A big welcome back to all our Waverley College families. I hope the break gave you a chance to slow down and spend quality time with your family. We are back in full swing and excited for the Term ahead.
Just a reminder that students no longer require a blazer in Term 4, except for special events. I have noticed some haircuts that do not align with the College Haircut policy, which can be found on page 25 of the school diary. If your son has been asked to have his hair rectified, please have this done by Monday Week 2.
Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 4 events, please refer to the College calendar.
Congratulations to all the students who participated in ICAS Assessments. A special congratulations to the following students who received a credit or above in Writing.
Ms Gaby Bransby
Director of Junior School
gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Round 7 Sport (Saturday, 14 October 2023)
I hope all families have enjoyed a nice and lengthy break from sport since Term 3. It is great to be back enjoying summer co-curricular as the weather begins to warm up and daylight saving has begun.
Please click the button below to view the sports fixture for Round 7 this Saturday, 14 October. All adjustments to times and venues have been noted in red, please take note carefully.
Click here to view the Junior School Sports Fixtures and Season Draw
Best of luck to all teams this weekend returning to summer sport.
We are excited to announce Junior School students will have access this Term to Friday morning cricket batting sessions with external coaching in the Senior School College nets between 7am-8:15am.
The sessions will be run by 1st Grade cricketer and Waverley Old Boy, Mac Jenkins and his experienced coaches. The sessions will provide students with the opportunity to improve their batting through skills and drills.
Batting Club is a service currently offered to Senior School students Monday-Thursday, with the invitation now being extended to Junior School cricketers wanting to improve their batting.
Please express your interest by clicking the button below. Spaces are limited, so please get in early.
Click here to complete the Batting Club sign up form
Cricket Nets
On the back of a successful NBA Basketball Hoops Invitational for our Waverley team in Term 3, there were three students selected as part of the NBA schools representative holiday camp. This brought all the strongest and highest performing players together from the invitational tournament.
Hunter Bligh, Cruz Peralta and Remy Garvey were selected to attend the NBA camp. They again performed at an extremely high standard and we’re proud of their involvement.
Congratulations to Hunter, who received the most coachable player award at the camp.
NBA Basketball Hoops Invitational, NBA Camp
Mr Jack Wachtel
Assistant Director of Co-curricular Years 5-8
jwachtel@waverley.nsw.edu.au
We offer all students in Year 5 and Year 6 the opportunity to receive free additional support after school for the completion of 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 3pm – 4pm – Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays – during school term unless there is a scheduled Professional Development meeting and the club will be closed.
Click here to register your son
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.
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 cause a disturbance for others.
If you require any further information, feel free to contact us.
An important note to remember, 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.
Try to avoid messaging your son during this period, unless it is urgent.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Literacy & Innovation Teacher
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
This Term Running Club will continue to operate on Mondays at lunchtime.
There will be two options for boys to choose:
Boys will be presented with a series of running challenges with the aim of improving their cardiovascular endurance in preparation for the 2024 Winter Sport Season.
Please note:
Should you have any questions about Running Club this Term, please do not hesitate to email Mr McKimm emckimm@waverley.nsw.edu.au
This Term we are pleased to announce that Wednesday Cricket sessions will continue at lunchtimes.
Mr McKimm will facilitate these sessions.
Should you wish to participate, families must register their son by clicking the button below.
Click here to register your son
Sessions are limited to 20 students and anybody wishing to bat, should bring their own kit.
These sessions are a great opportunity for students who already play cricket, to have an extra training session in their week.
Mr Elliott McKimm
Running and Cricket Club
emckimm@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Welcome back to Term 4, it has been wonderful seeing the students return with energy and enthusiasm.
I want to thank the community for their support in regards to our updated ICT policy. The students have been respectful in understanding and responding to the ban on mobile phones. We know for some students this has caused some angst, and we are here to work with them as we move through this change. I have included our updated ICT policy to clarify any questions or concerns you might still have.
Click here to view the Responsible Use of Technology Policy
Our new Year 12 study lounge opened to our students this week as they complete their HSC. At the commencement of Week 4, we very much look forward to welcoming our new Year 12 cohort into the space.
This area is especially assigned for Year 12 to engage in private study and collaborate with their peers.
During recess and lunch it will be a time for study as well as social engagement. During home study periods, as well as before and after school, we encourage students to use the time to study in this space.
This is a reminder that the pool is open throughout Term 4 for any students who would like to swim at lunchtime.
It has been brought to our attention that there is a circulation of graphic content on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, including hostage videos associated with groups like Hamas. It is concerning how easily this content makes its way onto the screens of our children.
We would like to emphasise that what our children see on the Internet cannot be unseen, and exposure to such disturbing content can have lasting effects on their emotional and psychological wellbeing.
To address this issue, we strongly urge you to take proactive measures to monitor and guide your child’s social media use in the coming days and beyond.
If you need any support or guidance please reach out to our College Psychologists. Their contact details are at the bottom of this page.
TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms among young people around the world. You’ve probably heard of its fun choreographed videos and many viral trends, but do you know how to enable the platform’s parental controls and what its age recommendation is? Find out inside our Online Safety Hub by clicking the button below.
Click here to view our Online Safety Hub
It has been fantastic to see most students have returned adhering to the rules and expectations in regards to uniform and appearance. Throughout next week we will be focusing on ensuring the students are adhering to these rules and expectations. This includes appropriate hairstyles and correct school shoes. If your son is not currently placed within these guidelines please ensure this is rectified over the weekend.
Students who fail to meet the above standards, may be subject to a range of disciplinary consequences, including but not limited to being removed from class or being sent home, to return to the College once the breach has been addressed.
Standard black leather lace-up shoes are the only acceptable footwear except during sport. No suede or branded shoes ie: Nike, New Balance or ASIC etc. Shoes must be of a leather type that can be polished to a shine. Shoes with coloured stitching or other embellishments such as buckles are not acceptable. Boots of any type are not permissible.
Ms Gabby Smith
Deputy Principal – Student Wellbeing
gsmith@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Welcome back to the last Term of 2023. The start of a new Term often brings a change in routine from holidays, which may have been filled with nice, long sleep ins and days spent at the beach. It can take a little while for us to readjust to coming back to school, given that school is quite structured in comparison.
School requires us to arrive on time, listen and concentrate in class, participate in co-curricular activities, and soon enough begin assessment tasks. This sudden shift can create quite a shock for our brains which tend to like keeping things the same. If you notice it takes a few weeks to get back into the groove of school, this is very normal (and can even be expected). Something that we can do early in the Term to help our brains with the school structure is to create a routine to gently build consistency back into our days.
When our daily activities are predictable and familiar, we may feel more confident, secure, and in control of our environments. One small but significant routine to take a closer look at are our morning and night routines. The more emphasis we place on our sleep and wake routines, the more likely our brains and bodies will get quality rest which may increase our mood, motivation, and overall wellbeing.
You might like to create a small check list of things to do before bed (e.g., switch off technology at a certain time, have a warm shower, pack your school bag, lay out your uniform, read a chapter of a book), and things to do when you wake up (e.g., take the dog for a walk, make a nutritionally dense meal, wash your face, leave for school at a certain time). The more consistent we are with routines, the more likely the routine will stick. Start small and don’t over complicate it. Soon enough, it will become a habit and something that comes a little easier to us. Our brains will know what to expect and may make the transition back to school a little easier.
Psychology Services are available for students at Waverley College to help with creating routines as well as to receive support in all areas of life (stress, low mood, difficulties at home, etc.). Feel free to reach out to the Wellbeing Team or your Head of House for further information.
Junior School Psychologists
Senior School Psychologists
Image: courtesy The Woolcock Institute of Medical Research
“Teachers work together – propelled and critically challenged by expert input, to learn, shape and strengthen teaching practice for ongoing student progress and achievement.” – The High Impact Professional Learning Model.
Click here to view information about The High Impact Professional Learning Model
At the end of Term 3 and the start of Term 4, we continued our provision of quality professional learning during the staff professional learning days. Waverley College certainly recognises the value of expert teachers working together for the benefit of our students.
We dedicated some time during the Professional Learning days for teams to collaborate in faculties to continue the work we are doing to prepare for curriculum reform – particularly with new syllabuses in English, Mathematics, Geography, Languages and Technologies – and the strategic priority areas of Deep Learning, Writer’s Toolbox, Data Analytics, Literacy and Formative Task Design.
Below is a snapshot of some of the other ways our staff shared their expertise with colleagues during these sessions.
Ms Marie-Anne Maakrun delivered a workshop on what drives our motivation, and shared her expertise and current research on Motivation 3.0 in 21st Century workplaces on the importance of autonomy, mastery and purpose as key drivers.
Specifically, she defined autonomy as having control over what we do and how we do it, mastery as the desire to improve, and purpose as understanding the ‘why’ as much as the ‘how’. Teachers reflected on what gives them energy and joy in their work and considered this in terms of how to motivate the students in their care.
“ySafe’s holistic and engaging cyber safety programs and services equip school communities to thrive in the online world.” – ySafe.
Click here to view more information about ySafe
As a part of the College’s proactive stance in working with our community to navigate the benefits and challenges of the digital world, all staff participated in a session with one of our expert partners, ySafe. The session served to upskill our teachers regarding the range of social media platforms that our students may be using, and the risks associated with them.
We explored an overview of the current digital landscape and developed some strategies for encouraging students to think critically about online information that they access. It was really validating to know that the work we are currently doing, such as the Year 7 program we have developed to teach students how to use Artificial Software with integrity (outlined by Mr William Roberts in the Nurrunga article below), is an example of how we can proactively work with students in the digital world.
Click here to view the Nurrunga article by Mr Roberts
We need to ensure that our school remains a safe place for our students both on campus and during excursions. To this end, a team of staff delivered a series of rotational First Aid sessions to ensure that all are up-to-date with First Aid Training. It was really helpful for colleagues to share their expertise with their peers and to have this delivered in such a professional and practical way.
Ms Lynsey Porter
(Acting) Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning
lporter@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Congratulations to all students who took part in the English and Science ICAS assessments last Term. There were a total of 22 students who sat the English test and 27 who sat the Science test across Year 7 to Year 10.
The following students achieved a Merit, meaning they achieved within the top 50% of all students across Australia sitting the test in their year group:
The following students achieved a Credit, meaning they achieved within the top 35% of all students across Australia sitting the test in their year group:
Special mentions to Cillian Donnelly (Year 10) and Liam Murray (Year 7).
Cillian achieved a Distinction in the Year 10 ICAS Science assessment meaning that he was within the top 10% of students in Australia sitting this test in Year 10.
Liam achieved a High Distinction in the Year 7 ICAS Science assessment. This means that Liam was in the top 1% of all students in Australia who sat this test in Year 7.
Congratulations, Cillian and Liam!
The following students achieved a Merit in English:
Students who received a Credit in English included:
Parents/carers can log in to the ICAS portal to access their child’s results using their individual TAP-ID and PIN which has been sent to them by ICAS and can be found on the ICAS certificate.
The portal breaks the test down further into different sections which will give an interesting insight into different areas of strength and weakness.
Click the button below for more information.
Click here for more information
Well done to all students who took part, we look forward to you all testing your Scientific and English skills even further next year!
Ms Emily Pace and Ms Andrea Fernandez
Assistant Head of Science and Head of English
epace@waverley.nsw.edu.au
afernandez@waverley.nsw.edu.au
4th Payment – only applies to Year 6 students continuing into Year 7 in 2024; due date 18/10/2023.
As per the updated conditions of enrolment and as indicated on the College website, for all Year 5 and Year 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. Families with students commencing in Year 5 and Year 7 in 2024 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 the prompt payment date attract a $25.00 discount.
Any payment received after the due date will attract an administrative fee.
Please be advised that some financial institutions need more than 48 hours to process their payments.
Please see the last page of your account for payment methods and contact details.
You are reminded that if you wish to withdraw your son from Waverley College, you are required to give one full 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, you must pay one Term’s tuition fees.
The relevant dates for Term 4 2023 and 2024 are below:
We are currently running vital academic integrity lessons with all Year 7 students in an integrated Literacy, Mathematics and Library unit of work. The aim is to equip students with the skills and learnings they need to be confident learners and to demonstrate that completing your own work is as important as ever in light of the explosion of AI writing tools.
As AI evolves and is now an ever-increasing part of our community, we are working with students to help them manage this rapidly shifting learning landscape.
Leveraging strategies and tools that have always been a part of learning—chiefly referencing and acknowledging sources—has come to the fore, and we are teaching students these skills and more.
In the lessons, the students learn how to reference; how to use AI software effectively and with integrity; and how to shape AI prompts.
A useful tool to assist students when creating effective prompts—what we type into AI tools to generate text and responses—is outlined below.
TAP and TASTE for effective prompt engineering.
Students in Mathematics class 703 at work in the library
For more tips on how students, your sons, and you can navigate the use of AI, click the button below to see the factsheet from the Open Universities Australia. It provides helpful ChatGPT dos and don’ts.
Click here to view the fact sheet from Open Universities Australia
Mr Bill Roberts
Head of Library Services and Years 9 and 10 Applied Philosophy Teacher
wroberts@waverley.nsw.edu.au
As per the College calendar, we will be holding our Year 12 (2024) Parent and Student Information evening on Tuesday, 17 October 2023.
The evening’s presentation will provide you with an overview of your son’s HSC year alongside important course information, expectations, policies and procedures.
The presentation will be held in the Lacey Gymnasium between 6pm – 7pm.
Student attendance is compulsory and we ask that full school uniform be worn on the night.
The HSC Assessment Information Booklet that we will go through in the session was emailed earlier this week to all parents and carers. It is also available on the College Website in the Curriculum Section. Please click the button below to view this information.
Click here to view the HSC Assessment Information Booklet
Rest assured that we are all here to support your son on his HSC journey, so please contact the Curriculum Team, Heads of Department or Heads of House if you have any questions or concerns.
St Vincent’s College in Potts Point would like to invite up to eight students from Waverley College from Years 10 and 11 to join them for a ‘Table Talk’ on Friday, 20 October 2023 in the St Vincent’s College Hall, 4pm-7pm.
Students in Years 10 and 11 are invited to come along to an evening of conversation, information and sharing.
The evening will be conducted by representatives from the Jesuit Refugee Service, with presentations from people of refugee background, those currently seeking asylum, and an expert on refugee issues and Australian immigration legislation.
This is an opportunity for students to share their values (through stories) as well as their observations. They will be encouraged to ask questions and share their ideas in managed group discussion.
Afternoon tea will be provided with a pizza dinner to follow. There is no cost for the evening.
Please email Ms Sue Walsh swalsh@waverley.nsw.edu.au if you are interested in attending. Places are limited and applications close Monday, 16 October 2023.
My goodness, I cannot believe that we have already reached Term 4 and the HSC exams! First, I would like to wish all our Year 12s the best of luck. It has been wonderful to see boys preparing and studying hard for their exams.
As such, all textbooks need to be returned by Friday, 10 November 2023 at the latest, since we start issuing those books to the 2024 cohort right upon return.
Ideally, students are required to drop off their textbooks to Book Hire where textbooks will be checked and returned / removed from their loan record, with the opening hours below:
Monday 8am-4pm
Tuesday Return via the College Library
Wednesday 8am-4pm
Thursday 8am-4pm
Friday 8am-4pm.
However, there will also be marked crates with signage Textbook Returns:
Any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact me via email bookhire@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Thank you in advance for all your help!
Term 4 is a short term in the Cadet Calendar – just six Fridays for the Recruits! Dress Code for recruits will be 4B Summer Field Dress which means the DPCU shirt with shirt sleeves down, DPCU trousers bloused and the field hat. In warmer weather, recruits chose not to wear an undershirt but the DPCU shirt must always be worn. Under no circumstances should the undershirt be worn alone.
As of next week, we have a number of exciting external activities including Archery, Laser Tag, Snake Man and Swim Testing. Please keep an eye on the Waverley App and the Routine Orders from week to week to know what to bring.
Tomorrow, Saturday 14 October, our CAS Milskills Team will compete against Barker, Knox, St Aloysius’ and Trinity for the coveted Military Skills Trophy. Our team has been diligently training for weeks to bring their skills up to speed, and we are very proud of their dedication and teamwork.
A big thank you to WO2 Lachlan Isaac and SGT Rohan Baker for their initiative and leadership. We wish the Team all the best for the competition.
| BAKER | Rohan |
| BALLESTY | Harry |
| COFFEY | Alexandra |
| COMINO | Daniela |
| DIMOPOULOS | Anna |
| GRANT | James |
| HA | Natalie |
| HOTT | Yannick |
| HOY | Lachlan |
| ISAAC | Lachlan |
| ROVACCHI | Renato |
| SALEM | Amelie |
| STAPLETON | Fox |
| VANDERKEMP | Jamie |
| WEBB | Benjamin |
| BRACIC | Oliver |
| FERNANDES | Toby |
| LYNN | Taj |
| SIMCOCKS | Lucas |
| CONGDON | Ruby |
| KIMPTON | Georgina |
| MCCARTHY | Campbell |
| RIZOS-PARKER | Eve-Jasmine |
| TRUSTRUM | Jasmine |
Click here to view the fixtures, training schedules and maps
Welcome back to Term 4 and the start of our new Summer season for 2023-24. All activities commenced this week and we have a number of trials and fixtures this weekend.
A huge thank you to all of the staff and coaches who conducted fixtures and training over the holiday period. We also had some students and Old Boys who represented the College at the highest levels.
Well done to the following students and Old Boys:
Congratulations to the following students on some impressive results at the NSW All Schools Athletics.
Friday, 6 October 2023
Boys 13 years High Jump Final
Boys 13 years 90m Hurdles Prelims and Final
Heat 1
Final
Boys 13 years Discus Final
Boys 13 years 400m Prelims
Heat 3 of 3
Boys 15 years High Jump Final
Boys 15 years 400m Prelims
Heat 3 of 4
Boys 13 years Shot Put Final
Saturday, 7 October 2023
Boys 13 years 400m Final
Boys 15 years 400m final
Boys 13 years 100m Prelims and Final
Heat 1 of 4
Heat 2 of 4
Heat
Final
Boys 15 years 100m Prelims and Final
Heat 2 of 5
Final
Boys 15 years Long Jump Final
Boys 15 years 800m Prelims
Heat 2 of 3
Boys 13 years Long Jump Final
Boys 13 years Javelin Final
Sunday, 8 October 2023
Boys 13 years 200m Prelims and Final
Heat 3 of 3
Final
Boys 14 years 200m Prelims and Final
Heat 4 of 5
Final
Boys 15 years 200m Prelims
Heat 2 of 3
Saturday, 23 September 2023
Boys 11 years Long Jump Final
Boys 19 years 110m Hurdles
Boys 17 years Long Jump Final
Boys 11 years 200m Prelims
Heat 1 of 3
Boys 16 years 1,500m Finals
Boys 11 years 200m Final
Sunday, 24 September 2023
Boys 16 years 100m Prelims and Final
Heat 4 of 5
Final
Boys 19 years 100m Prelims and Final
Heat 2 of 2
Final
Boys 16 years 800m Prelims
Heat 2 of 3
Boys 11 years 100m Prelims and Final
Heat 2 of 3
Final
Monday, 25 September 2023
Boys 16 years 200m Prelims and Finals
Heat 1 of 4
Final
Boys 16 years 800m Final
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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