Visual Arts Club will be offered at Waverley as a Summer activity for students from Years 5-12. It will commence Term 4, Week 2, 2024.
Visual Arts Club provides an opportunity for students to build skills in critical and creative thinking. This summer, students will be introduced to: Wheel throwing and marbled slabs
Each student will be introduced to the fundamental skills required for wheel throwing: Throwing, trimming and glazing. Learning to centre clay, trimming bases to add a foot and layering brush on glazes will be explored throughout the course. Students will use a midfire clay and have access to as much clay as needed for them to understand the throwing process and create 2-3 final works reflective of their skills.
Each Ceramicist will also experiment with marbling black and white clay to create tonal value and pattern in a series of slab works. These pieces will be constructed using the slab roller and slump moulds to form usable shapes and vessels.
In Visual Arts Club students will:
Cost: $130.00
Materials: all materials will be supplied
Session times: select ONE from the following:
Natalie Oates – Head of Visual Arts
noates@waverley.nsw.edu.au
NSW Health are offering Waverley College an additional vaccination clinic on Wednesday, October 30 to provide catch-up doses for students who missed their vaccinations at previous clinics. Vaccinations available include:
Year 7: Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (dTpa) & Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines.
Year 10: Meningococcal ACWY vaccine.
It is essential parents complete the online consent via the link: https://engage.health.nsw.gov.au/engage
Parents can check their child’s vaccination status through myGov and Medicare
Any questions please feel free to contact the Waverley College Nursing Staff on (02) 9369 0644 or healthcentre@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The 2024 CAS Track and Field Championships have been run and are done. A huge thank you to Mr Jeremy Roff and Ms Rebecca Gair for their efforts in leading our Athletics squad. A big thank you to all of the staff and coaches, as well as the staff that attended the big event on Thursday this week.
Our students in Years 7 and 12 as well as the 2025 College leaders who made the effort to come out and support were also extraordinary and had a wonderful evening.
Some of the highlights of the evening included Wol Albino breaking CAS records in the 100m and 200m, Evan Rowbowtham smashing CAS records in the 800m and 1500m and then backing up to win his 400m race as well as our squad captain Ricky Zanapalis winning the Opens 100m race. Our middle distance performances were extraordinary and we were also very successful in a number of field events. Our Track and Field squad have their presentation evening next Monday in the PAC starting at 6pm. Overall, Waverley finished 3rd and just 3.5 points off Knox Grammar in 2nd.
Well done to Trinity Grammar School who were deserved winners. Our journey towards 2025 Track and field glory starts in term 4 and we encourage all members of the squad to keep working as well as invite any students that also want to take part to being their training as well. Based on groupings last evening, Waverley finished second in the Juniors, second in the Intermediate and 4th in the Opens age group.
Final overall placings:
Trinity 1st – 698.50
Knox 2nd – 636
Waverley 3rd – 632.50
Barker 4th – 562.50
Cranbrook 5th – 516
St Aloysius 6th – 466.50
Just a reminder that a number of students in Years 7-11 also have summer sport trials this Saturday and our full training program and all activities commence at the start of Term 4 on Tuesday October 15.
Finally I want to wish all of our Year 12 students and families well for the final stages of their school journey.
Dear Parents and Carers.
At the end of the 2024 school year, the student laptops currently held in Year 9 will be at the end of lease. As per the iLearn agreement families now have the choice of the following two options:
Option 1 – RETURN the unit. No payment will be required. Devices should be returned damage-free with no graffiti or stickers. Insurance forms will be issued for damaged units, and students will be asked to clean units if they have graffiti or stickers. The Charger must also be returned with the unit.
Option 2 – Nominate and Pay the residual amount on the unit and take ownership of the device. The agreed residual amount is $525. Payment & nomination must be made by 3:00 pm Friday 18 October. (This option can only be selected if all school fees are up to date)
New Macbooks will be issued to students for the 2025 school year in the week commencing Monday 4th November 2024. Contracts and further details will be issued under a separate email for digital signing.
Please note the following important information regarding the CURRENT device.
– Only families that have no arrears owing on their school fees will be allowed to purchase the device.
– Once purchased and released, units can no longer be used at Waverley.
Payment and Nomination Process
Please complete an online Nomination form by clicking the following link. This must be done by 3pm Friday, October 18:
Payment for the laptop is $525 and can be made via TryBookings only (50c booking fee applies)
Use this link, select “Book Now” top right, enter your details and submit payment.
In the meantime, if you have any questions relating to the end-of-lease process for students in Year 12, please feel free to contact us.
Last Friday was the final Unit Training for Term 3. We thank our recruits for an excellent start to their Cadet journey and for their enthusiasm for Bivouac, which gave them some context to their training between now and AFX in 2025.
Cadets starts back in Term 4 on Friday 18th October with some exciting activities planned, including archery. Dress for recruits will be Summer Field 4B – DPCU shirt sleeves down, DPCU trousers bloused, field hat (essential), undershirt (optional in warmer weather). Please keep an eye out for the Routine Orders from week to week to know what is happening in your son’s Company.
We wish our CAS Milskills Team all the best for their final preparations as they compete against cadets from Barker, Knox, St Aloysius and Trinity on Saturday 19th October. Thank you to CUO Lachlan Hoy for leading the team.
Those who were invited to attend the AAC Live Fire on Saturday, 12 October need to return their permission slip by Friday, 27 September. Allocations to this exciting activity will be on a first come first served basis.
The upcoming holidays present an excellent opportunity for students to pick up a book and read. Reading is essential for boys’ literacy, as it helps shape their empathy and understanding of the world around them. In fact, the Year 7 Reading Program that we run at Waverley College provides opportunities for students to learn about the Global Competency of Character, specifically building an understanding of how a student can learn skills of empathy and compassion through the act of reading.
Our Literacy Coordinator is currently engaged in professional learning with the International Boys’ Schools Coalition: Professional Conversations About Boys and Reading. Working with a professional team from schools all across the network, these sessions delve into the burning questions about reading and boys’ literacy. From this professional learning, we are continuing to build our initiatives to engage our community as active readers.
Some of these include an introduction of verse novels into our Stage 4 reading program and the exciting launch of our inaugural student and parent/carer book club which is outlined below. We will continue to offer boys choice in reading materials, structured small reading circle activities, and book choices targeted at boys’ current reading levels leveraging data from NAPLAN and Allwell testing. You can learn more about some of these initiatives and access some recommended reading lists below in our update from our Literacy Coordinator.
These initiatives foreground the importance of students having a book in their bag ready to read. In a 2021 Meta-Analysis: Comparison of Children’s Reading on Paper Versus Screen by Furenes, Kucirkova and Bus, the research found that students reading a book versus a screen attained higher comprehension scores on the material. Furthermore, you can read a really powerful extract from His Holiness Pope Francis below, particularly his message around how, ‘We desperately need to counterbalance this inevitable temptation to a frenetic and uncritical lifestyle by stepping back, slowing down, taking time to look and listen. This can happen when a person simply stops to read a book.’
We encourage all students to take advantage of the holidays to establish or maintain habits to read for pleasure. To simply stop and read a book. Reading is a lifelong skill that will benefit our students in all aspects of their lives.
Striving for Impact
In our continual search to make our reading program as engaging for your sons as possible, we network with our fellow EREA schools as well. In this process we have gained insights from other EREA schools during our shared Professional Learning day earlier this term and benchmarked our programs against best practice. We were particularly interested in what Dr Blowes – Principal at Christian Brothers Lewisham – had to say about recent research he had engaged with on the ways a print book can increase comprehension six fold. We also shared our work on inferential reading in Years 7 and 9.
Year 9 Student Receives Premier’s Reading Medal
We congratulate Rory Muldowney for completing the Premier’s Reading Challenge to reach the level of medal recipient. This is a great achievement to celebrate. Rory has read every year from Year 3 to Year 9 successfully completing the challenge for each year therein.
Pope Francis on Reading
For inspiration on the role that reading can play in our lives there is much to ponder here:
Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis on the role of literature in Formation
Here is a sample to inspire us to read more.
Announcing the Waverley College Book Club for Parents, Carers, Students, Staff
We are excited to announce the launch of the inaugural Waverley College Book Club at Waverley College Library, open to students, parents, carers, and staff alike!
Our first novel is the captivating Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. This heartwarming story, set in a small Tokyo café, explores themes of time travel, love, and second chances. It’s the perfect conversation starter for our first gathering!
The book club is not just about reading—it’s about building community through great stories, delicious food, and meaningful conversation. This insightful article published by ACU entitled ‘Why we need to stop telling boys they don’t like reading’ (Constantinou), provides some interesting insights into the challenges high school boys in particular face when it comes to perceptions around reading for pleasure.
Reading together helps strengthen our critical thinking, encourages empathy, and offers a wonderful escape from the everyday hustle. According to the International Boys’ School Coalition (IBSC), family time reading at home can encourage boys to develop as readers and develop a love for books. Perhaps there is no better way to celebrate this shared reading experience than to discuss the book together with other families and friends in a beautiful literary space at the College.
Whether you’re an avid reader or just looking to try something new, we welcome you to join us for this enriching experience. Food will be provided!
Stay tuned for more details on the date and time of our first meeting in Term 4 and come ready for lively discussion and connection.
Recommended Reading Lists
A reminder that the library has an extensive ebook and audiobook collection which is available anytime throughout the school holidays. All resources can be accessed via the Library CANVAS page. We also have a great range of novels for children and teens. Please see the recommended reading list for all year groups HERE.
Finally, the quick guide below provides useful strategies for parents/carers regarding motivating boys to pick up a book and read.
This week we celebrated some of the amazing achievements of individuals and teams over the 2024 winter co-curricular season. We also celebrated the outstanding contribution Mr Paul Cornish has given right across the College including his 20th season of coaching 1st XV. The full list of Years 5-12 award winners can be found HERE.
Next week is also the CAS Track and Field championships on Thursday, September 19. For those members of the Athletics team the week runs:
Monday – Training at QP
Tuesday – Training at QP followed by Carbo night in the PAC
Wednesday – Periods 5-6 team meeting in the PAC
Thursday – arrive for assembly at 8.40am, followed by the team photo and then departure for Homebush at 11am.
Tuesday, Sept 24 – Track and Field presentation evening
For all other students in Years 7 and 12 they will be in class as normal for Periods 1-4 and will then depart for Homebush at 1.15pm. Students will arrive back at 9pm and any students wishing to return to Maroubra or Hurstville must sign up in the wellbeing centre please. Students in Years 8-11 not in the Athletics squad will have classes as normal (Year 11 are on exams).
On Saturday, September 21 we also our full round of summer sports trials for Basketball, Cricket, Tennis, Touch Football and Water Polo. Please note that year groups are labelled by their 2025 cohorts (Year 7 are now Year 8 and Year 10 are now Opens).
Evan Rowbotham (Year 8) achieved an extraordinary result in the Australian Cross Country Championships in Tasmania in August/September, placing first in his category in the 4000m race out of over 150 top runners around Australia.
Evan also placed second overall in the U15 and U16 4km race however was ranked the first U15 athlete in a time of 14:30.
We also extend our congratulations to Koji Howard (Year 7) who placed 29th in the U14 3km race in a time of 12:17.
Koji far left
Koji far right
Tuesday, 10 September – Timor-Leste September Immersion – 2nd Formation Night, Library, 6pm – 8pm (friendly reminder for parents to please bring a plate to share)
Wednesday, 11 September – Fiji September Immersion – 2nd Formation Night, Library, 6pm – 8pm (friendly reminder for parents to please bring a plate to share)
Thursday, 12 September – HSC Drama Showcase – PAC Theatre, 5pm – 7pm
Tuesday, 17 September – Last Day of Classes for Year 12
Wednesday, 18 September – OBU Breakfast and Year 12 Reflection Day
Friday, 20 September – Year 12 Graduation Mass, 10am – 11:15am
Friday, 20 September – Year 12 Graduation Assembly, Centenary Quad, 1pm – 3pm
Friday, 20 September – Year 12 Valedictory Dinner, Doltone House, Darling Island Wharf, Pyrmont 6pm – 10pm dinner
Thursday, 26 September 2024 – Term 3 classes Conclude
Friday, 27 September – Fiji & Timor-Leste September Immersions Depart Sydney
Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 3 events, please refer to the College calendar.
Congratulations to all the students who participated in the 2024 ICAS Assessments.
A special congratulations to the following students who received a credit or above in Science.
Distinction
Credit
Distinction
Credit
Ms Gaby Bransby
Director of the Junior School
gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Today our Year 6 students were involved in their annual retreat day. The day began with the students attending the morning Mass at Mary Immaculate Church allowing them to reflect on their own lives and bring them closer to God. The rest of the day focused on themes of friendship, community and leadership. All activities were led by our Year 11 students including defining qualities that make good leaders, delving deeper into the history of our Houses and activities that asked students to step outside their comfort zone and step up to the challenge.
To conclude the day, they participated in some House team-building games, including Kick Tennis, allowing for some friendly competition and a whole lot of enjoyment.
Mr Steve Ghattas
Assistant Director of Junior School / Identity & Student Formation
sghattas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Toiling away on a Tuesday and Thursday afternoon whilst working up a sweat, our students at the Junior School have been thriving in our new Fitness Club. The boys have been participating in a variety of exercises across four separate groups on both days.
The boys are all relishing the opportunity to stay fit in the weeks after the Winter Sports Season, getting their heart rates going and enjoying quality time with their peers with some lovely spring weather.
Continually growing from strength to strength, with fitness goals both personal and shared, we are proud of the enormous efforts being put in by all the students and staff members involved.
Mr Alon Horry – Fitness Club Coach
During Week 9, we will be holding a Junior School Winter Co-curricular Awards Assembly (date & time to be confirmed). Here students who missed presentation nights will receive their trophies. We will also acknowledge other co-curricular activities that students have participated in, and announce Athletics Age Champions.
Kai Freeman and Teddy Walker, both from Year 6, were selected by Hoops Capital to represent their Sydney Kings and Flames Youth League teams in a special halftime activation during the pre-season game between the Sydney Kings and the NZ Breakers at the Quay Centre, Sydney Olympic Park. They had an incredible experience playing on the court in front of a packed crowd and enjoyed the unique opportunity to interact closely with the Sydney Kings players.
On Thursday, Uncle Dean led a Learning on Country workshop at the Junior School, for students and teachers to connect to Country through artefacts, story telling, knowledge sharing and cultural mentoring from a local Aboriginal elder, Uncle Dean. In Aboriginal culture, Country is not only the land, the waterways and the skies, but all living things. Connecting to and caring for Country fosters a sense of belonging by connecting us to where we are, the people, animals and plants around us.
During this workshop we got to pass around boomerangs, digging sticks, spears, clap sticks, didgeridoos, message sticks, possum skins and model canoes and hand-woven ropes made from stringy bark trees. All the boys enjoyed touching, hearing and looking at these cultural artefacts while listening to stories.
“NSW schools can ensure successful and sustainable learning outcomes for all students by working in partnership with their local Aboriginal community… Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures is a Learning across the curriculum priority.” (New South Wales Education Standards Authority)
We are grateful for the wisdom, knowledge sharing and storytelling that Uncle Dean has offered us, helping us engage with community and deepen our understanding of Aboriginal culture.
The FunRun ‘Big Show’ event is now less than 3 weeks away (Wednesday, 25 September) and we are so excited to have all students at Waverley Park to celebrate the fundraising with our Colour Run.
The Colour Run will be taking place between 10am and 12pm at Waverley Park. It will involve students running around the marked track through colour spraying sections and giant inflatables. There will be an awards ceremony and staff members will be slimed at the end of the event. Parents are warmly welcome to attend and we look forward to seeing you there. Once the event concludes, teachers will walk their class back to school for a sausage sizzle lunch catered for by the Junior School. Dismissal information will be sent out in next week’s Nurrunga.
Please help your sons prepare for the day by:
We are looking forward to celebrating our incredible efforts in fundraising for our four special charities:
Thank you for all your support thus far!
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 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 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.
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.
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, 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.
This week, we had the Year 5 Public Speaking Competition. All the boys put in an incredible amount of effort, with one stand-out student taking home the trophy!
Well done to all the finalists, and thank you to Ms Alice Curtis, Mr Jack Wachtel, and James Peate for adjudicating the finals.
Congratulations to our finalists Harry Maley, Spencer Murphy, Cooper Green, Jensen Honey, Tristan Francis and our Public Speaking Champion 2024 Toby Pounder.
In Year 6, our students are diving into the unit “Make Yourself Heard,” where they are encouraged to take a stand on issues that matter to them and communicate their thoughts effectively to a wider audience. Our focus this term has been on social justice issues, particularly those affecting marginalised communities, such as refugees and asylum seekers.
In 6 Orange, we have been deeply engaged with the graphic novel “Illegal”, written by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin and illustrated by Giovanni Rigano. This powerful story follows a young boy from Ghana named Ebo, who embarks on a perilous journey across the Sahara, through the dangerous streets of Tripoli, and across the sea in search of a safer, more hopeful life in Italy. Our students have been creating reflective journals that not only capture their emotional responses to Ebo’s journey but also explore the unique techniques used in graphic novels. Through this work, the boys are gaining a deeper understanding of empathy and are recognising just how fortunate we are to live where we do.
Here are some fantastic examples of the front covers of their journals!
Front Cover “Illegal”
Rufus Nicholson
Max Roberts
James Morgan
Mr Tom Olds – 6 Orange Teacher
Last week, our senior Spanish classes experienced an exciting and authentic cultural excursion to a local Mexican restaurant – Mami’s, providing students with a unique opportunity to practise their language skills in a real-world setting with Latin American staff and each other. Students were greeted with vibrant decor, lively music, and the irresistible aromas of freshly-prepared Mexican cuisine.
Throughout the afternoon, students tried a delicious array of traditional dishes, including quesadillas, tacos, nachos, and guacamole. Each student was encouraged to step out of their comfort zone and explore the variety of flavours that Mexican cuisine has to offer. For many, it was their first time tasting some of these authentic dishes, and they embraced the challenge with enthusiasm – some students even drank the birria broth!
Another of the highlights of the excursion was the language component—students were tasked with communicating ONLY in Spanish. From requesting water, cutlery and getting students to pass them food or sauces, they navigated the language barrier with creativity, patience, and a good dose of humour. While it was challenging at times, it was also a lot of fun! The students quickly discovered that practical, hands-on experiences like these are invaluable for building confidence and fluency.
This excursion not only allowed students to practise their Spanish in a real-world context but also immersed them in the rich food culture of Mexico. Safe to say, students left the restaurant a few kilos heavier and a lot happier. We are proud of our students for embracing the experience with open minds and eager palates, and we look forward to more opportunities of Spanish learning in the real world.
Mr Daniel Best
Head Teacher of LOTE
Dear Students, Parents and Carers,
Please find below the schedule for the Year 12 Tutorials in Term 3, Week 8. 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, 9 September 2024 | Studies of Religion I and II | 3:15pm – 5:15pm | Cooper/ Stewart | E40 |
|
Tuesday, 10 September 2024
|
Maths Standard 2 | 7:30am – 8:30am | Cornish | E33 |
| Mathematics Extension 2 | 7:50am – 8:45am | Hall | E32 | |
|
Wednesday, 11 September 2024
|
Industrial Tech Multimedia | 7:30am – 8:30am | Gibbs | W32A |
| PDHPE | 7:30am – 8:30am | Darvill | GHR | |
| Physics | 3:30pm – 4:30pm | Ayre | E13 | |
| Visual Arts | 3:15pm – 5pm | Turnbull | C13 | |
|
Thursday, 12 September 2024
|
Maths Standard 2 | 7:30am – 8:30am | Cornish | E33 |
| Spanish | 7:30am – 8:30am | Kroll | W24 | |
| SDD | 3:15pm – 4:15pm | Stead | T04 | |
| History | 3:15am – 4:15pm | G Stead | W21 | |
| Advanced Maths | 7:30am – 8:30am | Chandler | E15 | |
|
Friday, 13 September 2024
|
Hospitality | 7am – 8am | B McCarthy | TF1 |
| Biology | 7am – 8am | R Chen | K2L3 |
It is important that we know attendance numbers so teachers can prepare accordingly. To that end, the expectation is that students who register for the tutorial, attend.
Rolls will be taken to assist us to manage the program. The cut-off time to register for morning tutorials is 3pm the day prior.
Ms Brooke Pannia has emailed the registration sheet to students to register their attendance at the tutorials.
Ms Martina Cooper
Director of Curriculum
mcooper@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Dear Students, Parents and Carers,
In the lead up to the Preliminary exams, some tutorials have been added for Year 11 if they wish to attend.
Please find below the schedule for the Year 11 Tutorials in Term 3, Week 8.
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, 9 September 2024
|
Business Studies | 7:30am – 8:30am | Wallington | W25 |
| Legal Studies | 3:30pm – 4:15pm | Theo | W32 | |
| Physics | 3:30pm – 4:30pm | Ayre | E13 | |
| Mathematics Advanced | 7:30am – 8:30am | McMullan | E25 | |
|
Tuesday, 10 September 2024
|
Biology | 7:30am – 8:30am | Brown | K2L3 |
| Chemistry | 3:30pm – 5pm | Pace | E04 | |
| Studies of Religion I & II | 3:15pm – 5:15pm | Stewart/ Cooper | E40s | |
|
Wednesday, 11 September 2024
|
Maths Standard | 7:30am – 8:30am | Mountfort | E26 |
| Legal Studies | 3:30pm – 4:30pm | Theo | W32 | |
| Visual Arts | 3:30pm – 5.00pm | Oates | C11 | |
| Maths Standard (same content as morning) | 3:30pm – 4:30pm | Mountfort | E26 | |
|
Thursday, 12 September 2024
|
Engineering Studies | 7:30am – 8:30am | Baylie | Library |
| PDHPE | 7:30am – 8:30am | Coleman | GHR | |
| Design and Technology | 7:30am – 8:30am | Spargo | C01 |
It is important that we know attendance numbers so teachers can prepare accordingly. To that end, the expectation is that students who register for the tutorial, attend.
Rolls will be taken to assist us to manage the program.
The cut-off time to register for morning tutorials is 3pm the day prior.
Ms Brooke Pannia has emailed the registration sheet to students to register their attendance at the tutorials.
Ms Martina Cooper
Director of Curriculum
mcooper@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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