There is an air of excitement around the school as the Primary children prepare to go on their yearly excursions to Milson Island and Canberra.  Three days at Milson Island, engaging in outdoor activities, does wonders for the children.  There is also a great communal spirit as the children bunk together, eat together and engage in group activities.  These situations build and strengthen friendships in the children, develop their character, and help them work with, and care for, others.  They are also given the opportunity to engage in adventurous challenges within the context of a safe environment. Canberra is quite a different excursion where the children learn about our government and the value of a democracy.  When I have …

With the Infant’s Shakespeare Festival only just brought to a glorious conclusion the Primary is now starting to gain momentum, and the Bard’s words can again be heard reverberating throughout the school.  It’s amazing how the children get better from year to year.  They look as if they have reached the peak of what children their age can do, and then go on to excel themselves. Also, at the present time, there is  much practice around the school in the sporting area as the Infants prepare for their carnival, which is always such a delight, and so good for the children in terms of building fortitude, courage, sportsmanship and much more.  Mrs Dunn took our best sports children to …

Happy, but weary, the Infants cohort can now look back on yet another successful Shakespeare Festival, and of course for the Lower First it was the beginning of what we hope will be a seven-year courtship of Shakespeare. Parents are to be thanked for their usual indefatigable support of the event (there was an extra one this year due to the small size of the space), which includes providing and selling food and tickets, as well as making costumes, doing hair and makeup and being a wonderful, enthusiastic audience.  The latter is of course the most important aspect!Primary are full steam ahead with preparation for their Festival at Glen Street Theatre in November, and they have been inspired by …

The big event this coming week is the Infants Shakespeare Festival, which is the culmination of many hours of work by teachers, children and of course wonderfully helpful parents.Everyone is very excited, and the dress rehearsals put on for the Primary School, went very well.  The Primary children were delighted.The venue, despite early reservations, has proved to be excellent for an Infants performance, being contained and somewhat intimate, and the young voices were more easily heard.Teachers have voted to keep the Secret Service practice going for another while, as it has been so very successful, and they have noticed an increase of kindness amongst the children. …

The gods were definitely on our side on sports day and everyone was commenting on the benign weather which helped to make the day such a pleasant and successful one.Another aspect that contributed to the success of the event was the attitude of the children.  At Assembly on Monday the Headmaster asked the children about good sportsmanship and many of them spoke of courage, honouring each other’s performance, cheering each other’s houses and giving full support to those children who are not quite so sporty.  The event is an end in itself and can be enjoyed by all, winners, losers and spectators.  This is an ethos which will hold the children in good stead as they get older and …

Last Monday in Assembly the children were asked how the secret service was going.  They gave many observations of kindness and generosity to their fellow class mates, and others.  It’s very encouraging to see the children look after and care for each other.  We will continue this practice for another week or two because the children are enjoying it, and it obviously makes them happy. …