Dear Parents/ Carers and Students in Years 7-10
The Years 7-10 Assessment Booklets are currently going through the final checks and will be available on the College website next week.
Parents/Carers and Students will receive an email with a direct link to the page on the College website, where they will be able to download the latest version of the schedules plus other relevant information.
Students should ensure that they save a copy of the schedule on their laptop, and it is recommended that they add the key dates to their College Diaries.
We begin our school year celebrating a group of students who are making a positive impact on the lives of those in our local community.
The Centre for Volunteering is a not-for-profit organisation with over 45 years’ experience providing leadership on volunteering in NSW. 19 Waverley College students and four Old Boys have been awarded a certificate from the NSW Volunteer Recognition Program.
This award acknowledges the exceptional efforts and contributions our students have made through their participation in the Service component of the Duke of Edinburgh award over the last two years.
We are immensely proud of the compassion and maturity the following students have displayed.
Congratulations to: Xavier Quinn, Theo Varvaressos, Robbie Muir, Riley Hassey, Max Court, Liam Wood, Jo Vonwiller, Jay Briggs, James Medland, James Iatrou, Jack Tindale, Finn Stranix, Finn Backlund, Finlay Chandler, Deuchar Dezarnaulds, Campbell Porteus, Campbell Groves, Angus Birrell, Alistair Isaac, Charlie Alexander (Class of 2022), Brandon Reid (Class of 2022), Conor Boyd-Boland (Class of 2021), Dane Perica (Class of 2021).
The Waverley College Parents’ Association warmly invites you to the Year 12 Mother & Son Luncheon.
When: Sunday, 26 March 2023
Time: Midday – 2:30pm
Where: Doltone House, Darling Island Wharf, 48 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont
Tickets: $95 per person
Number are limited, so book early to avoid disappointment!
Click here to view the Fixtures and Venue Maps
Waverley College is looking forward to an exciting year ahead in co-curricular. This week, our Year 7 2023 cohort commenced their trials in sport and cultural activities, and made an excellent start.
Our broad program caters to a wide range of interests, and we encourage all students to get involved in as many activities as they can. The importance of staying physically active, socially engaged and the benefits to mental and emotional health, are critical parts of the development of youth.
The Co-curricular Department is also lucky to have Ms Brooke Kent, our new Activities Officer, joining us in 2023. Brooke will be taking over the management of a number of administration and operational duties.
All students need to ensure that they are ready to start the year with all required attire and equipment for their chosen activities.
We also have lots of opportunities for parents/carers to get involved through the Parents’ Association and various Supporters’ Groups.
We had a large number of students training and competing in various activities over the holidays. A huge thank you to the staff and coaches who gave up some time in the holidays, as well as the students and parents/carers for all of their efforts.
In particular, I want to note the 2nds Basketball who won the Newington tournament, as well as the 1st XI Cricket who successfully defeated St Patrick’s to win the Br. Berg – Br. Murphy Shield, in a very close contest. Well done especially to Jonathan McDonald in taking 6/17 off 10 overs.
We have a number of trials and fixtures this coming weekend, and all other activities commence from next Monday.
Just a reminder that this is how we communicate all co-curricular information:
We are aware that there are a number of events this term, such as Nippers carnivals, State Touch Football, State Oztag as well as others.
Leave requests need to be emailed to me, requesting leave with as much notice as possible. Students need to be organised and selective, as only two exemptions per year are generally approved.
Please also note that any student wishing to request a change to their winter activities, can do so from this week until the end of Week 3 of Term 1.
Best wishes to the whole College community for 2023.
Please see this message from NSW Health regarding online consent for your child’s school vaccinations in 2023.
If your child is in Year 7 or Year 10 this year, you can now provide online consent for their routine school vaccinations.
In Year 7, students are offered free vaccines for diphtheria–tetanus-pertussis (dTpa) and human papillomavirus (HPV). In Year 10, students are offered the meningococcal ACWY vaccine.
Vaccination will only be provided at school if consent has been received.
If you or your child do not have a Medicare card, consent can still be provided by requesting a paper-based consent form directly from Waverley College.
For more information on routine school vaccinations, please visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/schoolvaccination.
If you require information in your language, please visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/school_vaccination_language.aspx
Congratulations to Jonty Booy and Liam Davis (Class of 2022), who had their HSC Major Project Short Films accepted into the SAE FlickerUp Youth Shorts division of Flickerfest 2023.
This is a prodigious achievement, as the festival received 3,200 films for this year’s screening, and less than 5% were accepted.
Talented brothers James Iatrou (Year 12) and Constantine Iatrou (Year 10) were also selected as finalists.
These students’ remarkable films screened on 28 January at the Bondi Pavilion.
We also acknowledge the hard work and expertise of Ms Natalie Oates (Head of Visual Arts) in prompting and helping with their submissions.
Click here to view the incredible finalists in this year's Program
‘Consumption’ – humankind’s propensity to over consume in the hope it will give us meaning to things we don’t fully understand. Director, writer and producer: Jonathan Booy
‘The Future Is Yours’ – a heartwarming story of two brothers making it in the film industry. Director, writer and producer: James and Constantine Iatrou
*As per the updated conditions of enrolment and as indicated on the College website, all Years 5 and 7 enrolments, Term 1 tuition fees are charged in Term 4, in the year prior. This includes continuing Year 6 (2023) students into Year 7 (2024). This replaces the “continuing confirmation deposit” usually charged in the 3rd Payment to Year 6. Year 5 and 7 will still receive an invoice in Term 1, 2024 for any applicable sundries, sibling discounts, excursion fees and camps. Please be advised that if this payment is not made by the due date, your son’s enrolment will be forfeited, and his place will be offered to a waitlisted candidate.
Fees paid before 4pm on the prompt payment date attract a $25.00 discount.
Any payment received after the due date will attract an administrative fee of $110.00.
Please be advised that some financial institutions need more than 48 hours to process their payments (e.g. Internet/BPay/BPoint).
Please see the last page of your account for payment method and contact details.
You are reminded that if you wish to withdraw your son from enrolment at Waverley College, you are required to give one term’s notice in writing to the Principal that your son’s enrolment will cease.
The last day you can give notice that your son’s enrolment is finishing at the end of a school term, is the first day of the same term. If not received by that date, a penalty equivalent to one term’s tuition fees will be payable. The relevant dates for 2022 are below:
There is clear evidence that purposeful professional learning for teachers is a key factor in improving student learning outcomes. A strategic priority for the school is to enhance teacher professional growth through quality professional learning and staff formation. Contemporary research suggests that effective professional learning needs to be ‘an ongoing process made up of epiphanic life moments that are professional and personal, formal and informal, in schools and out of schools, singular and collaborative.’ (Netolicky, 2016, p. 281).
As the academic year commences, we continue our commitment to providing quality professional learning for our staff, to ensure they are kept up-to-date with contemporary high-impact teaching strategies, emerging technologies and student wellbeing research. All professional learning is tailored to enhance teacher capacity and efficacy. Our teachers are encouraged to be reflective in their practice and each staff member has an annual Professional Learning Plan to set targets and goals. We dedicated time across our three Staff Days this week to address some strategic priority areas, with a particular focus on High Expectations, Lesson Routines, Data Analytics, Literacy, Deep Learning and Curriculum Reforms.
Below is a snapshot of some of the Professional Learning sessions delivered this week.
Cognisant that school-wide analysis and discussion of systematically collected data on student outcomes, including academic, attendance and behavioural outcomes, and student wellbeing are crucial to a school’s improvement agenda, throughout 2022 a team of teachers explored a number of Learning Analytics Platforms. Learning Analytics is the process of using educational data, statistical analysis, and modelling to gain insights into student and school performance.
TrackOne is our analytics platform of choice, and we are excited to upskill our staff in data literacy throughout 2023. TrackOne allows us to collate and analyse our academic and pastoral data more efficiently and effectively, and in turn enables us to better monitor and track student progress, growth and performance across Years 5-12. Additionally, we have engaged with Robert Allwell’s Academic Assessment Services to look at forecasting and predictive data. This will be invaluable in subject selection and monitoring student expected performance relative to achieved outcomes.
Thank you to Ms Helen Barrie, Ms Kaitlyn Downey, Ms Lynsey Porter and Ms Jenna Turnbull for facilitating these sessions.
Extensive analysis of our 2022 NAPLAN data, combined with insights from the 2022 Australian Council for Educational Research Conference, prompted our strategic design of an inferential reading focus across all faculties. The NAPLAN Reading test is designed with a knowledge gap between the question and answer, encouraging the student to connect prior knowledge with a strategic approach to reading text, in order to formulate an answer.
To prepare students for comprehension assessments such as NAPLAN, we have been examining the reading expectations for Stage 4 and 5 students across all subjects, and utilising current research to identify the cognitive and environmental elements that inform and strengthen the acquisition of higher-order reading skills. Staff will continue to curate a repertoire of cognitive, metacognitive and motivational strategies that seek to support our students to ultimately achieve self-regulated learning and high achievement in the reading domain. Thank you to Ms Helen Barrie and Ms Mary Ryan for facilitating this terrific session.
Deep Learning sessions were facilitated by lead AIS educational consultant Jorga Marrum with Religious Education and PDHPE design teams. To date, Jorga has worked with Stage 3 teachers and senior staff in Science, English, Visual Arts and Drama to deepen units of work. Deep learning is the process of students acquiring the six Global Competencies: Character, Citizenship, Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Critical Thinking. These skills and attributes are essential for learners to flourish as citizens, and to engage and innovate successfully in our increasingly complex and connected world.
Deep Learning moves students beyond surface knowledge by creating learning experiences where students go deeper in knowledge, standards and assessment. Students are actively involved in the learning process as co-designers and co-learners. Deepening units of work enlivens our Teaching & Learning Framework. We look forward to continuing our work with Deep Learning and expanding this across all subject and year levels.
After the success of our whole-school approach to improving boys’ Literacy through Writers’ Toolbox in 2022, we are pleased to expand this program in 2023. Mr Rob Tall, Writer’s Toolbox consultant and Ms Mary Ryan, Head of Literacy, will continue to facilitate staff and student sessions across faculties and year levels this year. This comprehensive writing program, developed by Dr Ian Hunter, is designed to improve syntax, punctuation and paragraphing.
A range of tangible strategies have been shared with staff to improve writing efficacy, and the interactive software component of the program has been well received by our students. We look forward to strengthening this program with expansion and precision in 2023.
Of utmost importance is responding to and planning for the NSW curriculum reforms across each subject area. NESA has a staggered approach to implementation across a seven year time period (2021-2028) with a varied start and end point for respective subjects. This timeline includes syllabus consultation > syllabus release > syllabus planning and preparation > syllabus taught in schools > syllabus examined in HSC.
I commend our staff who are working assiduously to ensure that our curriculum programs accurately reflect these reforms, while continuing to embed high-impact teaching strategies, differentiated learning tasks, student adjustments and rich formative and summative assessments.
Below is an example of the K-12 Mathematics timeline.
Click here for further details
I would like to thank all staff for their active engagement with our sessions, and their collaborative programming across the three days. I look forward to regularly communicating the Professional Learning of our staff, as well as the ongoing developments and achievements in our key strategic priority areas. Next week, my article will explore the importance of High Expectations and outline our updated Lesson Routine for Years 7-10.
From Monday 30 January 2023, a TEMPORARY, adjusted timetable will be introduced to Sydney’s Eastern and South Eastern Bus Network (Region 9).
Several bus operators across Greater Sydney are making temporary service adjustments to help manage unprecedented driver shortages across the industry. The new timetable aims to be more reliable and to better reflect current customer travel patterns, most notably an increase in off-peak journeys.
As a consequence of the altered timetable of regular route services, some dedicated school route services will be affected by minor timing adjustments.
We also urge parents, carers and students to check transportnsw.info for the latest information on regular route services.
Should you wish to discuss any queries or issues you may have with these changes, please email schools@transdevjohnholland.
Transdev John Holland Buses (NSW) Pty Ltd
schools@transdevjohnholland.
02 7257 2400
Welcome to the December 2022 edition of Wavelength magazine, our alumni publication that creates an important connection between Waverley College and our wider community of Old Boys, families and friends.
Enjoy feature articles about Cadets, our special Walawaani program, our Ecology group, an insightful interview with Professor Ian Hickie AM (Class of 1976), our regular spotlights on co-curricular sport and culture, Old Boy reunions and so much more!
Click here to read Wavelength Issue 29 December 2022
Thomas Walker and Keyaan Abrahams (Year 11) were successful in their recent applications to undertake work experience with Fire and Rescue NSW.
They have spent this past week working productively at FRNSW Emergency Services Academy. They absolutely loved every minute of it.
Congratulations, Thomas and Keyaan for being such impressive ambassadors for our College.
Ms Kath Knowles
Senior Studies & Careers Coodinator
kknowles@waverley.nsw.edu.au
What a year 2022 has been! It is hard to believe school has now finished and we are about to enter the Christmas break. I would like to thank Mr Stephen Ghattas for the beautiful celebration of graduation held at Mary Immaculate Church last Friday, for our Year 6 students. It was a wonderful celebration and we wish our Year 6 cohort all the best as they enter into their next learning journey – high school.
This week, we said our goodbyes to three staff members in our community – Ms Tanya Buttling (2 years), Ms Jenny Hoare (12 years) and Ms Audrey Coupe (37 years). There were plenty of tears and celebrations this week, and we wish them all the very best in whatever journey lies ahead for them.
I want to thank all parents and carers for your support through such an amazing year. The College and our students operate at their best when there is a strong connection between the College and the community. I am so proud of our students and their growth this year, and I can’t wait to see what next year brings.
Have a fantastic Christmas break, stay safe, enjoy the sun, and take care of one another. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Ms Gaby Bransby
(Acting) Director of the Junior School
gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
What a delight it was to take the Year 6 students to Raging Waters and share in their end of year celebration. We were blessed with a beautiful sunny day, and the boys were full of excitement as they boarded the buses.
Plenty of fun was had by all, as they raced around the park venturing down the many different waterslides, lazed around in the Dinosaur Lagoon, or swam in the beach wave pool.
Their behaviour throughout the day was exceptional, and I am sure they will hold onto some very special memories.
Mr Stephen Ghattas
Year 6 Indigo Classroom Teacher
(Acting) Assistant Director of Junior School/Student Formation
sghattas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
A massive congratulations to all students who received a Summer Co-Curricular award at the assembly at the beginning of the week. An uninterrupted Term 4 of sport truly made up for all the cancellations in Term 1.
It was a fantastic term of sport, and I commend all students for their dedication and participation in their chosen sport and selected team.
Summer Sport Award Winners – Water Polo
Summer Sport Award Winners – Years 5 and 6 Cricket
Summer Sport Award Winners – Touch Football
After the State Cup Oztag Tournament in Coffs Harbour early this year, based on skill and performance, Marcus Strbac was very lucky to be selected to represent the Under 12s Southern City Seahawks team. This representative team was made up of players from Cronulla, Sutherland, East Hills, Easts and Souths.
The one-day tournament was played in Shellharbour. The Under 12s boys played four games, all of which they won, and went into the Grand Final Undefeated. With teamwork, determination and amazing talent, the boys won the Grand Final 3-2, taking home the gold medal.
Marcus had an amazing experience, along with meeting a whole new bunch of friends! We congratulate him for his achievements.
Marcus Strbac – Southern City Seahawks
Hugo Bindner and Charles Carrano made the qualifying times to compete at the NSW Junior Metropolitan Swim Championships at Homebush.
Hugo had two top-10 finishes, and we’re very proud of the achievements of both students.
Charles Carrano and Hugo Bindner – NSW Junior Metropolitan Swim Championships Trials
Hugo Bindner – NSW Junior Metropolitan Swim Championships Trials
Mr Jack Wachtel
Assistant Director of Co-curricular (Year 5-8)
jwachtel@waverley.nsw.edu.au
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.
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