are three categories of NSW Board-endorsed courses. School-developed courses are developed by individual schools in response to local interest or need and are endorsed by the Board. University-developed courses are developed by universities in conjunction with schools to suit the particular needs of high-ability students. Content-endorsed courses (CECs) are developed by the Board to cater for a wide range of students in areas that are not served by Board-developed courses.

All Board-endorsed courses count towards the HSC and are listed on the student’s record of achievement. However, Board-endorsed courses do not count towards calculation of the ATAR.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses VET courses teach skills relevant to future study and employment. These courses allow students to gain both the HSC qualification and an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) VET qualification.

The AQF VET qualifications are recognised by industry and employers throughout Australia. These courses may require that the student spends a minimum number of hours in the workplace. Students receive documentation that report the competencies that they have achieved and an AQF VET Certificate or Statement of Attainment.

Board-Developed VET courses are available in 13 industry frameworks:
 Automotive
 Business Services
 Construction
 Electrotechnology
 Entertainment Industry
 Financial Services
 Hospitality
 Human Services
 Information and Digital Technology
 Metal and Engineering
 Primary Industries
 Retail Services
 Tourism, Travel and Events

Each framework is made up of combinations of units of competency from National Training Packages. Each framework identifies the units of competency that make up the 120- and 240-hour courses for the HSC in that industry, as well as any specialisation Study courses that are available. Students may choose to sit a written examination for the 240-hour VET Framework course. Those who do may have the course results calculated in their ATAR. You can also study other VET courses in industries where there is no framework. Some of the courses can be studied at school, while others can be studied at TAFE institutes or with other training providers.

VET Board-endorsed courses exist in a wide range of industry areas for VET qualifications not included in the Board’s suite of Industry Curriculum Frameworks.

Languages

If a student wishes to study a language other than English that is not offered by their school, students may choose to attend the Saturday School of Community Languages and other institutions. These are public secondary schools for students in Years 7–12 who are enrolled in any school system. The school follows BOSTES NSW syllabuses in languages that are assessable for both RoSA and HSC. Other institutions, such as The Open High School, also offer the study of languages outside of a student’s home school.

Unit value

Most courses offered for the HSC have a value of two units in the Preliminary study pattern and two units in the HSC study pattern. Some one-unit courses are also offered. Extension study is available in English, Mathematics, History, Music and some languages. Extension courses build on the content of the two-unit course and require students to study beyond the two-unit course. A one-unit course is also available in Studies of Religion.Content-endorsed courses have the flexibility to be delivered as either one- or two-unit courses.

Pattern of study requirements

English is the only compulsory HSC subject. To be eligible for the award of the HSC, a student must satisfactorily complete at least 12 units in the Preliminary course and at least 10 units in the HSC. Both study patterns must include:
 At least six units of Board-developed courses
 At least two units of a Board-developed course in English
 At least three courses of two-unit value or greater
 At least four subjects. No more than six Preliminary units and six HSC units from courses in Science can contribute to the award of the HSC.

Assessment

During Year 12, students are assessed using formal written and practical examinations (where appropriate) and school assessment. Students sit external examinations (set and marked by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW) at the end of Year 12. For courses other than VET, a student’s result is a 50/50 combination of their HSC examinations and school assessment.

Students who satisfy the requirements of the HSC will receive an HSC testamur, or award certificate, with the student’s name and school. They also receive a Record of Achievement, which shows each completed HSC course and the result. For courses other than VET, it also includes the mark awarded for school-based assessment, an examination mark, an HSC mark (the average of the assessment and examination mark) and the performance band showing the level of achievement in each course.

An AQF VET Attainment is provided to students who achieve one or more units of competency in a HSC VET course. They may also receive an AQF VET Certificate if they have completed the required units of competency. The grades a student received in Years 10 and 11 are listed on a separate page of the Record of Achievement.

Students undertaking one or more Life Skills courses receive a Profile of Student Achievement with their HSC credentials, outlining the outcomes achieved in each course.

Once the school assessment has been completed, the school provides an assessment mark, calculated on the student’s performance for each course other than VET courses in set assessment tasks, to the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW. The purpose of this mark is to measure performance over a wider scope than can be measured in a single external exam. In the case of Board-endorsed courses, the mark reported is unmoderated.

Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank

The most common method of gaining entry for university courses in NSW is based on an applicant’s performance in their HSC. Applicants are ranked according to their Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR). ATAR is the common name given to admissions indices across all Australian states and territories (except Queensland). The highest rank a student can achieve is now 99.95. An ATAR of 99.95 means the student is in the top 0.05 percentile of students.

The ATAR is based on a scaled aggregate, calculated by the universities using a student’s best 10 eligible units in Board-developed HSC courses. It is a number reported on a scale of 0–99.95 with intervals of 0.05. It shows where a student stands in relation to all other HSC students for whom an ATAR was calculated.

Students can include units accumulated over a total period of five years. If a candidate repeats a course, only the mark from the last attempt is taken into account. Students receive an ATAR from the Universities Admissions Centre only
if it is requested on their HSC entry.

Internet resources

Students can access important information relating to syllabuses, the RoSA and the HSC from the BOSTES website. The website includes past HSC examination papers and notes from the Marking Centre. Students can use the online multiple choice questions to test themselves and further prepare for their examinations. The website is boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au
Other helpful websites for HSC-related information include:

 HSC Online: hsc.csu.edu.au
Provides HSC students with access to a wealth of HSC resources and support. The materials on HSC Online have been developed by highly experienced HSC teachers and examiners, and many of the site’s resources have been drawn from the best available resources around the world. There is advice on study techniques and exams, and information for parents and students on subjects, career and further study options.

 How your HSC works:
boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/yourhsc
An offshoot of the BOSTES website,
this page gives students a step-by-step account of what to expect from their HSC in a language that’s easy to understand. It covers information about the syllabus, exam process, marking procedures and HSC results.

 NSW Students Online:
studentsonline.bos.nsw.edu.au
Another BOSTES resource centre, this website is the place for students to log into their personal page, consult their very own HSC calendar and brush up on their exam skills. It includes past papers, practice tests, study tips and all the latest news and information relating to RoSA and the HSC.

Getting results

Students can access their HSC results via the internet or by SMS in mid-December. Results are also posted in the mail and arrive in January the following year. All students who satisfactorily complete at least one HSC course receive a Record of Achievement listing the courses they completed and their results.

Life after the HSC

One important thing to remember is the HSC is not the be-all and end-all. Just because your child didn’t receive the mark they had hoped for doesn’t mean they are doomed. While gaining a desirable ATAR rank is one way for your child to obtain his or her entry into a university course, there are other avenues that can be explored should your child not gain placement in their course of choice.

For students who are awarded VET Certificates or Statements of Attainment, they will have advanced standing in other VET courses. School leavers can consider university bridging courses, summer schools or enrolling at the same institution with a view to internally transferring into a course through academic merit at a later date. Keep an open mind and speak to a school or university careers adviser about your options.

The Positive Power of Community

In his book, The Art of Belonging (2014), Australian social researcher Mr Hugh McKay reminds us of the great paradox that new and emerging communication media, while seeming to bring us together, in fact, make it easier for us to stay apart. McKay reminds us that it is how we live that is important, and that strong communities develop our moral sense and build our emotional security. He says that as ‘social creatures’ we can only reach our potential when we engage with our communities. McKay states: ‘a good life is not lived in isolation or in the pursuit of independent goals; a good life is lived at the heart of a thriving community, amongst people we trust, and within an environment of mutual respect.’ 

We witnessed the positive power of community in full force at the Ruyton/Trinity production of The Wiz last week. I think ‘joyous’ is the only way to describe us as an audience as we sat spellbound by the adventures of a girl, a scarecrow, a tin man and a cowardly lion. This power reinforced the ability of the Arts to focus our attention, to marvel, wonder and imagine, and to bring us together to celebrate endeavour, achievement and excellence.

Academic, psychologist, author and champion of grit, Professor Angela Duckworth, has said that children need to understand why sustained and concentrated hard work is such an important skill, and then they need to practise it; and they need to identify something they’re passionate about. She believes that if you want to reach your potential, live meaningfully and make a contribution to the world, then find something you care about, surround yourself with supportive people who will give you honest feedback, and practise, practise, practise. This, according to Duckworth, is the secret to life.

While we marvelled at the performance, we were all too aware of the hours, days and weeks of preparation that enabled this. The performers, staff, orchestra, backstage crew and parent supporters have lived and breathed The Wiz for the past few months – alongside their usual routine. Their shared passion and purpose have enabled them to remain committed through the ups and downs of preparation, to accept honest feedback, to show grit and determination, to overcome setbacks and difficulties, and push towards reaching their potential – and beyond.

The notion of honest feedback is an important one in Performing Arts. A performance doesn’t attract a score, a percentage or a grade. It isn’t for a gold medal or a trophy. Thank goodness. To me, it provides one of the purest forms of feedback, the honesty of self-reflection and audience reaction. Greater creativity results from enlisting enthusiasm and personal best rather than assessment. And a standing ovation on Saturday evening said it all. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

We watch our students take their tentative first steps in Early Learning and Junior Primary performances. We see them hone their talents and grow in confidence from Primary to Secondary productions and plays. Over the years we see individual growth and the emergence of new and undiscovered talent. We see students who immerse themselves in every opportunity, as this is what brings their passion to life. Each year brings a new team together, a new rhythm, a new challenge and new opportunity.

A little magic goes a long way. Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and that Cowardly Lion demonstrated this as they eased on down the road to see the mysterious Wiz and realise their dreams. And Dorothy, in helping her three companions to realise their individual dreams, reminded us that we often hold the key to achieving our own personal best. If we believe in our own ability, find our courage, compassion and creativity we can do it. And the positive power of a supportive community will never go astray.

Ms Linda Douglas, Principal Ruyton Girls’ School

Internship Programme at Ruyton Girls’ School

As actress Helen Hayes said, ‘The expert in anything was once a beginner.’ I wholeheartedly agree and therefore am perplexed by the increasing number of job postings advertising ‘entry-level’ roles yet requiring ‘three plus years of experience in a similar role.’ It is rapidly becoming a remarkable feat to secure suitable employment after graduation; in fact, the Foundation for Young Australians has reported that 30 percent of graduates are currently unemployed, or underemployed. To make matters worse, employers are reporting mismatches in the skills young people are learning at university and those that industries require.

In our globally-connected, technologically enhanced world where the most prevalent jobs being advertised did not exist five years ago it begs the question: how are we preparing our young people to be successful in their adult life?

To continue supporting our girls to become leaders within our global community, the Internship Programme was introduced this year – an authentic, project-based Year 9/10 elective offering that connects our student interns with industry professionals and organisations beyond the four walls of the classroom. Unlike our work experience programme, the Internship Programme is completed onsite over an extended period and is centred around a major work project that the mentor is currently working on and is willing to share with a student intern.

After nine weeks of professional learning, which included creating resumes, cover letters, digital portfolios, user manuals and vision boards, our students interviewed with leaders of industry to secure a six-week internship across a range of fields. Our girls secured internships as Data Scientists and Research Assistants alongside Post-Doctorate research fellows and as Graphic Designers and Quality Assurance Testers for creative studios, to name a few. Throughout the internship, our girls worked alongside industry professionals to not only complete a project but to also refine their future work skills, such as working with colleagues in a professional manner, dealing with deadlines, and how to manage workflow.

‘I was able to complete tasks that adults with university qualifications are doing. I completed a thematic analysis, a generalised linear model and presented the information to my mentor to be used in a published report …’ Zoe B, Year 9 (interned as a Data Scientist with Dr Amanda Krause supporting her work at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and the ARC Centre for the History of Emotions.)

‘I have started to think differently because I have realised that I won’t always have a teacher to help and answer my questions and that in the real world you often have to figure things out yourself …’ Asha J, Year 9 (interned with Mr Terry Burdak supporting Beta Testing at Paperhouse Games.)

‘Internship was something I always looked forward to and will miss it as this elective has helped me discover things I didn’t know about myself. It has helped me be more open-minded and has made me really think about my future …’ Kelly N, Year 9 (interned as a Development Co-ordinator with Mrs Jenni Musgrove supporting Spirit Week at Ruyton Girls’ School.)

Our Internship Programme aims to provide exposure and experience to help our girls make increasingly considered choices about their future academic and professional journeys. As Steve Jobs once said, ‘Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.’

Mr Jake Plaskett, Director of Learning Innovation

Get crafty these school holidays

School Holidays are often filled with activities to keep the kids busy. Why not work as a team and create something fun together?!

Craft projects are a great way to teach children coordination, concentration and patience. These sewing kits provide an opportunity to work together with your kids to master the art of the needle. Plus, the final result will ensure your child has a new and unique bag to take back to school!

Winter woolly backpack- $14.95

Step out in style with the Winter Woolly Backpack pattern designed by Theresa Kyne. Perfect for those cold and chilly days, this backpack is made from warm blanket fabrics with pockets and straps in black-and-white chevron. Perfect for winter outings and adventures, and is as pretty as it is practical!

Monster and robot kid’s backpacks- $11.95

They’re cool, they’re hip and they are the perfect, fun backpack for kids. The Monster and Robot Kids Backpacks have been designed by Sue Marsh, with growing kids in mind so all the straps are adjustable so the kids can keep using their backpack for years to come.

Embroidered Child’s book bag- $11.95

Natashia Curtin’s From Cover to Cover book bag pattern — a fun library bag for children —features a selection of embroidered book covers to decorate the bag, including “Fall Asleep on the Last Page” and “Never French Kiss a Frog”. This makes a great gift for children and is a large enough bag for holding big children’s books.

Owl read it to you library bag- $11.95

Any child will love a trip to the library with this super-cute embroidered owl drawstring library bag pattern from Nicole Stark and Sharon Ferrie, with two soft owls sitting atop some bunting with embroidered flowers, tree and bee buzzing past.