Today we hosted 55 Edmund Rice Schools from across Australia for the national launch of the updated Charter for Catholic Schools in the Edmund Rice Tradition.
Over the last year, students, staff, parents, and community members across all EREA schools have had the opportunity to provide feedback and comment on the new Charter. The Touchstones remain with slightly different emphasis and language use throughout the Charter.
Congratulations to Year 12 student James Birbas for his nomination for possible inclusion in Encore for Musicology in Music 1. His Musicology Viva Voce explored how musical cultures have influenced Flamenco Music. ENCORE presents a selection of outstanding major works by HSC Music students in NSW including performance, composition and musicology.
On Thursday evening, I had the privilege of attending our Music Department’s Christmas Concert in the Chapel, joined by an audience of approximately 200 parents and community members.
It was a true celebration of the incredible talent nurtured within our Music program, which continues to go from strength to strength.
The concert featured outstanding performances from a diverse group of gifted young musicians from both Waverley College and St Clare’s College. Highlights of the evening included the College Choir, Chamber Choir, Cliff Goodchild Concert Band, Jazz Bands, Brass Ensemble, Year 8 and Year 10 Rock Bands, Guitar Ensemble, and a range of impressive soloists.
The quality of the performances was remarkable, making for a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable evening.
We are thrilled to celebrate the incredible achievements of Old Boy Otis Pavlovic (Class of 2018) and his band, Royel Otis, at last night’s 2024 ARIA Awards. The band took home an impressive four awards:
Best Group
Best Rock Album
Engineer – Best Engineered Release (Chris Collins for Pratts & Pain by Royel Otis)
Producer – Best Produced Release (Chris Collins for Pratts & Pain by Royel Otis).
In addition to these wins, Royel Otis earned nominations in four other major categories:
Album of the Year, Best Independent Release, Song of the Year, and Best Australian Live Act.
Congratulations to Otis and the band on these outstanding accomplishments. We are so proud of your success!
This morning, our Year 12 students participated in the Randwick Council Step Out Speak Out Walk, an event dedicated to raising awareness about domestic violence and encouraging everyone to take a stand against it.
This annual initiative is organised by the NSW Police Eastern Beaches Local Area Command and Randwick City Council, with valuable support from the SES and The Juniors.
We are proud of our students for their involvement in this important cause and their commitment to promoting a safer, more respectful community.
Congratulations to the following students who we celebrated in our assembly this week for their achievements in reading and writing in a range of external and internal competitions:
Xavier Wright in Year 8
Alexander Avdalis in Year 9
Rory Muldowney in Year 9
Gabriel Wright in Year 7
Samuel Altree-Williams in Year 10
Sam Loughrey in Year 5
Dylan Murphy in Year 5
Thomas Taylor in Year 6
Our Book Club on Wednesday 20 November marked a significant milestone for our School’s Literacy and Library teams as we proudly staged our inaugural Literary Evening/ Book Club. The evening was conceived with a single purpose: to bring the Waverley College community together to ignite a fervent love for reading. To achieve this goal, we curated a programme that welcomed special guest Paul MacDonald who shared his invaluable insights into the world of books and the profound connection between passionate reading and skilled writing.
We were also delighted to invite our Extension 2 English (2024) students Asher Thomasyu and Robbie Muir to present on the role reading has played in their academic and personal development.
Thank you to the parents, students, and staff who came along to share our love of reading in a lively discussion of the book ‘Before the Coffee Gets Cold’.
The choice for our next Book Club is ‘Scar Town’ by Tristan Bancks.
Suggested Reads from our Book Club attendees:
Fern Brady – Strong Female Character
Maggie Farrell – A marriage Portrait
Chris Hammer – Treasure and Dirt
Kate Grenville – Secret River
Tim Winton – Cloudstreet
Min Jin Lee – Pachinko
Mr Roberts and I were delighted to have ‘Guest Readers’ take time out of their hectic schedules to support the Reading Program with our classes in Years 7 and 8 and promote our motto “Everybody has a Book”.
Research from the IBSC (on the importance of school libraries and the role of the teacher librarian in building a positive reading culture) highlights the positive impact of having leaders in the school promote reading, creating connections through reading.
Thank you to Mr Leddie, Mr Horrocks, Mrs Smith, Mr O’Donnell, Ms Walsh, Mr Roff, Mr Drew Morris, Mrs Porter , Mr Couani, Mrs Barrie, Mrs Foster and Mr Phillips for reading to the boys. They thoroughly enjoyed the experience and are hopefully inspired to pick up a book and read over the holidays.
By providing strong reading role model — Y12 students Cooper Stewart and Archie Godby —we can help reshape perceptions and demonstrate that reading is not just a valuable skill but also a source of enjoyment and personal growth.
Enthusiastic role models normalise the act of reading, showing boys that it can expand their horizons, spark curiosity, and challenge their perspectives. While sports often take precedence in boys’ priorities, offering diverse alternatives like engaging books can create a paradigm shift, encouraging them to see reading as a rewarding and accessible pursuit.
Some of the texts read included The Rabbits, Oh, The Places You’ll Go, Azaria, a range from author Matthew Reilly, Banjo Patterson poetry, Holes, Good Omens, By the River and Scar Town.
The well-earned Christmas break provides a chance to step away from the demands of daily school life. It presents a perfect opportunity for students to put down their devices and pick up a great book.
Research consistently highlights the incredible benefits of reading for children and teenagers, both academically and emotionally. Studies reveal that dedicating just 20 minutes a day to reading can lead to significant gains. Reading helps expand vocabulary, strengthen critical thinking skills, and improve comprehension. Beyond academics, it builds confidence, fosters a sense of achievement, and lays the groundwork for future success.
Reading also promotes mental well-being by offering a calming escape from daily pressures and encouraging relaxation. Immersing oneself in a compelling narrative can ease anxiety, improve focus, and strengthen resilience. Additionally, it fuels creativity and imaginative thinking, essential for problem-solving and innovation.
Non-fiction works should not be overlooked, particularly for boys. Inspirational stories from favourite athletes or successful entrepreneurs can be just as impactful. Research suggests that with the right books tailored to their interests—whether sports, science fiction, adventure, or history— so-called reluctant readers can become enthusiastic ones. Encouraging them to explore books that resonate with their passions can transform their reading journey.
Please see the recommendations from Mr Roberts on some great non-fiction reads.
Our recommendations aim to inspire, engage, and spark curiosity. We’ve also included suggestions for staff and parents to enjoy.
Together, let’s commit to encouraging just 20 minutes a day immersed in a wonderful book.
Here is our 2024 recommended list again.
A list of Easy Reads for Boys:
Ghost (Track series) by Jason Reynolds
JT: The Making Of A Total Legend by Johnathan Thurston (and James Phelps)
The Dog Runner by Bren MacDibble
Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
Dry by Neal and Jarrod Shusterman
Arkanae (Medoran Chronicles series) by Lynette Noni
Everything Is Changed by Nova Weetman
Illuminae (series) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The Secret Runners Of New York by Mathew Reilly
The Road To Winter (series) by Mark Smith
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott
Here are some ones to consider sharing as a family.
https://www.allenandunwin.com/
https://unsw.press/books/
https://www.allenandunwin.com/
https://www.panmacmillan.com.
https://booksfromaustralia.
https://www.penguin.com.au/
https://newsouthbooks.com.au/
https://www.walkerbooks.com.
https://www.simonandschuster.
Note the College’s ebooks, audio books, e magazines are all available as well over the summer holidays. All can be accessed via the College’s CANVAS LIbrary page which all students have been invited to.
Here is a video I showed at a recent school assembly. Discuss it with your sons.
https://www.youtubeeducation.
Reading definitely is a sport for ALL seasons.
Wishing you all a happy and refreshing summer.
Happy Reading!
The Library Team
Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 4 events, please refer to the College calendar.
I would like to congratulate Ryder Darragh for his outstanding contribution to the charity Kids Giving Back last school holidays and for putting his Faith in Action.
He helped make more than 7,500 meals and care packs (including hot meals, salads, fruit kebabs, breakfast boxes, lunch boxes, snack cups, and care packs with empathetic messages) which was distributed to 21 charities around Sydney.
If you are interested in your son participating next holidays please see attached – December 2024/January 2025 School holiday programs | Kids Giving Back Bookings are now open!
We are very proud to be a supporting contributor to HAMPERS OF HOPE 2024. HAMPERS OF HOPE, based in Addison Rd, Marrickville, is a charity program in its fifth consecutive year of providing help to those less fortunate.
We ask if families could please make a difference this Christmas season by donating a block of chocolate (eg 180 g Cadbury’s,
Whittakers, etc) or a box of chocolates (eg Cadbury Rose’s, Lindt, etc) to donate to the
hampers. Canned goods are also appreciated.
The collection of donations will occur from Monday 4 November – Friday 25 November.
Please place your donations in the collection box with the HAMPERS OF HOPE sign, located
in reception.
Approximately 2000 hampers will be filled the week of 9 DECEMBER 2024 (from 8:30am –12noon) at Addison Road, Marrickville and will be distributed to a wide-reaching number of recipients including refugees, orphanages, domestic violence centres and flood/fire victims.
Your individual contribution really makes a difference to those in need and will certainly create a very festive hamper. Thank you for your generous support.
Ms Gaby Bransby
Director of the Junior School
gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
A reminder that the Year 6 Graduation is on Wednesday 27 November, beginning at 11:00am, followed by a BBQ at Queens Park to which everyone is invited.
A reminder that any Year 5 students who wish to nominate themselves for House Captains need to speak with their House Mentors.
This Monday, 25 November is the last chance they have to nominate as they will be delivering the speeches on Tuesday 26 November during our Wellbeing time.
Students will need to present a speech to their House before voting takes place. They can use the scaffold below to assist in planning.
Prepare a 2 minute speech addressing the following:
The Junior School are supporting the Year 11 Social Justice program, Night Patrol, which supports St Vincent de Paul’s charity to help feed the homeless men, women and children of Sydney.
We are asking students in 5 Red, 5 White, 6 Red and 6 White for the following donations for the final Night Patrol on Monday, 25 November.
Fresh Fruit – Bananas & Oranges (to be brought in on Monday, 25 November)
Packets of Chips, Instant Boodles, Cans of Tuna, Muesli bars – Chewy & Nut Free (any time before Monday, 25 November)
Your kindness and generosity is greatly appreciated.
Mr Steve Ghattas
Assistant Director of Junior School / Identity & Student Formation
sghattas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Congratulations to Hayden Greenberg, Harvey Rumble and Finn Gadd who attended the CIS Cricket trials on Monday.
95 students from all over the state were put through a full day of rigorous trials at The King Schools.
The boys were outstanding in brutally hot weather testing their batting, bowling and fielding skills through nets sessions and centre wicket games.
Our three boys had a fantastic day and did themselves and Waverley College extremely proud. Well done boys!
Patrick Spencer (6 Gold) received a Gold medal running for Easts in the state Under 12 boys 4x100m relay on Sunday 9 November.
They set a new state record with 51.23 seconds, breaking the record standing from 2002. Congratulations to Patrick on this incredible achievement!
Ms Jade Sparks
Assistant Director of Co-curricular (Junior School)
jsparks@waverley.nsw.edu.au
We offer all students in Year 5 and Year 6 the opportunity to receive free additional support after school to complete home learning tasks. The afternoon sessions also provide a quiet, supervised study space for students who want to complete their assigned tasks.
Home Learning Club operates in the Learning Hub from 3:00 pm until 4:00 pm – Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays – during school term unless there is a scheduled Professional Development meeting and the club will be closed.
Procedures
Register your son via the link https://homelearningclub.youcanbook.me
Only register his name once to allow other students the opportunity to attend. The session is limited to 20 spots. There will be a roll call to ensure attendance.
Students are required to stay for the full session unless there is a message in the student diary requesting early leave, a parent’s signature will be required.
Behaviour
As it is important to respect the rights of others to learn and work, all students are expected to settle to work in the Learning Hub and not disturb others.
Teachers
Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday
Mrs Natasha Zivanovic
Thursday
Mr Steve Ghattas
If you require any further information, feel free to contact us.
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
An important note to remember is that if afternoon training sessions are cancelled, unfortunately, you cannot send your son to Home Learning as an alternative plan. Students are registered for the afternoon sessions in advance, and the capacity is always reached.
Avoid messaging your son during this period, unless it is urgent.
As the school year comes to an end, I would like to acknowledge all the students who actively participated in the various activities offered by the Learning Hub.
The Learning Hub is dedicated to inspiring, engaging, and empowering students through critical thinking and creative activities.
It provides a space for students to retreat, explore, and collaborate with peers, whether before school, during Learning Hub sessions, or at lunchtime.
All of these activities and more will be available again in 2025.
Dante Fearn, a Year 10 student, shared his insights from his immersion experience in Timor-Leste, serving as an inspiring conclusion to our Lunchtime Talks for 2024.
His reflections highlighted the invaluable lessons he learned during his time there.
Dante emphasised the privilege of engaging with the Timorese community, where he witnessed resilience and joy despite challenging circumstances. He spoke about the importance of gratitude, recognising how much we often take for granted in our daily lives.
Dante’s raw and honest account resonated deeply, reminding our Junior School boys of the power of connection and understanding across cultures.
His experience demonstrates the impact of Waverley’s immersion programmes, which encourage young minds to embrace empathy, communal spirit, and a larger worldview.
Thank you for sharing your journey and inspiring our students to reflect on their own lives and the world around them.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Teacher of Literacy & Innovation
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
On Thursday 21 November, we celebrated International Men’s Day with a special assembly with guest speaker Jay Stevens. Jay did a keynote presentation followed by a Q&A session with Mr Jeremy Roff.
Jay Stevens is a remarkable example of resilience, determination, and the unbreakable strength of the human spirit.
In 2003 as a Year 12 student, Jay’s athletic talent was already clear when he won a silver medal in the 800m at the Australian Junior Championships.
His promising future as an athlete seemed certain, however in 2018 Jay’s life took a dramatic turn when he was involved in a devastating helicopter crash. Jay suffered extensive injuries that left him instantly paralysed, facing the shocking prognosis that he would never walk again.
What followed was an extraordinary journey that defied all expectations. Refusing to accept the limitations placed on him, Jay not only rebuilt his life but transformed himself into a trailblazing, ultra-endurance athlete and an inspiring public speaker.
In December 2023 – six years after his accident – Jay made history by becoming the first paraplegic to walk to Mt. Everest Base Camp, a feat that required exceptional determination and courage.
In October this year he set yet another record, completing a 50km ultramarathon — the first paraplegic in the world to do so.
Jay’s journey is one of profound courage, adaptability, and unwavering willpower. He brings these qualities to every accomplishment, inspiring others to face their own challenges with resilience and the belief that the impossible is always within reach.
At College Assembly, we also congratulated and recognised the wonderful 20 years of Coaching the College’s 1st XV of Mr Paul Cornish. We have been fortunate enough to see some truly exceptional people make a real difference in our school community and we believe Mr Cornish is someone who exemplifies this.
There’s no doubt his tireless efforts have shaped thousands of young players, and contributed significantly to building a culture of excellence within the rugby program and beyond. Mr Cornish has also shown an unwavering commitment to the importance of academic excellence as a mathematics teacher. He has set an exceptional standard by balancing a full teaching load alongside his rugby responsibilities, which is a testament to his energy, passion, and dedication to his students’ growth – both on and off the field.
However, most importantly, Mr Cornish is a gentle man. He is kind, compassionate and treats all those who cross his path with respect and dignity, even when dealing with the most challenging situations. He is a man we admire, and is a wonderful example of who our young men could aspire to be.
We are deeply grateful for the profound difference Mr Cornish has made over this period, and I’m honoured to share a short film that celebrates his remarkable influence and legacy, told by those closest to him here at the College.
Building confidence and motivation in young people is essential for their overall wellbeing and is a key aspect of their development. These qualities can have a lasting impact on their success and happiness. Confidence helps children believe in their abilities and face challenges with a positive attitude, while motivation drives their desire to learn, explore, and achieve their goals.
Fostering these traits involves creating an environment that encourages children to take risks, learn from their mistakes, and celebrate their achievements. Confidence is built when children feel capable and valued, while motivation is fuelled by the belief that their efforts will lead to growth and success. By actively supporting both, we can help young people thrive in the academic, social, and personal areas of their life.
By offering positive reinforcement, setting realistic expectations, and celebrating their efforts, we can model a positive mindset that can go a long way in helping young people develop both confidence and motivation. Nurturing these qualities, will help them grow into self-assured individuals who believe in their ability to succeed, setting the foundation for a fulfilling future.
In this edition of SchoolTV, discover how to provide opportunities for autonomy and support your child in persevering through challenges.
Here’s the latest edition of SchoolTV.
As we move towards Christmas, we are reminded to reach out to those less fortunate than ourselves.
St Canice’s is a Jesuit parish in Elizabeth Bay, just behind Kings Cross, and their outreach centre works to provide weekly health, legal and employment clinics, daily showers with access to toiletries and personal care items and brand new clothing, along with daily meals and a coffee shop to those experiencing homelessness and social exclusion.
These services are entirely funded by donations from generous parishioners, local residents, businesses, schools and the Waverley College community.
They are currently seeking donations of hamper items for Christmas, including:
If you are able and willing to, these donations would be greatly appreciated. All donations can be dropped to the Senior School reception. We will be making regular deliveries to St Canice throughout Term 4.
Once again, your kindness and generosity is very much appreciated.
Last Thursday, we had a fantastic launch of our Community Book Club. It was wonderful to see so many students, parents, carers, staff and community members coming together to celebrate the joy of reading.
We welcomed our special guest, Mr Paul MacDonald, President of the Children’s Book Council of Australia, who spoke to our attendees about upcoming trends in reading and what the research says about the positive benefits of reading.
Some of his key points were about the positive impact that reading has on life expectancy, with studies suggesting that reading can add two to five years to a person’s life span, the interconnectedness of good writing and reading habits, and the benefits of reading on a person’s ability to make better connections with others.
We are so grateful to Mrs Mary Ryan, Literacy Coordinator, Mr William Roberts, Head of Library, and Ms Tamara Bliznjakovic, Library Technician, for their tireless efforts in making this initiative possible.
Also, we thank our students, parents, carers and staff who came along to engage in meaningful conversations about reading and our chosen book Before the Coffee gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi.
Mr Paul MacDonald spoke about some of the books that are currently trending for young people and we have included some ideas below for some holiday reading:
Dear Students, Parents and Carers,
Please find below the schedule for the Year 12 (2025) Tutorials in Term 4, Week 7. Topics covered during the tutorials include content revision, study skills, exam preparation and practice papers. These tutorials have proven extremely valuable and, while not compulsory, are strongly encouraged.
| Date | Subject | Time | Staff | Room |
|
Monday, 25 November 2024
|
Spanish | 3:30pm – 5:00pm | Best | W25 |
| Visual Arts | 3:30pm – 5:00pm | Falk | C11 | |
| Studies of Religion II | 3:15pm – 5:15pm | Stewart | E40’s | |
|
Tuesday, 26 November 2024
|
Industrial Technology – Timber | 7:30am – 8:30am | Barr | C01 |
| Maths Standard | 3:30pm – 5:00pm | Mountfort | E26 | |
|
Wednesday, 27 November 2024
|
Physics | 3:30pm – 4:30pm | Ayre | E13 |
| Ancient History | 3:30pm – 5:00pm | Diamadis | K14 | |
| Thursday, 28 November 2024 | PDHPE | 7:30am – 8:30am | Coleman | GHR |
| Friday, 29 November 2024 | Hospitality | 7:00am – 8:00am | McCarthy | T04 |
Mr Patrick Darvill
Acting Director of Curriculum
pdarvill@waverley.nsw.edu.au
This coming weekend we have our final full round of activities for 2024. We are against local rivals Cranbrook and I am sure that we will finish strong as well as demonstrating the required respect and expectations in all areas.
Last weekend our Golf team won their first matchplay tournament against Newington with captain Max Jennings storming home to secure the victory. Our 1sts Touch Football started slowly but played a terrific second half to secure the win against Trinity. Our Swim Squad travelled to Cranbrook last Friday evening and performed well. The standout was Ollie Moclair who broke the College 50m Freestyle record on the night. In Basketball we won 82% of matches including a great performance by the 8A’s.
Our 2 Day Cricket (1sts, 2nds, 10As and 9A’s) along with the Diving Team also have fixtures the following weekend on November 29-30.
I want to also wish all of our Year 8 students and staff who are attending the Outdoor Camp at Somerset next week. This is a wonderful experience and I encourage all boys to embrace the challenges and opportunities in a beautiful environment.
Good luck to all activities this weekend.
The Uniform shop will open by appointment only on the following days over the Christmas school holidays.
Please note: On Friday, 13 December the Uniform Shop will close at midday.
For information on trading hours, size guides, click and collect and delivery information visit: www.noone.com.au/school/waverley-college
Phone: (02) 9369 0709
Email: waverley@noone.com.au
Location
Level 3, Centenary Building,
Senior School Campus
(Enter via reception and take the lift to the 3rd Floor)
131 Birrell Street,
Waverley NSW 2024
TERM 1
TERM 2
TERM 3
TERM 4
View the Week 6 Careers Newsletter HERE.
Please see me if you require any further assistance or information.
Ms Kath Knowles
Senior Studies & Careers Coordinator
kknowles@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Tickets are almost sold out for the Waverley College Long Lunch, scheduled for Sunday, February 16, 2025. This fantastic community event will bring together parents and friends for an afternoon of food, fun, and live music.
Partnering with the College means aligning your brand with a 120 year old established institution and reaching a vast audience of over 13,000 individuals through advertising exposure.
Sponsorship also forms a pivotal part of the School’s fundraising effort, aimed at supporting the construction of our new Science & Innovation Centre. This facility is set to transform the future of our students’ learning and their subsequent career opportunities. Click here to see an architectural fly-through and witness the reactions of our Junior School students.
Billy Nicolas
Foundation Officer
bnicolas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Come along and enjoy a Christmas Music Concert to be held in the College Chapel!
You’ll have the pleasure of enjoying performances by the College Choir, Chamber Choir, Cliff Goodchild Concert Band, Jazz Bands, Brass Ensemble, Year 8 Rock Band, Year 10 Rock Band, Guitar Ensemble and Soloists.
Date: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Time: 6pm – 8pm
Location: Waverley College Chapel
Limited seats so please RSVP here.
We would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation who are the traditional Custodians of the land on which Waverley College is located. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual connections to the land, waters, seas and sky and their rich contribution to society.
Watch our video
