From the Principal
Welcome to Term 4. As we head into our final term for 2024, we reflect on what’s important to our HRS community.
Online news from Haileybury Rendall School
Welcome to Term 4. As we head into our final term for 2024, we reflect on what’s important to our HRS community.
Welcome to Term 4. As we head into our final term for 2024, we reflect on what’s important to our HRS community.
Our annual Wellbeing Week will occur in Week 6, which is also the first week of Term 1A for Middle and Senior School students beginning their transition up to the next year level. The dates are Monday, 11 November to Friday, 15 November which follows Semester 2 examination week for Middle and Senior School students.
But Wellbeing Week is for everyone!
In the ELC and Junior School, there will be a variety of wellbeing activities and presenters throughout the week.
In Middle School, there will be a variety of guest presenters and connection activities to support student wellbeing.
Senior School students will take part in the Love Bites Consent and Respectful Relationships full-day program.
The School will be asking for weekly donations from our community to make donations to Aunty's Kitchen - Palmerston soup kitchen, and Happy Boxes Project which donates personal hygiene packages to remote Indigenous communities with Year 9 students making food and creating packages to donate in Week 6.
Our rotational activities will be based on the six pillars of our Health and Wellbeing Framework and will include activities that support those pillars.
In other news, our students have been jet-setting across the globe with Year 6 students visiting our nation’s capital. You can read more about their time here.
Meanwhile, our Middle and Senior School students immersed themselves in a trip to China. You can read about it here.
Year 7-9 PAT Testing was this week, and our Year 12s classes conclude next week with the Year 12 Graduation Assembly and Valedictory Dinner in the following weeks, and let's not forget Tournament of the Minds in Week 4! A big term ahead of us indeed!
Andrew McGregor
Principal
Quiz Night
|
Friday, 18 October
|
Scholastic Book Fair
|
14 -25 October
|
Stars Awards Presentation Night
|
Wednesday, October 23
|
Year 12 classes conclude
|
Thursday, 24 October
|
Clontarf Awards Night
|
Thursday, 24 October
|
Year 12 Graduation Assembly
|
Friday, 25 October
|
VCE Examinations
|
29 October - 22 November
|
Tournament of the Minds Tour
|
31 October - 3 November
|
Junior School Art Show
|
6 - 8 November
|
Wellbeing Week
|
11 - 15 November
|
Year 12 Valedictory Dinner
|
Saturday, 23 November
|
We are pleased to announce that Haileybury Rendall School will again be holding Wellbeing Week this year. It will occur in Week 6, with Middle and Senior Students completing a range of activities and programs from Monday, 11 November to Wednesday, 13 November. Junior School and ELC students will have their program from Thursday, 14 November to Friday, 15 November.
Wellbeing Week seeks to enshrine the six pillars from our Health and Wellbeing Framework into thought-provoking, inspiring, and nurturing experiences for our students. We are proud of the impact that last year’s Wellbeing Week had for students and are looking forward to an even more successful experience this year.
Please keep an eye on myHRS for further information in the weeks ahead.
Wendy Pickering-Tyers
Deputy Principal - Wellbeing
Kate Haigh
Head of Student Wellbeing Programs
Quiz Night & Auction - Tickets on sale now!
The book fair is back in the library and will continue until Wednesday, 30 October.
Students are encouraged to bring ‘Wish Lists” home, and family members or guardians are welcome to visit the library and browse before or after school. Cash or card payments are accepted and this year there is the option of paying using a QR code. Students must bring the receipt number and the names of the books they want back to the library, as the school does not receive a record of the books you order, just the total amount paid, and this can sometimes cause confusion.
We can re-order all books, so there is no rush. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Kym Diprose in the library.
Welcome back to Term 4 and to finish off our year stronger than ever!
To all of you who joined us over the most recent Rocketeers school holiday program, thank you very much! We hope you had an incredible experience. On the topic of experiences, we had two exciting excursions to Territory Gymnastics Academy and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Coming up in Week 3, we are celebrating ‘World National Kangaroo Day’. On Thursday, 24 October, our theme for the whole week will be all about animals. You’re welcome to join any session for some fun crafting animal activities taking place.
Just a friendly reminder for all parents that your recurring bookings may not be active for Term 4. Please re-visit your recurring bookings to ensure your child has a place booked for each session that you require care, and if you ever have any queries, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with me.
Camp Australia
Email: nthaileyburyrendall@oshccampaustralia.com.au
The Early Learning Centre (ELC) recently participated in a fun-filled holiday program that had our students eager and excited! This holiday period, our activities offered a wide range of engaging and creative experiences for our young learners, both on and off campus.
Highlights included excursions to the beach and Playshack, where the children enjoyed the sun, sand, and plenty of active play. The bus trips themselves were an adventure, with the children eagerly chatting, singing, and anticipating the fun awaiting them. We also organised special theme days at the ELC, including disco days where our students showed off their best dance moves, and movie days where they relaxed with popcorn, ice cream, and a cosy atmosphere.
Our construction and build-a-fort day was another popular activity. The children worked together to design and construct imaginative forts, honing their problem-solving skills and creativity. The water play sessions were the perfect way to cool down, as the children splashed around and enjoyed games with water vessels, a slide and toys. Game days brought out their competitive spirit with a variety of fun, interactive challenges, while our pyjama party had everyone arriving in their comfiest sleepwear for a day of relaxation and fun.
We also explored artistic talents with engaging art activities, where the children expressed themselves through painting, drawing, and crafting. They took pride in creating unique masterpieces to share with friends and family. Our budding chefs enjoyed the cooking activities, whipping up delicious treats while learning valuable kitchen skills and teamwork.
Adding to the excitement, we temporarily relocated our Preschoolers to the "big school" while the ELC underwent renovations. The children were excited to use the staff room, which they reimagined and transformed into their own creative space. Our 4- and 5-year-olds embraced the change, exploring the new environment and making it their own.
This holiday program was filled with unforgettable moments, allowing our children to explore, learn, and create while forming closer bonds with their peers. We can’t wait to see what adventures await in our next program!
Michelle Shaw
Head of Early Learning Centre
As we race towards the end of the year, there are many exciting activities and events planned. We encourage all students to continue giving their best effort in all areas of school life and finish the term strong. Let's make it a fantastic and memorable end to the year!
Swimming lessons have begun, and the students are thoroughly enjoying their time in the pool. Please remember to pack some extra food for your child during their swimming week, as they tend to get hungrier after the additional physical activity.
As we move into the wet season it is worth noting arrangements for collection in the event of wet weather at the end of the school day.
Please help us to keep your child(ren) safe by either dropping them off at or after 8:05 am, when school staff are on yard duty, or by utilising the Before School Care service offered by Camp Australia.
Lisa Doyle
Head of Junior School
Student leadership is a highly valued and important part of life at Haileybury Rendall School. ‘Every student matters every day’ and our student leaders help to inform our decision-making and influence positive change within the School.
The Middle School student leadership process for 2025 has now begun. Year 7 & 8 students are encouraged to self-nominate their interest in a leadership role by following the details on myNotices. Excitingly, we have a newly created leadership role of Reconciliation Prefect, along with the other important roles from previous years.
I would like to extend my appreciation for the work of the Middle School student leaders throughout 2024. They have done a wonderful job this year supporting a variety of social justice, sports, arts, House, and fundraising efforts. Some highlights include supporting Year 7 Connection Day, Breast Cancer Awareness Day, and World’s Greatest Shave.
Wellbeing Week
We are all very excited to be organising the second Wellbeing Week at HRS. A huge amount of planning has gone into what will be another fantastic event, happening in Week 6. This year students will engage in workshops from Flourish Journey and Man Cave, off-site activities, and a variety of on-site activities designed to allow our students to connect, move, reflect, and create.
Families are reminded that we are seeking food donations in the lead-up to Wellbeing Week which will go towards a Year 9 Social Justice Project.
Keep an eye on myNotices to see what products we are seeking for donation. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Brendan Evans
Head of Middle School
Welcome back as we begin Term 4 and prepare to farewell the Class of 2024. With the final House events approaching and Senior School students gearing up for exams, it's an exciting and busy time for all.
Events
During the holidays, Middle and Senior School students embarked on a seven-day cultural and academic immersion trip to China. The experience was truly memorable, as shared through their stories and reflections.
A special mention goes to the cast and crew of the school musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- the new musical. Led by Ilona Martin, the student and staff orchestra delivered a world-class performance, matched by an exceptional cast.
Looking ahead, we are excited for Wellbeing Week. More details will be shared soon, but we encourage students and families to support two important charities, ‘Happy Boxes’ and ‘Aunty’s Free Feeds.’ Together, we can give back and improve our own wellbeing. Please look out for further details on how to contribute, which will be shared via the MyHRS app.
Student Achievements
Over the holidays, HRS students excelled at the 2024 Country Swimming Championships. Coached by Taylia (Year 11), the team delivered standout performances. Congratulations to Chloe (Year 11) for winning the 16-Year Girls Age Champion title and the team relay, and to Macey (Year 9) for securing seven individual gold medals!
Welcome back to Year 10 students Sam and Madi from their Melbourne Exchange! We look forward to hearing about their experiences at the upcoming Senior School Assembly.
Best of luck to all students sitting their VCA exams. Well, done to our Drama and Music students who have already completed their performance exams—keep up the great work!
Kylie Mobilia
Head of Senior School
Retention rates are a very strong indicator of student satisfaction especially in the area of Indigenous Education. In this context, staff at boarding were particularly impressed at the number of students who returned from school holidays on the arranged travel. It was great to witness so many students who returned with a positive frame of mind and ready to engage with their learning.
At our first assembly at boarding, we spoke of the number of staff who were new to the Northern Territory. We addressed the relationship between geography and culture and how the “build up” may affect people’s attitudes. Empathy is the value for the term, and we discussed how this may look in the type of engagements staff could expect to receive from our students to help them through each day. We spoke of welcoming smiles, asking “how are you” and genuinely checking in with peers and staff – the people of our community.
Plans are now in place to celebrate the lives of our boarding students who will be graduating this year. It's an exciting time as it will be the inaugural graduation of our international boarding students. We wish all of our boarding students well in their exams and further studies. The graduation ceremony will be filled with shared pride for many as we celebrate our students.
We are excited by the recent announcement that the current Assistant Head of Middle School Nick Eddy was recently appointed as the new Director of Boarding. Nick will begin his tenure in Week 1A of this term add we wish him all the best in this very fulfilling.
Ian Smith
Acting Director of Boarding
20 students and 4 staff left Australian shores in September on the last day of Term 3 for a 9-day tour taking in Beijing and Tianjin. Little did we know that we were in for such a deep and authentic learning experience.
A highlight for staff was watching the group of Years 9-12 form positive relationships not only with one another, but with their new friends and buddies from Haileybury Tianjin.
There is nothing like living in a boarding environment together to ignite learning and laughter. Watching students eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner together all the while using a mixture of English and Mandarin in order to communicate with one another was a great example of the experiential learning that HRS deeply values.
But don’t take it from me…here’s what our students had to say:
“China was a pretty big culture shock, but we got used to it!”
“A highlight was the Tiananmen Square Flag Raising Ceremony, which regularly turns out over 60,000 people! This has happened every day since 1st October, 1949, when the People’s Republic of China was first established.”
“The amazing Forbidden City, which has been the home of countless Chinese emperors since it was built over 604 years ago. Covering a staggering 720,000 square meters, it is built on the direct centerline of Beijing. It was my highlight!”
“Something really unique to Beijing were the Hutongs, which are narrow streets filled with rich history and culture, and even more crammed with people living the traditional Beijing way. There, we met a lady who is incredibly skilled in the traditional Chinese game called Jianzi. This was followed by a nail-biting ride around a lake on a trishaw.”
“We were all excited about visiting one of the 7 new wonders of the world, the Great Wall of China. The Chinese have a saying, “If you don’t visit the Great Wall, you’re not a hero.” It’s easy to feel like one while you’re standing on top of history. Getting off the wall was possibly the most fun we had all day, where we tobogganed all the way down!”
“My favourite destination of the trip was the Summer Palace. To put it into perspective, the Summer Palace is four times larger than the Forbidden City, and was a gift from a Chinese emperor to his mother, the Dragon Lady. This put my Mother’s Day gifts to shame! The palace brought upon a sense of both history."
"We were all so excited to attend Haileybury Tianjin, where we got paired up with our buddies. My buddy was Louis, who tried so hard to help me understand even little parts of the class. I was totally out of my depth but had a ton of fun!"
Since Tianjin does VCE just like us, their classes were incredibly similar to how ours are administered. However, what I really took note of was the fact that there were designated sections of the school that were “English only.” I was also pleasantly surprised by the proficiency of the students’ English, and we were able to effectively communicate with each other in both English and Chinese. Overall, I think it was helpful to all of us that went.”
“After classes finished for the day at 4.00 pm, we all went out to the sports area and taught our new buddies how to play AFL; which was much harder than expected. I don’t think they got the concept of handballing. Despite a few hiccups with the rules, we had plenty of fun with our weird NRL/AFL amalgamation of a game, since they didn’t have goalposts. Every night after afternoon activities, students have compulsory night study from 7 o’clock to 9 o’clock, which will never make me complain about staying back after school for Maths or English help ever again!”
“Day 7 was real fun, with us all being able to dress up in traditional Chinese royal attire. Beauty does come at a cost though, because let me tell you, it was HOT in those things. We went out to Beihai Park for our little outing, catching the attention of dozens of locals. I thought that the photos were bad enough while we were out in public wearing normal clothes, but this was next level.
“Leaving Beijing was quite bittersweet, as we had made so many friends, learned a variety of things about the world and its history, and seen and experienced a different culture in such a rich way.”
“It was such an amazing experience that we are both so grateful to be able to experience, and we would like to thank Ms Pearson, Mr Shangguan, Mr Zeng and Ms Barry for allowing us to experience such a rich and vibrant culture. It’s something that none of us will ever forget!”
Thank you, wonderful students!
"Wow, wow, wow!"
"Absolutely incredible"
"You gave me so much hope for humanity"
"That was the best show I've seen in my 25 years of teaching"
“I had to keep reminding myself this was a school production!”
Thank you to the wonderfully supportive Darwin community for your generous feedback; we are so pleased that you enjoyed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – the new musical.
We are extremely proud of our students and staff and to see the joy on the faces of audience members of all ages was well and truly worth the effort. We will look forward to doing it all again in 2025!
Felicity Pearson
Deputy Principal
We extend our congratulations to Stephanie (Year 11) who has been appointed as the 2025 School Captain along with Felix (Year 11) she has also been accepted into the National Youth Science Forum held in Canberra in January. Tonight (Friday, 18) she will be attending a reception at Government House.
Well done, Stephanie!
Year 6 students spent the past week exploring our nation's capital and all it has to offer!
Students visited iconic landmarks including the Australian War Memorial, Old and New Parliament House, the National Electoral Education Centre and the Australian Institute of Sport.
They explored the Floriade Festival to take in the springtime, went go-karting, treetop adventuring climbing, and ziplining. Science fun was had at Questacon and the Mt Stromlo Observatory and so much more.
The students and teachers had an amazing trip, filled with new experiences and opportunities to make friends and create lots of fun memories.
Michelle Dancis
Junior School Teacher
Our students recently showcased their skills at the Northern Territory Titration Competition Finals held at CDU.
The top 13 teams from the preliminary rounds earned a spot in the finals, where they demonstrated their precision and technique in determining unknown concentrations through titration.
We are incredibly proud of all our finalists, who performed exceptionally well. A special congratulations to our Year 12 girls team—Ellie, Ashley, and Kira—who secured the top team ranking on the day and brought home gold medallions for their outstanding accuracy.
Well done, team!
Leisha Skilton
Head of Science
Senior Girls participated in a one-off AFL game against O’Loughlin Catholic College in Term 3.
The students showed exceptional sportsmanship, talent and determination throughout the whole game. Our girls came away victorious 65-22!
Haileybury Rendall School is building a strong connection and competition with AFLNT, and O’Loughlin Catholic College and we hope this is the first of many head-to-head clashes in the senior girl's competition!
Best on ground: Marika (Year 10), Taitum (Year 8), Rianna (Year 11), Karen (Year 7), Lakhyah (Year 10)
Well done to all involved!
Simone O'Brien
Sports Coordinator
Term 3 was full of House Events and participation was wonderful!
House Debating saw students from Years 7 – 12 competing and showcasing their public speaking talents. It was wonderful to see so many students supporting their House and encouraging their friends.
The overall winner by one point was Pumarali! Congratulations to all students, particularly Year 7 students, Claire and Katy who spoke for their Houses.
Term 3 finished with House Dodgeball. The competition was split into Middle School and Senior School to allow more students to participate. It was great to see students keen to join in and take part in the activities on offer. Middle School overall winners were Baru, and Senior School overall winners were Djarrak.
Term 4 brings us even more excitement with House Chess and House Swimming. Stay tuned!
Sophie Carter
Year 7 Coordinator & PE Teacher
Year 8 classes made homemade pizzas with the base made from only two ingredients. They certainly had fun creating their own pizza toppings including a dessert pizza with Nutella, cheesy crust, garlic cheesy, BBQ meat lovers, and the good old go-to, Pepperoni.
The students are looking forward to cooking Butter Chicken this week, a proven popular dish by past students. Mum and Dad, you should be expecting this for dinner on the weekend made by your own junior master chefs!
Emily Fryer and Bronwyn Cruse
Food Technology Teacher and Assistant Teacher
In Year 10 Art last week, students attended an Art Gallery Excursion to view four local commercial Art Galleries across Darwin. This enriching learning experience offered inspiration to ignite creativity and new ideas for students. This will help them to create a small artwork of their own when they commence their research, and complete their final assessment for the year.
Students visited the Tactile Arts Gallery, Laundry Gallery, Outstation Gallery, and Paul Johnston Gallery.
Allowing students to experience a range of artistic styles, mediums, and cultural perspectives broadens their understanding of art materials and contemporary art practices.
Anne McMaster
Head of Visual Arts
This term, we are excited to announce that the Haileybury Rendall School’s Stars Program will be hosting our annual Stars End of Year Awards Presentation Night! Mark your calendars for Week 3, on Wednesday, October 23.
We invite all Stars students and their families to join us for this special evening as we celebrate the achievements of our talented participants. It will be a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the year, acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our students, and enjoy each other’s company.
To make the night even more enjoyable, we will provide a selection of delicious food and refreshing drinks for everyone.
Please RSVP to confirm your attendance by calling Amanda Hill at amanda.hill@haileybury.com.au.
We look forward to celebrating with you and hope to see you there!
Amanda Hill
Program Coordinator
The Clontarf Academy Year 7-9 students travelled to Tennant Creek in week 8 of Term 3. Tennant Creek hosted the Battle in the Barkly Football Carnival. Over ten Clontarf Academies from across the NT came together. The teams were split into two divisions of five teams with the top team in each division playing off in the Grand Final at the end of the day.
HRS played four games early in the day against the Dripstone Academy, Sanderson Academy, Yirara Academy, and Jabiru Academy going undefeated in the first four games game to sit nicely on top. It was up to the fellas to knuckle in and take this form into the Grand Final which was to be the last game of the day.
In the other division, the Alice Springs Middle School Academy also went undefeated for the four games and finished the day on top of their division. Bring on the Grand Final!
The Grand Final was a hard-fought game with several players in the Alice Springs team kicking the ball long into their attacking zone. HRS players such as Angas (Year 9), Denniston (Year 9), and Johnno (Year 8) were there to mob up the ball and propel our team forward where players like Bradley (Year 7) and Tyrique (Year 7) scored amazing goals to put HRS in the lead at half time.
The second half was all one way with the fitness and experience of the HRS players showing through as they combined for goals. Best on ground for the game was easily Ricco Chubb (Year 9) however it was the leadership of Eric Sambo (Year 8) that was shown throughout the day that stood out to everyone involved. Not only on the field where he played a wonderful game but also at the presentation and campsite at the end of the day where he gave one of the great Clontarf acceptance speeches.
Well done to all of the fellas from around the NT who participated and well done to our HRS Middle School team. The behaviour of our fellas wasn’t
easily the best of any academy.
Patrick Bowden
HRS Clontarf Director
Online news from Haileybury Rendall School
Welcome to Term 4. As we head into our final term for 2024, we reflect on what’s important to our HRS community.
Our annual Wellbeing Week will occur in Week 6, which is also the first week of Term 1A for Middle and Senior School students beginning their transition up to the next year level. The dates are Monday, 11 November to Friday, 15 November which follows Semester 2 examination week for Middle and Senior School students.
But Wellbeing Week is for everyone!
In the ELC and Junior School, there will be a variety of wellbeing activities and presenters throughout the week.
In Middle School, there will be a variety of guest presenters and connection activities to support student wellbeing.
Senior School students will take part in the Love Bites Consent and Respectful Relationships full-day program.
The School will be asking for weekly donations from our community to make donations to Aunty's Kitchen - Palmerston soup kitchen, and Happy Boxes Project which donates personal hygiene packages to remote Indigenous communities with Year 9 students making food and creating packages to donate in Week 6.
Our rotational activities will be based on the six pillars of our Health and Wellbeing Framework and will include activities that support those pillars.
In other news, our students have been jet-setting across the globe with Year 6 students visiting our nation’s capital. You can read more about their time here.
Meanwhile, our Middle and Senior School students immersed themselves in a trip to China. You can read about it here.
Year 7-9 PAT Testing was this week, and our Year 12s classes conclude next week with the Year 12 Graduation Assembly and Valedictory Dinner in the following weeks, and let's not forget Tournament of the Minds in Week 4! A big term ahead of us indeed!
Andrew McGregor
Principal
Quiz Night
|
Friday, 18 October
|
Scholastic Book Fair
|
14 -25 October
|
Stars Awards Presentation Night
|
Wednesday, October 23
|
Year 12 classes conclude
|
Thursday, 24 October
|
Clontarf Awards Night
|
Thursday, 24 October
|
Year 12 Graduation Assembly
|
Friday, 25 October
|
VCE Examinations
|
29 October - 22 November
|
Tournament of the Minds Tour
|
31 October - 3 November
|
Junior School Art Show
|
6 - 8 November
|
Wellbeing Week
|
11 - 15 November
|
Year 12 Valedictory Dinner
|
Saturday, 23 November
|
We are pleased to announce that Haileybury Rendall School will again be holding Wellbeing Week this year. It will occur in Week 6, with Middle and Senior Students completing a range of activities and programs from Monday, 11 November to Wednesday, 13 November. Junior School and ELC students will have their program from Thursday, 14 November to Friday, 15 November.
Wellbeing Week seeks to enshrine the six pillars from our Health and Wellbeing Framework into thought-provoking, inspiring, and nurturing experiences for our students. We are proud of the impact that last year’s Wellbeing Week had for students and are looking forward to an even more successful experience this year.
Please keep an eye on myHRS for further information in the weeks ahead.
Wendy Pickering-Tyers
Deputy Principal - Wellbeing
Kate Haigh
Head of Student Wellbeing Programs
Quiz Night & Auction - Tickets on sale now!
The book fair is back in the library and will continue until Wednesday, 30 October.
Students are encouraged to bring ‘Wish Lists” home, and family members or guardians are welcome to visit the library and browse before or after school. Cash or card payments are accepted and this year there is the option of paying using a QR code. Students must bring the receipt number and the names of the books they want back to the library, as the school does not receive a record of the books you order, just the total amount paid, and this can sometimes cause confusion.
We can re-order all books, so there is no rush. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Kym Diprose in the library.
Welcome back to Term 4 and to finish off our year stronger than ever!
To all of you who joined us over the most recent Rocketeers school holiday program, thank you very much! We hope you had an incredible experience. On the topic of experiences, we had two exciting excursions to Territory Gymnastics Academy and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Coming up in Week 3, we are celebrating ‘World National Kangaroo Day’. On Thursday, 24 October, our theme for the whole week will be all about animals. You’re welcome to join any session for some fun crafting animal activities taking place.
Just a friendly reminder for all parents that your recurring bookings may not be active for Term 4. Please re-visit your recurring bookings to ensure your child has a place booked for each session that you require care, and if you ever have any queries, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with me.
Camp Australia
Email: nthaileyburyrendall@oshccampaustralia.com.au
The Early Learning Centre (ELC) recently participated in a fun-filled holiday program that had our students eager and excited! This holiday period, our activities offered a wide range of engaging and creative experiences for our young learners, both on and off campus.
Highlights included excursions to the beach and Playshack, where the children enjoyed the sun, sand, and plenty of active play. The bus trips themselves were an adventure, with the children eagerly chatting, singing, and anticipating the fun awaiting them. We also organised special theme days at the ELC, including disco days where our students showed off their best dance moves, and movie days where they relaxed with popcorn, ice cream, and a cosy atmosphere.
Our construction and build-a-fort day was another popular activity. The children worked together to design and construct imaginative forts, honing their problem-solving skills and creativity. The water play sessions were the perfect way to cool down, as the children splashed around and enjoyed games with water vessels, a slide and toys. Game days brought out their competitive spirit with a variety of fun, interactive challenges, while our pyjama party had everyone arriving in their comfiest sleepwear for a day of relaxation and fun.
We also explored artistic talents with engaging art activities, where the children expressed themselves through painting, drawing, and crafting. They took pride in creating unique masterpieces to share with friends and family. Our budding chefs enjoyed the cooking activities, whipping up delicious treats while learning valuable kitchen skills and teamwork.
Adding to the excitement, we temporarily relocated our Preschoolers to the "big school" while the ELC underwent renovations. The children were excited to use the staff room, which they reimagined and transformed into their own creative space. Our 4- and 5-year-olds embraced the change, exploring the new environment and making it their own.
This holiday program was filled with unforgettable moments, allowing our children to explore, learn, and create while forming closer bonds with their peers. We can’t wait to see what adventures await in our next program!
Michelle Shaw
Head of Early Learning Centre
As we race towards the end of the year, there are many exciting activities and events planned. We encourage all students to continue giving their best effort in all areas of school life and finish the term strong. Let's make it a fantastic and memorable end to the year!
Swimming lessons have begun, and the students are thoroughly enjoying their time in the pool. Please remember to pack some extra food for your child during their swimming week, as they tend to get hungrier after the additional physical activity.
As we move into the wet season it is worth noting arrangements for collection in the event of wet weather at the end of the school day.
Please help us to keep your child(ren) safe by either dropping them off at or after 8:05 am, when school staff are on yard duty, or by utilising the Before School Care service offered by Camp Australia.
Lisa Doyle
Head of Junior School
Student leadership is a highly valued and important part of life at Haileybury Rendall School. ‘Every student matters every day’ and our student leaders help to inform our decision-making and influence positive change within the School.
The Middle School student leadership process for 2025 has now begun. Year 7 & 8 students are encouraged to self-nominate their interest in a leadership role by following the details on myNotices. Excitingly, we have a newly created leadership role of Reconciliation Prefect, along with the other important roles from previous years.
I would like to extend my appreciation for the work of the Middle School student leaders throughout 2024. They have done a wonderful job this year supporting a variety of social justice, sports, arts, House, and fundraising efforts. Some highlights include supporting Year 7 Connection Day, Breast Cancer Awareness Day, and World’s Greatest Shave.
Wellbeing Week
We are all very excited to be organising the second Wellbeing Week at HRS. A huge amount of planning has gone into what will be another fantastic event, happening in Week 6. This year students will engage in workshops from Flourish Journey and Man Cave, off-site activities, and a variety of on-site activities designed to allow our students to connect, move, reflect, and create.
Families are reminded that we are seeking food donations in the lead-up to Wellbeing Week which will go towards a Year 9 Social Justice Project.
Keep an eye on myNotices to see what products we are seeking for donation. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Brendan Evans
Head of Middle School
Welcome back as we begin Term 4 and prepare to farewell the Class of 2024. With the final House events approaching and Senior School students gearing up for exams, it's an exciting and busy time for all.
Events
During the holidays, Middle and Senior School students embarked on a seven-day cultural and academic immersion trip to China. The experience was truly memorable, as shared through their stories and reflections.
A special mention goes to the cast and crew of the school musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- the new musical. Led by Ilona Martin, the student and staff orchestra delivered a world-class performance, matched by an exceptional cast.
Looking ahead, we are excited for Wellbeing Week. More details will be shared soon, but we encourage students and families to support two important charities, ‘Happy Boxes’ and ‘Aunty’s Free Feeds.’ Together, we can give back and improve our own wellbeing. Please look out for further details on how to contribute, which will be shared via the MyHRS app.
Student Achievements
Over the holidays, HRS students excelled at the 2024 Country Swimming Championships. Coached by Taylia (Year 11), the team delivered standout performances. Congratulations to Chloe (Year 11) for winning the 16-Year Girls Age Champion title and the team relay, and to Macey (Year 9) for securing seven individual gold medals!
Welcome back to Year 10 students Sam and Madi from their Melbourne Exchange! We look forward to hearing about their experiences at the upcoming Senior School Assembly.
Best of luck to all students sitting their VCA exams. Well, done to our Drama and Music students who have already completed their performance exams—keep up the great work!
Kylie Mobilia
Head of Senior School
Retention rates are a very strong indicator of student satisfaction especially in the area of Indigenous Education. In this context, staff at boarding were particularly impressed at the number of students who returned from school holidays on the arranged travel. It was great to witness so many students who returned with a positive frame of mind and ready to engage with their learning.
At our first assembly at boarding, we spoke of the number of staff who were new to the Northern Territory. We addressed the relationship between geography and culture and how the “build up” may affect people’s attitudes. Empathy is the value for the term, and we discussed how this may look in the type of engagements staff could expect to receive from our students to help them through each day. We spoke of welcoming smiles, asking “how are you” and genuinely checking in with peers and staff – the people of our community.
Plans are now in place to celebrate the lives of our boarding students who will be graduating this year. It's an exciting time as it will be the inaugural graduation of our international boarding students. We wish all of our boarding students well in their exams and further studies. The graduation ceremony will be filled with shared pride for many as we celebrate our students.
We are excited by the recent announcement that the current Assistant Head of Middle School Nick Eddy was recently appointed as the new Director of Boarding. Nick will begin his tenure in Week 1A of this term add we wish him all the best in this very fulfilling.
Ian Smith
Acting Director of Boarding
20 students and 4 staff left Australian shores in September on the last day of Term 3 for a 9-day tour taking in Beijing and Tianjin. Little did we know that we were in for such a deep and authentic learning experience.
A highlight for staff was watching the group of Years 9-12 form positive relationships not only with one another, but with their new friends and buddies from Haileybury Tianjin.
There is nothing like living in a boarding environment together to ignite learning and laughter. Watching students eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner together all the while using a mixture of English and Mandarin in order to communicate with one another was a great example of the experiential learning that HRS deeply values.
But don’t take it from me…here’s what our students had to say:
“China was a pretty big culture shock, but we got used to it!”
“A highlight was the Tiananmen Square Flag Raising Ceremony, which regularly turns out over 60,000 people! This has happened every day since 1st October, 1949, when the People’s Republic of China was first established.”
“The amazing Forbidden City, which has been the home of countless Chinese emperors since it was built over 604 years ago. Covering a staggering 720,000 square meters, it is built on the direct centerline of Beijing. It was my highlight!”
“Something really unique to Beijing were the Hutongs, which are narrow streets filled with rich history and culture, and even more crammed with people living the traditional Beijing way. There, we met a lady who is incredibly skilled in the traditional Chinese game called Jianzi. This was followed by a nail-biting ride around a lake on a trishaw.”
“We were all excited about visiting one of the 7 new wonders of the world, the Great Wall of China. The Chinese have a saying, “If you don’t visit the Great Wall, you’re not a hero.” It’s easy to feel like one while you’re standing on top of history. Getting off the wall was possibly the most fun we had all day, where we tobogganed all the way down!”
“My favourite destination of the trip was the Summer Palace. To put it into perspective, the Summer Palace is four times larger than the Forbidden City, and was a gift from a Chinese emperor to his mother, the Dragon Lady. This put my Mother’s Day gifts to shame! The palace brought upon a sense of both history."
"We were all so excited to attend Haileybury Tianjin, where we got paired up with our buddies. My buddy was Louis, who tried so hard to help me understand even little parts of the class. I was totally out of my depth but had a ton of fun!"
Since Tianjin does VCE just like us, their classes were incredibly similar to how ours are administered. However, what I really took note of was the fact that there were designated sections of the school that were “English only.” I was also pleasantly surprised by the proficiency of the students’ English, and we were able to effectively communicate with each other in both English and Chinese. Overall, I think it was helpful to all of us that went.”
“After classes finished for the day at 4.00 pm, we all went out to the sports area and taught our new buddies how to play AFL; which was much harder than expected. I don’t think they got the concept of handballing. Despite a few hiccups with the rules, we had plenty of fun with our weird NRL/AFL amalgamation of a game, since they didn’t have goalposts. Every night after afternoon activities, students have compulsory night study from 7 o’clock to 9 o’clock, which will never make me complain about staying back after school for Maths or English help ever again!”
“Day 7 was real fun, with us all being able to dress up in traditional Chinese royal attire. Beauty does come at a cost though, because let me tell you, it was HOT in those things. We went out to Beihai Park for our little outing, catching the attention of dozens of locals. I thought that the photos were bad enough while we were out in public wearing normal clothes, but this was next level.
“Leaving Beijing was quite bittersweet, as we had made so many friends, learned a variety of things about the world and its history, and seen and experienced a different culture in such a rich way.”
“It was such an amazing experience that we are both so grateful to be able to experience, and we would like to thank Ms Pearson, Mr Shangguan, Mr Zeng and Ms Barry for allowing us to experience such a rich and vibrant culture. It’s something that none of us will ever forget!”
Thank you, wonderful students!
"Wow, wow, wow!"
"Absolutely incredible"
"You gave me so much hope for humanity"
"That was the best show I've seen in my 25 years of teaching"
“I had to keep reminding myself this was a school production!”
Thank you to the wonderfully supportive Darwin community for your generous feedback; we are so pleased that you enjoyed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – the new musical.
We are extremely proud of our students and staff and to see the joy on the faces of audience members of all ages was well and truly worth the effort. We will look forward to doing it all again in 2025!
Felicity Pearson
Deputy Principal
We extend our congratulations to Stephanie (Year 11) who has been appointed as the 2025 School Captain along with Felix (Year 11) she has also been accepted into the National Youth Science Forum held in Canberra in January. Tonight (Friday, 18) she will be attending a reception at Government House.
Well done, Stephanie!
Year 6 students spent the past week exploring our nation's capital and all it has to offer!
Students visited iconic landmarks including the Australian War Memorial, Old and New Parliament House, the National Electoral Education Centre and the Australian Institute of Sport.
They explored the Floriade Festival to take in the springtime, went go-karting, treetop adventuring climbing, and ziplining. Science fun was had at Questacon and the Mt Stromlo Observatory and so much more.
The students and teachers had an amazing trip, filled with new experiences and opportunities to make friends and create lots of fun memories.
Michelle Dancis
Junior School Teacher
Our students recently showcased their skills at the Northern Territory Titration Competition Finals held at CDU.
The top 13 teams from the preliminary rounds earned a spot in the finals, where they demonstrated their precision and technique in determining unknown concentrations through titration.
We are incredibly proud of all our finalists, who performed exceptionally well. A special congratulations to our Year 12 girls team—Ellie, Ashley, and Kira—who secured the top team ranking on the day and brought home gold medallions for their outstanding accuracy.
Well done, team!
Leisha Skilton
Head of Science
Senior Girls participated in a one-off AFL game against O’Loughlin Catholic College in Term 3.
The students showed exceptional sportsmanship, talent and determination throughout the whole game. Our girls came away victorious 65-22!
Haileybury Rendall School is building a strong connection and competition with AFLNT, and O’Loughlin Catholic College and we hope this is the first of many head-to-head clashes in the senior girl's competition!
Best on ground: Marika (Year 10), Taitum (Year 8), Rianna (Year 11), Karen (Year 7), Lakhyah (Year 10)
Well done to all involved!
Simone O'Brien
Sports Coordinator
Term 3 was full of House Events and participation was wonderful!
House Debating saw students from Years 7 – 12 competing and showcasing their public speaking talents. It was wonderful to see so many students supporting their House and encouraging their friends.
The overall winner by one point was Pumarali! Congratulations to all students, particularly Year 7 students, Claire and Katy who spoke for their Houses.
Term 3 finished with House Dodgeball. The competition was split into Middle School and Senior School to allow more students to participate. It was great to see students keen to join in and take part in the activities on offer. Middle School overall winners were Baru, and Senior School overall winners were Djarrak.
Term 4 brings us even more excitement with House Chess and House Swimming. Stay tuned!
Sophie Carter
Year 7 Coordinator & PE Teacher
Year 8 classes made homemade pizzas with the base made from only two ingredients. They certainly had fun creating their own pizza toppings including a dessert pizza with Nutella, cheesy crust, garlic cheesy, BBQ meat lovers, and the good old go-to, Pepperoni.
The students are looking forward to cooking Butter Chicken this week, a proven popular dish by past students. Mum and Dad, you should be expecting this for dinner on the weekend made by your own junior master chefs!
Emily Fryer and Bronwyn Cruse
Food Technology Teacher and Assistant Teacher
In Year 10 Art last week, students attended an Art Gallery Excursion to view four local commercial Art Galleries across Darwin. This enriching learning experience offered inspiration to ignite creativity and new ideas for students. This will help them to create a small artwork of their own when they commence their research, and complete their final assessment for the year.
Students visited the Tactile Arts Gallery, Laundry Gallery, Outstation Gallery, and Paul Johnston Gallery.
Allowing students to experience a range of artistic styles, mediums, and cultural perspectives broadens their understanding of art materials and contemporary art practices.
Anne McMaster
Head of Visual Arts
This term, we are excited to announce that the Haileybury Rendall School’s Stars Program will be hosting our annual Stars End of Year Awards Presentation Night! Mark your calendars for Week 3, on Wednesday, October 23.
We invite all Stars students and their families to join us for this special evening as we celebrate the achievements of our talented participants. It will be a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the year, acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our students, and enjoy each other’s company.
To make the night even more enjoyable, we will provide a selection of delicious food and refreshing drinks for everyone.
Please RSVP to confirm your attendance by calling Amanda Hill at amanda.hill@haileybury.com.au.
We look forward to celebrating with you and hope to see you there!
Amanda Hill
Program Coordinator
The Clontarf Academy Year 7-9 students travelled to Tennant Creek in week 8 of Term 3. Tennant Creek hosted the Battle in the Barkly Football Carnival. Over ten Clontarf Academies from across the NT came together. The teams were split into two divisions of five teams with the top team in each division playing off in the Grand Final at the end of the day.
HRS played four games early in the day against the Dripstone Academy, Sanderson Academy, Yirara Academy, and Jabiru Academy going undefeated in the first four games game to sit nicely on top. It was up to the fellas to knuckle in and take this form into the Grand Final which was to be the last game of the day.
In the other division, the Alice Springs Middle School Academy also went undefeated for the four games and finished the day on top of their division. Bring on the Grand Final!
The Grand Final was a hard-fought game with several players in the Alice Springs team kicking the ball long into their attacking zone. HRS players such as Angas (Year 9), Denniston (Year 9), and Johnno (Year 8) were there to mob up the ball and propel our team forward where players like Bradley (Year 7) and Tyrique (Year 7) scored amazing goals to put HRS in the lead at half time.
The second half was all one way with the fitness and experience of the HRS players showing through as they combined for goals. Best on ground for the game was easily Ricco Chubb (Year 9) however it was the leadership of Eric Sambo (Year 8) that was shown throughout the day that stood out to everyone involved. Not only on the field where he played a wonderful game but also at the presentation and campsite at the end of the day where he gave one of the great Clontarf acceptance speeches.
Well done to all of the fellas from around the NT who participated and well done to our HRS Middle School team. The behaviour of our fellas wasn’t
easily the best of any academy.
Patrick Bowden
HRS Clontarf Director
In the spirit of reconciliation, Haileybury acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
© Haileybury Rendall School 2024 Compliance
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